Automation Capabilities in the Roxar™︎ 2600 Multiphase Flow Meter: Advanced Pressure, Volume, and Temperature (PVT) Calculation

While advancements in software technologies can seem deceptively simple, they play a significant role in shaping the future of the industry. Digitalization may feel like a buzzword these days, but as automation and remote technologies are embraced by more producers, employing advanced features and capabilities will be necessary to stay ahead of the curve.

We have been covering the latest in our profile of oil and gas automation technologies – Roxar Rapid Adaptive MeasurementTm for the Roxar 2600 Multiphase Flow Meter. In our third installment exploring the features and functionalities of this embedded software, we are going to talk about its Advanced Pressure, Volume, and Temperature (PVT) calculation engine. Enabling the advanced PVT feature provides our customers with additional flexibility, streamlining result comparison and verification capabilities.

Enabling the advanced PVT feature provides our customers with additional options to help streamline performance, while also enhancing comparison and verification capabilities.

Multistage Flashing Functionality

The Advanced PVT software calculation builds upon the capabilities of the Embedded PVT engine included within the core functionality, which is delivered as standard with all Roxar 2600 Multiphase Flow Meters.  The embedded PVT functionality within core offers meter outputs at both actual and standard conditions.  The extended functionality of Advanced PVT enables multi-stage flashing, which eases and automates much of the process of result verification.

Given the presence of co-mingled flow from multiple wells, it is often desirable to be able to verify the flow meters’ results at multiple measurement points within the application. A common set up includes a Roxar 2600 Multiphase Flow Meter positioned close to a single well and a test separator with a secondary bulk separator further downstream as well as a co-mingled flow from multiple wells. The varying flow streams have different pressures and temperatures and make direct comparison difficult. Such comparisons typically involve manual work and calculations to be performed or limits the comparison data to standard conditions only versus a truer analysis.

To overcome this analytical challenge, multistage flashing allows you to add two flash stages in addition to the actual and standard conditions offered in the core functionality. These flashing stages would give the meter specific pressure and temperatures to flash to, matching those of the test separator and the bulk separator. Indeed, these inputs can be taken into the Roxar 2600 Multiphase Flow Meters in real-time, should the conditions at the separators vary. This valuable functionality eases and streamlines the operator’s ability to compare and verify results at the actual conditions experienced at both the test and bulk separators.

Another function of multistage flashing is our ability to remove oil or gas at any given flashpoint. For instance, if you have an arrangement where gas is removed from the flow after a test separator, we can flash to the conditions of the test separator and then take off the gas at that point, only taking what remains in liquid form at the given pressure and temperature into account in the remaining flash stages. Essentially, multistage flashing allows us to mimic and mirror your piping arrangement, giving you, once again, an easier way to streamline the results comparison and verification process.

 Gas Lift Integration Functionality

Gas lift is one of the most used assisted recovery methods in the world. However, when gas lift is utilized, you end up with a mix of the produced gas and the lift gas in the line, creating challenges in maintaining a correct and valid hydrocarbon composition. Should the hydrocarbon composition be incorrect, this impacts the accuracy of the conversion of actual meter conditions to standard conditions. With Advanced PVT, the operator can provide both the hydrocarbon composition for the produced gas and for the lift gas, as well as the ratio between the two, that the meter is expected to see. The Advanced PVT tier can then automatically blend the hydrocarbon compositions of the produced and lift gas accordingly. The meter then uses the correct blended hydrocarbon composition for all further calculations and flash stages, from the actual conditions of the meter, through to standard conditions.

Previously, this would have been a case of manual work to create a combined hydrocarbon composition for correct and accurate calculations. Now, the Advanced PVT functionality takes care of this for you.  If the gas lift injection rate is changed, all you need to do is provide the meter with an updated ratio, and the software will take care of the rest.

Software innovations like Advanced PVT in Roxar Rapid Adaptive Measurement reinforce the confidence you can have in your flow meter technology and measurement outputs. Multistage flashing, the ability to remove oil or gas at any flashpoint, and gas lift integration mean that PVT calculations are always valid for the conditions at the meter, ensuring that balancing your volumes is simple, straightforward, and streamlined. Learn more about the Advanced PVT capability and how it can contribute to optimizing your operations in a dynamic flow, by going to: www.emerson.com/roxar.

The post Automation Capabilities in the RoxarTm 2600 Multiphase Flow Meter: Advanced Pressure, Volume, and Temperature (PVT) Calculation appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.