US 11,860,077 B2
Fluid flow sensor using driver and reference electromechanical resonators
Robert Adams, Houston, TX (US); Edwin Hulse, Houston, TX (US); Miguel Gonzalez, Houston, TX (US); and Tim Thiel, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/551,031.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184655 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 11/16 (2006.01); E21B 49/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 11/16 (2013.01) [E21B 49/0875 (2020.05)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented system for measuring fluid flow, comprising:
a driver configured as a driving electromechanical resonator for contacting a drilling fluid in a well;
a reference configured as a reference electromechanical resonator for contacting the drilling fluid in the well, wherein the reference is of a similar construction as the driver and is in contact with the drilling fluid in a substantially same way;
a measurement controller electrically coupled to the driver and the reference and configured to provide measurement electronics for sensing fluid flow;
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instructing the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
monitoring, by the measurement controller based on the similar construction of the driver and the reference, responses from the driver and the reference to mitigate environmental sensitivities of the driver and the reference and to enhance fluid property sensitivities by the driver and the reference to physical properties of the drilling fluid;
performing, by the measurement controller, real-time measurements based on information received from the driver and the reference; and
determining, by the measurement controller based on the real-time measurements, a viscosity and a density of the drilling fluid.