Fluid analysis systems and methods in oil and gas applications

1. A fluid analysis system for characterizing a multiphase fluid, the fluid analysis system comprising:

a first set of acoustic probes disposed at a first angular position about a central axis of the fluid analysis system and oriented to direct first sound waves along a first direction that is parallel to the central axis;

a second set of acoustic probes disposed at a second angular position about the central axis that is opposite to the first angular position and oriented to direct second sound waves along the first direction;

a third set of acoustic probes spanning the central axis and oriented to direct third sound waves along a second direction that is perpendicular to the central axis; and

an analysis unit configured to:

determine a first parameter associated with the first sound waves, a second parameter associated with the second sound waves, and a third parameter associated with the third sound waves, and

determine a location of a fluid interface within the multiphase fluid based on the first, second, and third parameters.

2. The fluid analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the analysis unit is further configured to determine a first fluid fraction of a first fluid of the multiphase fluid and a second fluid fraction of a second fluid of the multiphase fluid based on the location of the fluid interface.

3. The fluid analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of acoustic probes are located at a first axial position along the central axis.

4. The fluid analysis system of claim 3 , wherein the third set of acoustic probes is located at a second axial position along the central axis that is spaced apart from the first axial position.

5. The fluid analysis system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of acoustic probes comprises a first transducer and a first receiver that are tuned to a first unique frequency, wherein the second set of acoustic probes comprises a second transducer and a second receiver that are tuned to a second unique frequency, and wherein the third set of acoustic probes comprises a third transducer and a third receiver that are tuned to a third unique frequency.

6. The fluid analysis system of claim 5 , wherein the first parameter comprises a first velocity at which the first sound waves travel between the first transducer and the first receiver, and wherein the second parameter comprises a second velocity at which the second sound waves travel between the second transducer and the second receiver.

7. The fluid analysis system of claim 6 , wherein the third parameter comprises a time period taken for the third sound waves to travel between the third transducer and the third receiver.

8. The fluid analysis system of claim 7 , wherein the analysis unit is further configured to determine a first distance traveled by the third waves between the third transducer and the fluid interface and a second distance traveled by the third waves between the fluid interface and the third receiver to define the location of the fluid interface.

9. The fluid analysis system of claim 8 , wherein the analysis unit is further configured to determine a first fluid fraction of a first fluid of the multiphase fluid and a second fluid fraction of a second fluid of the multiphase fluid based on the first and second distances traveled by the third waves.

10. The fluid analysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a fourth set of acoustic probes spanning the central axis.

11. The fluid analysis system of claim 10 , wherein the third and fourth sets of acoustic probes are located at the same axial position along the central axis, and wherein the fourth set of acoustic probes is oriented to direct fourth sound waves along a third direction that is perpendicular to the central axis of the fluid analysis system and perpendicular to the second direction.

12. The fluid analysis system of claim 10 , wherein the third and fourth sets of acoustic probes are both located at a first axial position along the central axis, and wherein the fourth set of acoustic probes is oriented to direct fourth sound waves along the second direction.

13. The fluid analysis system of claim 12 , further comprising a fifth set of acoustic probes and a sixth set of acoustic probes that are both located at a second axial position along the central axis that is different from the first axial position and that are oriented to respectively direct fifth and sixth sound waves along a third direction that is perpendicular to the central axis of the fluid analysis system and that is angularly offset from the second direction.

14. The fluid analysis system of claim 13 , wherein the fluid interface is a first fluid interface at a first location, and wherein the analysis unit is further configured to determine a second location of a second fluid interface within the multiphase fluid.

15. The fluid analysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a wave generator that transmits the first, second, and third sound waves respectively to the first, second, and third sets of acoustic probes.

16. The fluid analysis system of claim 1 , further comprising a gyroscope that determines a rotational position of the fluid analysis system within a borehole.

17. A method of characterizing a multiphase fluid within a borehole, the method comprising:

transmitting, at a first set of acoustic probes disposed within a first fluid of the multiphase fluid, first sound waves along a first direction that is parallel to a fluid interface located between the first fluid and a second fluid of the multiphase fluid;

transmitting, at a second set of acoustic probes disposed within the second fluid, second sound waves along the first direction;

transmitting, at a third set of acoustic probes that spans the fluid interface, third sound waves along a second direction that is perpendicular to the fluid interface;

determining, at an analysis unit, a first parameter associated the first sound waves, a second parameter associated with the second sound waves, and a third parameter associated with the third sound waves; and

determining, at the analysis unit, a location of the fluid interface based on the first, second, and third parameters.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining, at the analysis unit, a first fluid fraction of the first fluid and a second fluid fraction of the second fluid based on the location of the fluid interface.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first parameter comprises a first velocity at which the first sound waves travel within the first fluid, and wherein the second parameter comprises a second velocity at which the second sound waves travel within the second fluid.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the third set of acoustic probes comprises a transducer and a receiver, and wherein the third parameter comprises a time period taken for the third sound waves to travel between the transducer and the receiver.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising determining, at the analysis unit, a first distance traveled by the third waves between the transducer and the fluid interface and a second distance traveled by the third waves between the fluid interface and the receiver to define the location of the fluid interface.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising determining, at the analysis unit, a first fluid fraction of the first fluid and a second fluid fraction of the second fluid based on the first and second distances traveled by the third waves.

23. The method of claim 17 , further comprising transmitting the first, second, and third sound waves from a wave generator respectively to the first, second, and third sets of acoustic probes.

24. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining, at a gyroscope, a rotational position of the fluid analysis system within the borehole.