Patent ID: 7099780
Filing Date: 2006-08-29
Classification: E21B,G01F

Abstract:
1. A method for calculating the relative volumetric flow-rates of at least one of the phases of a multiphase effluent flowing in a well, said method comprising a first step of acquiring local volumetric fractions and/or velocities of said phases across a section of the well at a certain depth, and wherein the method further comprises: correcting said local volumetric fraction and/or velocity measurements in order to make them consistent with each other and/or with the effluent flow conditions; selecting a suitable flow model mathematically representing the effluent flow, the flow model being a combination of a predetermined hold-up profile and a velocity that corresponds to a known flow pattern; interpolating said local volumetric fractions measurements and/or said local velocity measurements by the selected flow model in order to obtain a volumetric fraction profile and/or a velocity profile for at least one phase of the effluent across said section of the well at said depth; calculating the relative volumetric flow rates of said at least one phase by integration of said volumetric fraction and/or velocity profiles over said section of the well at said depth, using said relative volumetric flow rates in operations related to a well in production.