Low Volume Metering

12th August 2010

Low Volume Metering by Differential Pressure Cone Meter Technology

Philip A Lawrence Director : Business Development Cameron Measurement Systems Inc Houston Texas USA

Abstract
Traditional energy supplies have been enhanced in recent years by the addition of coal bed methane which has easy access in shallow coal seams worldwide. Such places as Russia, India and Australia are all reviewing this efficient energy source. Major sources of this clean product had been discovered in all parts of the world. Some of the challenges that producers experience relate to accurate measurement at the wellhead whilst maintaining a low differential pressure across a system and also dealing with wet gas issues in the meter run.

Differential Pressure (D.P.) Cone Meters

This paper describes various pieces of experiential data from the writers involvement in this field over 11 years for this application. Particularly regarding the use of differential pressure meters which use a double cone as the primary differential pressure producer.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

Coal Bed Methane: What is this stuff ?
The primary energy source of natural gas is a substance called methane (CH4). Coal bed methane (CBM) is simply methane found in coal seams. It is produced by non-traditional means, and therefore, while it is sold and used the same as traditional natural gas, its production is very different. CBM is generated either from a biological process as a result of microbial action or from a thermal process as a result of increasing heat with depth of the coal. Often a coal seam is saturated with water, with methane is held in the coal by water pressure. Currently, natural gas from coal and coal beds account for approximately 7% of total natural gas production in the world today !

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

Were is CBM located in the USA ? Information from the CBM Association of Alabama states that 13% of the land in the lower 48 United States has coal under it, and some of this coal contains methane - either in the form we know as traditional natural gas or as CBM. According to the United States Geological Survey, the Rocky Mountain Region has extensive coal deposits bearing an estimated minimum of 30-58 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of recoverable CBM. While impressive, this represents only one third of the total 184 Trillion CF of natural gas in the Rocky Mountain Region predicted by other sources

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

An estimated 24 TCF (Trillion Cu ft) of recoverable CBM resources may lie below the Powder River basin of Montana and Wyoming It is estimated that in the rocky mountain region alone 30,000 40,000 coal bed wells will be drilled over the next 8-10 years. This is a significant number of energy producing locations that will assist the U.S economy over the coming decades, all of which will require measurement to satisfy regional taxation and risk management need.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

How much do we have? The major term in the equation is recoverable, investments in drilling and well completion do not necessarily mean big returns. However if correct well spacing is maintained and some thought is put into piping layouts wells that come up short in production seem to have a better chance at making some reasonable returns eventually.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

How much do we have ? & how do we get it ? There are two popular methods of estimating recoverable methane gas from a coal seam. One method requires estimating methane reserves by boring to the seam, then extracting a core from the coal. The amount of methane recovered from the coal core is used to estimate gas content per unit volume of coal. If a number of cores are drilled and methane gas release is observed, one can estimate the amount of gas available in a region.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

The limitations to this method are: a) There can be disturbance to the coal seam core before gas release is measured; b) It is expensive. c) Not all regions of potential in CBM development have been drilled and explored. Another method of estimation is through a series of calculations based on information already known about the coal in the region and the feasibility of CBM development.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

For instance, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology estimated the amount of recoverable CBM in the Powder River Basin using the following information: A coal seam has favorable reserves if it produces 50-70 ft3 methane per ton of coal. CBM extraction is economical at 50 ft3 per ton of coal when a coal seam is 20 feet thick or more. Coal Bed Methane exists only in areas where the dominant chemistry of the water in the coal seam is sodium bicarbonate and where the coal seam is buried deeply enough to maintain sufficient water pressure to hold the gas in place. This type of well can have measurement issues which will be discussed later on

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

How is the Methane Extracted Since CBM travels with ground water in coal seams, extraction of CBM involves pumping available water from the seam in order to reduce the water pressure that holds gas in the seam. CBM has very low solubility in water and readily separates as pressure decreases, allowing it to be piped out of the well separately from the water. Water moving from the coal seam to the well bore encourages gas migration toward the well.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement by Differential Pressure Cone Meter

How is the Methane Extracted Producers try not to de-water the coal seam, in a non controlled way but rather seek to decrease the water pressure (or head of water) in the coal seam to just above the top of the seam. However, sometimes the water level drops into the coal seam the method is a compromise of obtaining maximum production versus dewatering the well to a stage where production falls off !

