Revolutionary water cut meter
Posted: 2 September 2003
eProduction Solutions (eP) now provides an inexpensive water cut
meter that actually increases its accuracy as the water cut approaches
100 per cent. The Red Eye water cut meter uses a unique technology involving
infrared light to determine the precise percentage of water to oil,
especially at extremely high water-cut levels.
eProduction Solutions' metering solution uses state-of-the-art
infrared spectroscopy to provide precise oil and water, composition
in real time. Real-time flow measurement provides critical information
for optimization for oil and gas transmission. eP’s metering
solution is built on our Red Eye product line and our Red Eye Multiphase
Metering Systems (REMMS).
The Red Eye water cut meter typical applications include:
- Individual well monitoring
- Continuous well testing
- Net oil measurement in periodic tests
- Group production testing at centralized facilities
- Dewatering monitoring systems for crude oil tanks
Three factors contribute to the high accuracy level of the Red
Eye water-cut meter. First, the Red Eye meter detects oil rather
than water, so its accuracy actually improves as the water cut increases.
At the highest water cuts accuracy reaches 0.25 per cent of full scale or
better. As water cut approaches zero, accuracy approaches 5 per cent, which
meets or exceeds most well testing requirements. The Red Eye is
a true full-range water-cut meter.
The second factor improving the accuracy of the Red Eye is how
gas is interpreted. Gas looks essentially like water with the Red
Eye meter's light so it has little effect on net oil measurement.
With other meters, gas bubbles can cause a misinterpretation, making
them see excessive oil.
Finally, the content of field-produced water can and does vary
from well to well even in the same formation. Since the Red Eye's
measurements are independent of salinity, acidity (pH), solids content
(TDS), and density, water content changes do not require recalibration.
Additionally, the Red Eye does not use gravity in its calibrations,
so its accuracy does not suffer when the oil is nearly as heavy
as the water.
The Advantages of the Red Eye water cut meter include:
- Unmatched accuracy at high water cuts
- Insensitive to entrained gas
- Ignores salinity and dissolved gas
- Field-proven ruggedness and reliability
- In-line for continuous real-time accuracy
- Affordable for widespread automation
- Convenient one-point field calibration
- Easy installation and service
eP’s Red Eye Multiphase Metering Systems (REMMS) are compact
continuous cyclonic separators with conventional metering for gas
and liquid, and a flow computer for data communication and process
control. The principle of operation is based on creating a cyclonic
flow pattern in the vertical piping to separate the gas from the
liquid. Although this concept and its advantages have been known
for some years, recent advances in technology have brought continuous
cyclonic separators to the forefront in multiphase metering and
oil and gas process facilities design.
The REMMS is used for the following applications:
- Well testing
- Individual well monitoring
- Process separator
- Gas Scrubber
- Subsea well tie-back applications
The major advantage of eP's REMMS is that it is small in size and
weight making it a excellent metering system for off shore. Also,
the multiphase meters are built to ANSI B31.3 piping code, which
can eliminate the need for a pressure safety valve, or they can
be built as an ASME section VIII vessel depending on customer requirements.
These systems can be designed to handle maximum well head or process
pressures and temperatures up to 450°F.
The Red Eye water-cut meter reads oil-in-water concentrations percent
in the 2-phase liquid leg of the system. With liquid and gas flow
meters and the flow computer, the system provides exceptional 2-phase
separation and accurate metering of the oil, water and gas streams.
These streams can then be recombined, or kept separate and sent
to other process components downstream.
Advantages of the Multiphase Metering Systems
- Compact
- Non-nuclear
- Real-time data for continuous mode monitoring
- Low initial cost
- Lower operating cost
- Low-pressure drop
- Slugging capability
Founded in 2001, eProduction Solutions, Inc., is the world’s
leading production operations automation/optimization company. The
company provides solutions that help lower production costs and
increase production by delivering tools and training that foster
innovative approaches to optimizing production. eP helps customers
leverage technology to work better, faster, and smarter.
For more information see www.ep-solutions.com.

Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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