Patent ID: 10890055

Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for inverting oil continuous flow to water continuous flow and reaching one or more desired production parameters in a well producing fluid containing oil and water or inverting oil continuous flow to water continuous flow and reaching one or more desired transport parameters in a pipeline transporting fluid containing oil and water wherein there is a pump in the well or transport pipeline, comprising the following steps: (a) reducing the pump frequency until either inversion from oil continuous production to water continuous flow is achieved or a predefined stopping condition is reached; (b) if inversion has not been achieved in step (a), adjusting the wellhead pressure in the well or the pressure at the reception side of the transport line to achieve the inversion; (c) stabilising the flow at the condition reached in steps (a) or (b); and (d) carefully adjusting one or both of the wellhead pressure and pump frequency to reach the one or more desired production parameters.