Flow regime determination and flow measurement in multiphase flow pipelines

摘要

A predetermined multiphase flow anomaly, for example, a plug, a slug, or a pseudo-slug, in a pipeline may be identified by identifying an analysis pipe section containing a multiphase fluid flow, measuring a first differential pressure at a first pair of pressure measuring points positioned along the analysis pipe section, measuring a second differential pressure at a second pair of pressure measuring points positioned along the analysis pipe section, identifying a primary drop in the first differential pressure and a secondary drop in the second differential pressure, measuring a time delay between initiation of the primary pressure drop and initiation of the secondary pressure drop, and determining as a function of the time delay whether the primary pressure drop corresponds to a predetermined multiphase flow anomaly moving through the pipe analysis section.