GB669836A - Apparatus for measuring oil and water production of wells - Google Patents

Abstract

669,836. Capacitance measurement; current and voltage measuring; measuring water content in liquid comprising oil and water. ENNIS, G. H., and FUNK, R. V. Jan. 10, 1949, No. 636/49. Class 37. The production from oil wells includes water contained or mixed with the oil and the invention introduces apparatus designed to continuously register or record the production and simultaneously either directly or indirectly the oil and water proportions. In Fig. 2 the production fluid flows through conduit 12 and between condenser plates 21, 22 to form a dielectric of variable permittivity dependently on the oil and water proportions. The condenser 10 thus constituted forms the variable to control grid oscillations of a tuned anode triode 29 and thus the magnitude of the anode current. A galvanometer 40 in series with the battery 37 across the cathode-anode 34, 35 carries a pointer or switch arm 41 which swings to the right or left to engage one or the other of fixed contacts 54, 55 in response to rise or fall in anode current. Contact with 54 or 55 operates corresponding relay 56 or 57 to drive a motor 53 in one direction or the other until a bucking current through galvanometer 40 derived from voltage divider or potentiometer 43 through a galvanometer 47 balances the anode current with simultaneously the pointer 41 resuming the intermediate position and potentiometer contactor 50 controlled by the motor 53 occupying a position indicative of the anode current. A meter 13 registers the production as it is obtained and drives a disc 67 which in turn drives a disc 68 whose speed is controlled in accordance with water content since movement of motor shaft 71 is arranged to move the disc 68 across the disc 67 to form variable speed drive. A motor 20 driven from the disc 68 through operation of solenoid 77 and ratchet-and-pawl mechanism 78, 79 therefore registers the amount of water continuously so that the difference between the readings of meters 13, 20 at any time shows the amount of oil produced up to that time. In a modification, Fig. 3, a recording meter 81 driven by the motor 13 is in the anode circuit. The equipment is so designed that when the proportion of water is 50 per cent the stylus 86 is in the middle of the recording strip 84. As the water content varies the stylus 86 moves laterally and the inscribed line 87 is indicative of the instant proportion of oil and water. For example, the dimension from the line 87 to the left-hand side of the strip 84 may indicate the proportion of water and the dimension from the line 87 to the right-hand side of the strip 84 will then indicate the oil proportion. As shown, Fig. 2 may incorporate a recording meter 81 connected in the bucking circuit.