Hydrocarbon Well Production Analysis 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 taken from a pipeline through a sampling apparatus to obtain a representative sample. The representative sample flows into a circulation loop having a circulating pump, a water cut analyzer, and a cylindrical vessel, with interconnecting piping and actuated valves there between, with the actuated valves and the circulating pump controlled by a digital processor. Once a determination of the percentage of water and oil in the sample has been determined, the processor stops the circulating pump and activates a piston in the cylindrical vessel which sweeps the cylindrical vessel of any fluid contained in the vessel 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 and a relative percentage of oil contained in a liquid phase of a fluid received from a well, the system comprising:
 a pipe which receives the fluid received from the well;   a sampling apparatus comprising a first sampling probe extending through a wall of the pipe, the first sampling probe hydraulically connected to a first valve, where upon the opening of the first valve a first portion of the fluid enters the first sampling probe;   a circulating pump having a pump inlet and a pump discharge, wherein the inlet is hydraulically connected to the first sampling probe and receives the first portion of the fluid upon the opening of the first valve;   a cut analyzer connected to the pump discharge, the cut analyzer capable of ascertaining the relative percentages of water and oil in the first portion of fluid;   a cylindrical vessel having a vessel inlet hydraulically connected to the cut analyzer, and a vessel outlet, wherein a circulation loop is defined by the interconnected circulating pump, the cut analyzer and the cylindrical vessel;   a piston disposed within the cylindrical vessel, wherein, upon completion of ascertaining the relative percentages of water and oil in the first portion of fluid, the piston is moveable from a first position to a second position, wherein substantially all of any fluid contained within the cylindrical vessel is displaced from the cylindrical vessel as the piston moves from the first position to the second position; and   a first sensor connected to the cylindrical vessel 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 first sampling probe comprises a first shaft, wherein the first shaft comprises a first terminal end and a first outlet end, wherein a portion of the first shaft spans substantially across the internal diameter of the pipe, the first shaft further comprising a first axial passage extending from adjacent the first terminal end through to the first outlet end, the first shaft further comprising a first upstream face facing an incoming flow of the fluid and a first downstream face in opposite relation to the first upstream face, wherein the first downstream face comprises a first plurality of spaced-apart radial slots extending through from the first downstream face to the first axial passage, wherein the first portion of the fluid enters the first plurality of spaced-apart radial slots, enters the first axial passage and exits the first outlet end. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical vessel comprises a heater for heating the fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the piston is actuated by a low voltage servo motor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a processor which receives input from the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the processor provides output signals which cause the piston to move back and forth between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  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. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first valve is a solenoid operated valve which is instructed to open by a processor after any fluid contained in the cylindrical vessel is displaced from the cylindrical vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical vessel comprises a gas outlet for discharging any gas phase present in the first portion of the fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein a vacuum pump is hydraulically connected to the gas outlet. 
     
     
         11 . A system for ascertaining a relative percentage of water and a relative percentage of oil contained in a liquid phase of a fluid received from a well, the system comprising:
 a pipe which receives the fluid received from the well;   a first sampling probe extending through a wall of the pipe, the first sampling probe hydraulically connected to a first solenoid operated valve, where upon the opening of the first solenoid operated valve a first portion of the fluid enters the first sampling probe;   a circulation loop comprising a circulating pump, a cut analyzer, and a cylindrical vessel wherein a second solenoid operated valve controls flow from the circulating pump into the cut analyzer, and a third solenoid operated valve controls flow form the cylindrical vessel into the circulating pump, wherein the circulation loop is hydraulically connected to the first sampling probe and receives the first portion of the fluid upon the opening of the first valve;   wherein the cut analyzer is capable of ascertaining the relative percentages of water and oil in the first portion of fluid as the first portion of fluid is circulated through the circulation loop;   a piston disposed within the cylindrical vessel, wherein, upon completion of ascertaining the relative percentages of water and oil in the first portion of fluid, the piston is moveable from a first position to a second position, wherein substantially all of any fluid contained within the cylindrical vessel is displaced from the cylindrical vessel as the piston moves from the first position to the second position; and   a first sensor connected to the cylindrical vessel which ascertains when the piston is in the first position and a second sensor which ascertains when the piston is in the second position.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a processor which receives input from the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the processor provides output signals which cause the piston to move back and forth between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the processor provides instructions to the first solenoid operated valve, the second solenoid operated valve, and the third solenoid operated valve when to open and close. 
     
     
         15 . A system for ascertaining a relative percentage of water and a relative percentage of oil contained in a liquid phase of a fluid received from a well, the system comprising:
 a pipe which receives the fluid received from the well;   a first solenoid operated valve hydraulically connected to the pipe where upon the opening of the first solenoid operated valve a first portion of the fluid is drawn into a cylindrical vessel by a circulating pump;   a cut analyzer hydraulically connected to the cylindrical vessel, the cut analyzer capable of ascertaining the relative percentages of water and oil in the first portion of fluid;   a circulation loop wherein the first portion of the fluid is circulated by the circulating pump through the cut analyzer and the cylindrical vessel, the circulation loop comprising a second solenoid operated valve which, upon opening, the first portion of the fluid is circulated through the circulation loop;   a piston disposed within the cylindrical vessel, wherein, upon completion of ascertaining the relative percentages of water and oil in the first portion of fluid, the piston is moveable from a first position to a second position, wherein substantially all of any fluid contained with the cylindrical vessel is displaced from the cylindrical vessel as the piston moves from the first position to the second position;   a first sensor connected to the cylindrical vessel which ascertains when the piston is in the first position and a second sensor which ascertains when the piston is in the second position; and   a processor which receives input from the first sensor and the second sensor and which provides instructions to the first solenoid operated valve and the second solenoid operated valve to open and close.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the pipe which receives the fluid received from the well comprises a mass flow meter which transmits a mass flow rate to the processor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  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. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the cylindrical vessel comprises a gas outlet for discharging any gas phase present in the first portion of the fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein a vacuum pump is hydraulically connected to the gas outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the cylindrical vessel comprises a heater for heating the fluid.