US 12,253,399 B2
Multiphase flowmeters and related methods
Felipe Nogueira, Singapore (SG); Cheng-Gang Xie, Singapore (SG); Kun Yang, Singapore (SG); and Arifin Arifin, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed by Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/464,387.
Application 18/464,387 is a continuation of application No. 16/523,042, filed on Jul. 26, 2019, granted, now 11,808,615.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/703,466, filed on Jul. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0417589 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. G01F 1/74 (2006.01); G01F 1/66 (2022.01); G01F 1/86 (2006.01); G01N 27/10 (2006.01); G01N 33/28 (2006.01); G01N 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01F 1/74 (2013.01) [G01F 1/666 (2013.01); G01F 1/86 (2013.01); G01N 27/10 (2013.01); G01N 33/2847 (2013.01); G01N 2011/0073 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a flowmeter configured to monitor each phase of a multiphase fluid flowing through a fluid conduit, wherein the multiphase fluid comprises at least water, oil, and gas;
the fluid conduit, wherein the fluid conduit is configured to provide a flow path for the multiphase fluid relative to the flowmeter;
a piezoelectric acoustic sensor coupled to the fluid conduit and configured to generate sensor data indicative of at least one of: (i) a presence of solids in the multiphase fluid during flow of the multiphase fluid through the fluid conduit or an absence of solids in the multiphase fluid during flow of the multiphase fluid through the fluid conduit, or (ii) a mass flow rate of solids in the multiphase fluid during flow of the multiphase fluid through the fluid conduit; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the piezoelectric acoustic sensor, the processor configured to:
select a first linear attenuation triangle of the flowmeter or a second linear attenuation triangle of the flowmeter, the selection being based on the sensor data of the piezoelectric acoustic sensor; and
selectively determine flow rates for the phases of the multiphase fluid based on (i) data generated by the flowmeter and (ii) the selected first linear attenuation triangle of the flowmeter or second linear attenuation triangle of the flowmeter.