Typical CBM Well

A wellhead manifold is fitted at the surface with twin piping return systems comprising:a)Water Extraction Line with topside metering and submersible vari-speed water pump. b) Gas Emission Line with either local single wellhead meter or a lateral line to a multiple Meter system (pod) and pod building. Creating a partial pressure drop above a water column down whole generates CBM gas production. By pumping water from the well column, gas is released into the well cavity which then is piped through a meter system or single wellhead meter.

CBM Coal Bed Methane

Barton Turbine Meter (water)
Gas Cone Meter

DCS - Flow computer

PLC based device

300-400ft

H
Pump Level Control

Vari -Speed Pump

PC SCADA Control Room SCADA Solution

Sat-Uplink

Turbine meter
Natural Gas From CBM Well
P 2dia

Scanner 2000
Temp probe

Cone Meter

To Main Lines

Schematic Water

CBM Turbine meter Cone Well Field View

DRW PAL 16-02-07

History of the Metering Device

The First Type of cone type device or Inverse Venturi was invented in by a British Inventor (Mr Burton Dunglinson) using a centrally mounted differential producer in a closed conduit A patent was issued for this by the UK patent office in 1935 :

History of the Metering Device

1935

History of the Metering Device

The inventor of the modern cone meter, Mr. Floyd McCall of Hemet California conceived the design in the form of a flow conditioning device - static mixer and fluid dispersing device, and also in the form of a differential pressure flow meter in the early 80s A patent was issued in 1985 which had a 17 year life with 3 Year extension USA patent number 4638,672.. 4812,049 now expired. This original design of cone meter had up and down-stream cone frustum angles that were slightly steeper than subsequent production models. Cones are usually made from solid bar stock or fabricated sheets today There have been many independent and successful research papers on the modified design and also new work done on competing products that are now being accepted into the market place as is normal in western free market driven economies.

Cone Type Differential Pressure Meters

Overview of the device
The meter consists of a conically shaped differential producer fixed concentrically in the center of a pressure retaining pipe (closed conduit precision meter tube) A differential pressure can be obtained across the interface of two cone frustums via an internal port-way system. This allows the downstream pressure to be measured in the center of the closed conduit. The fluid is linearized through the conduit within a region defined by the differential producer cone and the interior surface of the closed conduit, (pipe) whilst flattening the velocity profile in the throat region of the device.

DP - Cone Meter Introduction

Flow Computer High & Static Pressure (A) Low Pressure (B)

Fluid Flow Direction

DP - Cone Meter Introduction

Static Pressure Low Pressure

Flow

DP - Cone Meter EzIn Wafer Style Static Pressure Low Pressure

Flow

DP - Cone Meter EzIn Wafer Style

DP - Cone Meter Introduction

Types
REMOTE
2WAY VALVE

REMOTE
3WAY MANIFOLD

DIRECT
3WAY MANIFOLD

Scanner 2000

L H

L H H

D/P Tran.

D/P Tran.

MANIFOLD CONE METER

Generic Cone Meter

(Component Parts Welded Design )

H.P. Tapping

P P1 P2

L.P. Tapping Downstream Cone

Drill Hole

Flow

C L

Support Tube+ L.P. outlet Tubular Body

Differential Producer Cone

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

OFU Meter Systems

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Meter Typical Small Footprint Well USA CONE METER SYSTEM

( REF Lawrence : NSFMW Gleneagles Scotland 2000 NEL UK)

Coal Bed Methane Measurement INDIA

Meter

Typical Small Footprint Well CONE METER SYSTEM Using threaded meters (ONGC-India)

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Meter

Typical Small Footprint Well MANIFOLD CONE METER SYSTEM

Vortex Shedding Noise on P Orifice

Downstream Pressure Field Fluctuations = Transmitter Averaging Averaging

P
Pressure Loss

Differential Pressure

Recirculation Zone Causes Pulsation on DP

Theoretical point of measure

Orifice Plate ::-

Downstream Pressure Field Fluctuations

Orifice Meter

1 W.C.

Oscilloscope View

Orifice Meter :-Typical Large Amplitude L.F. Downstream Vortices

Wet Gas Effect OFU

LIQUID HOLD UP

Wet Gas Effect Cone Meter

NO HOLD UP

Wet Gas Effect Cone Meter

NO HOLD UP

Velocity Vectors Around The Cone

Flow

CFD Predictions

Fluid Flow Path Over A Beta Edge

Slow Motion :- Laser Photography

Stream Lines Around DP Cone

(From CFD Prediction)

Wake Separation

Flow

Wake

Stream Lines in Downstream Flow of DP Cone

CFD Predictions) (From(From CFD Predictions Propriety Research)

Flow

Wake

Wake

Stream Lines Around DP Cone

Wake

Wake

Flow

Back of cone

Many slices of the vortices / wake sat next to each other around the circumference
we may be getting phase cancellation which is causing the low noise signal ?

