System and method for providing a compositional measurement of a mixture having entrained gas

1. A method for determining at least one characteristic of a fluid flowing within a pipe, wherein the fluid flow includes one or more liquid component bodies and one or more gas component bodies, which bodies occupy a substantial cross-sectional area of the pipe when passing a location in the pipe, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal into the fluid flow at the location within the pipe, and receiving the signal after it has traversed at least a portion of the fluid flow;

determining a time of flight of the signal traversing the fluid flow;

determining the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe, using the determined time of flight;

determining at least one characteristic of the fluid using fluid data generated only if the liquid component body is present at the location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe comprises comparing the determined time of flight to data related to one or more predetermined time of flight values.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data is related to time of flight values within at least one of a liquid hydrocarbon water, and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe comprises calculating the speed of sound within the fluid using the determined time of flight.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe further comprises comparing the calculated speed of sound value to data related to the speed of sound within one or more predetermined liquids.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the data relates to the speed of sound within one or more liquid hydrocarbons, water, and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of transmitting a signal into the fluid flow at the location within the pipe is performed continuously.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal is transmitted through a pipe wall before traversing at least a portion of the fluid flow, and the signal passes through the pipe wall before being received, the method further comprising the step of:

modifying the pipe at the location to account for a structural borne component of the signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of modifying the pipe includes modifying the pipe to damp the structural borne component of the signal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pipe is oriented substantially horizontal at the location, and the signal is transmitted into the fluid flow by a ultrasonic transmitter and received by an ultrasonic receiver, which transmitter and receiver are oriented relative to the pipe such that the signal traverses the fluid flow in a direction that is normal to the fluid flow.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the transmitter and receiver are aligned along a line that is substantially horizontal and normal to the fluid flow.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a pipe section that is configured to promote formation of liquid component bodies within the fluid flow.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the pipe section is positioned adjacent or upstream of the location in the pipe.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:

measuring a difference in pressure across the pipe section;

determining a fluid flow velocity and a water cut value within or adjacent the pipe section when a liquid component body is present, wherein one or more of the difference in pressure, fluid flow velocity, and water cut value are used to in the step of determining at least one characteristic of the fluid.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the steps of determining a fluid flow velocity and a water cut value are performed using an ultrasonic meter.

16. An apparatus for determining at least one characteristic of a fluid flowing within a pipe, which fluid includes one or more liquid component bodies and one or more gas component bodies, which bodies occupy a substantial cross-sectional area of the pipe when passing a location in the pipe, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor having a transmitter and a receiver, operable to send a signal into the fluid flow at the location within the pipe, receive the signal after it has traversed at least a portion of the fluid flow, and produce sensor data representative of the signal received;

a processing device in communication with the sensor, which device is operable to determine a time of flight of the signal traversing the fluid using the sensor data and determine a presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe using the determined time of flight, and to determine at least one characteristic of the fluid only if the presence of a liquid component body at the location is determined.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processing device is operable to determine the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe by comparing the determined time of flight data to data related to one or more predetermined time of flight values.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the data is related to time of flight values within at least one of a liquid hydrocarbon, water and mixtures thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processing device is operable to determine the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe by calculating the speed of sound within the fluid using the determined time of flight.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the processing device is operable to determine the presence of a liquid component body at the location in the pipe by comparing the calculated speed of sound value to data related to the speed of sound within one or more predetermined liquids.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the data is related to the speed of sound within one or more liquid hydrocarbons, water, and mixtures thereof.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the sensor is selectively operable to continuously send a signal into the fluid flow at the location within the pipe.

23. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a structurally tailored housing disposed at the location, which structurally tailored housing is operable to modify the pipe at the location in a manner that substantially decreases an affect of a structural borne component of the signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the structurally tailored housing is operable to damp structural borne components of the signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is attachable to the pipe in a manner that the signal traveling between the transmitter and the receiver traverses the fluid flow in a direction that is normal to the fluid flow.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the transmitter and receiver are aligned along a line that is substantially horizontal and normal to the fluid flow.

27. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a pipe section configured to promote formation of liquid component bodies within the fluid flow.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , further comprising:

a pressure difference meter positioned to determine a difference in pressure across the pipe section, which pressure difference meter is in communication with the processing device;

a flow meter disposed within or adjacent the pipe section, which flow meter is operable to determine a velocity of the fluid flow and a water cut value of the fluid flow, and which flow meter is in communication with the processing device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the flow meter comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the pipe section is positioned adjacent or upstream of the location of the pipe.