Apparatus and system for passively sampling production fluid from a well
View Patent ↗An apparatus and system for passively sampling production fluid from a well is presented. The passive sampling device is used to split two-phase flow and provide a driving pressure differential for a sampling system. Flow through sampling systems require a low pressure differential to be utilized to take a liquid sample, so that the sample retained remains isobaric. When performed in two-phase flow, the pressure differential needs to be relatively high, potentially yielding a non-isobaric sample. By separating out the liquid content of the flow, a low driving pressure is allowed to be used. Thus, this keeps the sample isobaric at a wide range of production flow rates.
1. An apparatus for passively sampling an inputted multiphase fluid flow, comprising:
a separation chamber with an internal volume configured to separate the phases of the multiphase fluid into at least a gas phase and a liquid phase;
an inlet port in fluid communication with the internal volume of the separation chamber for inputting the multiphase fluid flow;
a gas outlet port in fluid communication with the internal volume of the separation chamber configured to output the gas phase from the separation chamber;
a liquid outlet port in fluid communication with the internal volume of the separation chamber configured to output the separated liquid phase from the separation chamber;
a sample chamber; and
a passive sampling device in line with the liquid outlet port configured to create a pressure differential sufficient to direct the separated liquid phase into the sample chamber.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation chamber is configured to separate a two-phase flow.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separation chamber is a vortex separator.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is angled approximately perpendicular to the separation chamber's central axis.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passive sampling device is a venturi device.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passive sampling device is a vortex separator.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the vortex separator is designed to create a pressure differential by inducing a vortex of the separated gas phase resulting in a low pressure area within the internal volume.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the passive sampling device creates a pressure differential using fluid flow.
9. A system for passively sampling production fluid from a well, comprising:
a pipe configured to carry a multiphase fluid flow from the well;
a passive separation and sampling apparatus, comprising:
a separation chamber with an internal volume configured to separate the phases of the multiphase fluid into at least a gas phase and a liquid phase;
an inlet port in fluid communication with the internal volume of the separation chamber and configured to input the multiphase fluid flow;
a gas outlet port in fluid communication with the internal volume of the separation chamber and configured to output the separated gas phase from the separation chamber;
a liquid outlet port in fluid communication with the internal volume of the separation chamber and configured to output the separated liquid phase from the separation chamber; and
a passive sampling device in-line with the liquid outlet port;
a gas flow pipe coupled to the gas outlet port and configured to receive the separated gas phase flow; and
a liquid flow pipe coupled to the liquid outlet port and configured to receive the separated liquid phase flow.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the central axis of the chamber's inlet port is disposed at an angle relative to the container's central axis.
11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a sampling container coupled to the liquid flow pipe and configured to store sample fluids.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the inlet port is angled approximately perpendicular to the separation chamber's central axis.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the separation chamber is a vortex separator.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the passive sampling device is a venturi device.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the passive sampling device is a vortex separator.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the vortex separator is designed to create a pressure differential by inducing a vortex of the separated gas phase resulting in a low pressure area within the internal volume.
17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the passive sampling device creates a pressure differential using fluid flow.
18. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a receiving structure positionable on a manifold and a retrievable skid positionable within the receiving structure.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising:
the retrievable skid further including chambers for the collection of sample fluids;
a bottle attachably connected to the passive sampling device; and
where the bottle can take single or multiphase fluid flow samples a plurality of times throughout the life of production flow.
20. An apparatus for sampling an inputted multiphase fluid flow, comprising:
a separation chamber with an internal volume configured to separate the phases of the multiphase fluid into at least a gas phase and a liquid phase;
an inlet port configured to input the multiphase fluid flow into the separation chamber;
a gas outlet port configured to output the separated gas phase from the separation chamber;
a liquid outlet port configured to output the separated liquid phase from the separation chamber; and
a passive sampling device in line with the liquid outlet port.