Oil Well Production Analyzing System

Abstract

An oil well production analyzing system receives production fluid samples from the oil well according to an automated sampling schedule. The fluid samples are received within a degassing cylinder and separated into a liquid phase and a gas phase, with the liquid phase automatically transferred to a sampling cylinder for water cut analysis. Once the liquid phase has been transferred to the sampling cylinder, a piston within the degassing cylinder automatically evacuates all fluid from the cylinder in preparation of receiving a subsequent fluid sample from the oil well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for ascertaining a relative percentage of water contained in a liquid phase of a fluid sample received from a well, where the fluid sample comprises the liquid phase and a gas phase, and the liquid phase comprises oil and water, the system comprising:
 a fluid inlet from the well through which the fluid sample is received, a fluid outlet through which the fluid sample is discharged, and a vessel disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;   the vessel comprising a degassing cylinder wherein the degassing cylinder receives at least a portion of the fluid sample from the fluid inlet;   a piston disposed within the degassing cylinder wherein the piston is moveable from a first position to a second position, wherein substantially all of the liquid phase of the fluid sample received by the degassing cylinder is transferred outside of the degassing cylinder as the piston moves from the first position to the second position; and   a first sensor connected to the degassing cylinder which ascertains when the piston is in the first position and a second sensor which ascertains when the piston is in the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the piston is actuated by a low voltage servo motor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a processor which receives input from the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the processor provides output signals which cause the piston to move back and forth between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the piston moves back and forth between the first position and the second position by a low voltage servo motor which receives the output signals from the processor. 
     
     
         6 . A system for ascertaining a relative percentage of water contained in a liquid phase of a fluid sample received from a well, where the fluid sample comprises the liquid phase and a gas phase, and the liquid phase comprises oil and water, the system comprising:
 a fluid inlet from the well through which the fluid sample is received, a fluid outlet through which the fluid sample is discharged, and a vessel disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;   the vessel comprising a sampling cylinder wherein the sampling cylinder receives at least a portion of the fluid sample from the fluid inlet;   a piston disposed within the sampling cylinder wherein the piston is moveable from a raised position to a lowered, wherein substantially all of the liquid phase of the fluid sample received by the sampling cylinder is discharged from the sampling cylinder as the piston moves from the raised position to the lowered position; and   a first sensor connected to the sampling cylinder which ascertains when the piston is in the raised position and a second sensor which ascertains when the piston is in the lowered position.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a processor which receives input from the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the processor provides output signals which cause the piston to move back and forth between the raised position and the lowered position. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the piston moves between the raised position and the lowered position by a low voltage servo motor which receives the output signals from the processor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the sampling cylinder comprises heating means. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a water cut analyzer hydraulically connected to the sampling cylinder, the water cut analyzer adapted to receive a liquid sample from the sampling cylinder wherein the water cut analyzer provides data which may be utilized to determine a percentage of any water contained within the liquid sample received from the sampling cylinder. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the heating means comprises a heat blanket. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the sampling cylinder comprises a heat sensor for determining the temperature of fluid contained within the sampling cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 6  wherein a vacuum is applied to a gas outlet of the sampling cylinder to remove any gas phase from the sampling cylinder. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein a flow meter is hydraulically connected to the gas outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the vacuum is applied by a compressor hydraulically connected to the gas outlet, the compressor discharging to the fluid outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the piston is actuated by a low voltage servo motor. 
     
     
         18 . A method of ascertaining a relative percentage of water contained in a liquid phase of a fluid sample received from a well, where the fluid sample comprises the liquid phase and a gas phase, and the liquid phase comprises oil and water, the method comprising the following steps:
 receiving the fluid sample through a fluid inlet from the well into a vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a degassing cylinder, a piston disposed within the degassing cylinder, wherein the piston is moveable between a first position and a second position, a vent for outflow of the gas phase, an outlet for outflow of the liquid phase, a first sensor which detects when the piston is in the first position and a second sensor which detects when the piston is in the second position;   actuating the piston to move from the first position to the second position;   discharging the gas phase through the vent;   discharging the liquid phase through the outlet;   measuring a gas volume of the gas phase discharged through the vent; and   measuring a liquid volume of the liquid phase discharged through the outlet.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of transferring the liquid phase from the outlet to a sampling cylinder. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  comprising the further step of heating the contents of the sampling cylinder. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  comprising the further step of circulating the contents of the sampling cylinder through a water cut analyzer. 
     
     
         22 . A method of ascertaining a relative percentage of water contained in a liquid phase of a fluid sample received from a well, where the fluid sample comprises a liquid phase comprising oil and water, the method comprising the following steps:
 receiving the fluid sample through a fluid inlet from the well into a vessel, wherein the vessel comprises a sampling cylinder, a piston disposed within the sampling cylinder, wherein the piston is moveable between a first position and a second position, an outlet for outflow of the liquid phase, a first sensor which detects when the piston is in the first position and a second sensor which detects when the piston is in the second position;   actuating the piston to move from the first position to the second position thereby displacing the fluid sample from the sampling cylinder;   measuring a liquid volume of the liquid phase discharged through the outlet;   diverting a portion of the liquid phase from the sampling cylinder to a water cut analyzer; and   determining from the water cut analyzer the relative percentage of water contained in the portion of the liquid phase.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  22  comprising the further step of heating the contents of the sampling cylinder prior to the step of diverting the portion of the liquid phase from the sampling cylinder to the water cut analyzer.