Downstream Pressure Field Fluctuations

NuFlo Cone Meter

1/10 W.C.

Oscilloscope View

NuFlo Cone Meter :- Typical Low Amplitude H.F. Downstream Vortices

Low Noise Signal at Rear of the Cone

Advantages Derived by Cone Meter less transmitter dampening needed which gives : Faster System Response Some SQR Error / GLE Dampening Main Applications were this will be needed L.P. Coal Bed Methane, Well-Head & Field Applications Compressor Anti-Surge Control Test Separators

Beta Ratio
Orifice Plate

d = D

A2

A min A

Cone Meter Beta Ratio

A1

D d
NuFlo Cone

d = 1 2 D

A1 A2
d2 D2

= 1

A1 = A2

d D

orifice

Cone Meter Beta Ratio

Standard Beta () range:

To

0.45

0.85

Generic Cone Meter Specifications

Accuracy: Turndown: Repeatability: up to 0.5% of rate 10:1 0.1%

Installation Requirements: 0 - 3 dia. Upstream 0 - 1 dia. Downstream (5D For Gate Valve)

Generic Cone Meter - Specifications

DP limit: DP recommended: Reynolds #: > 0.2
WC

> 1-500 WC >10,000 Re

Coal Bed Methane Production Measurement

Why measure at the well head ? Allocation metering or back allocation as some people call it, can be very beneficial in maintaining security and minimizing system risk and losses due to leaks. Independents sometimes question the reason for a meter at the well-head when downstream there is a sales meter doing the measurement to the pipeline. Particularly when the independent owns all the wells ! This question is answered in many parts of the USA by the custodian responsible for collecting hydrocarbon tax revenue, in fact he usually imposes rules and regulations on the producer to protect his TAX revenue stream !

Production Measurement - Who is involved

Operations Operations
Maintenance Moderateaccuracy accuracy Maintenancefree free Moderate Trending Calibration Trending Calibrationfree free Moderate Moderateaccuracy accuracy Trending Trending

Petroleum Petroleum and and Reservoir Reservoir Engineers Engineers Projects Projects
Options Optionsdevelopment development Project Projectexecution execution

Contract Contract and and Finance Finance

Fiscal Fiscalstandards standards High Highaccuracy accuracy Reliable Reliable

Third Third Parties Parties

Fiscal Fiscalstandards standards Accuracy Accuracynegotiable negotiable

Custodian ? Auditable ?

Sales Sales parties parties

Fiscal Fiscalstandards standards High accuracy High accuracy Government Bodies What Whatthe thecustomer customerwants wants Government Bodies Reliable Reliable Standards,procedures, Standards,procedures,etc. etc. Fiscal Fiscalstandards standards Traceable Traceable High accuracy High accuracy Contracts Contracts Reliable (Courtesy Lex Scheers Shell Hague) Reliable

Instrument Instrument Engineers Engineers

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Gas Measurement Philosophy
Meters used 2 and 3-inch diameter, Cone or Orifice (OFU pod style only). Volume Measured 250 1000MSCF/ day / well. B.L.M. System approval or waivers are needed for 65% of the US areas. Cone meters have been used in these areas before. Measurement is wellhead allocation gas fraction only although water is present. Accuracy requirement at +/- 1.5% with +/- 0.1 % repeatability. Well Production Life usually about 5-10 years (from start up). The wells produce WET GAS

CBM Coal Bed Methane Flow rates

Typical DP Cone Flow Range at 5 psig CBM Well Head

CBM Coal Bed Methane Flow Rates

CRN DESIGN

DP- Cone Assembly

DP- Cone Assembly

DP-Cone Styles (Weld Neck)

Improvement

Honing Of A Cone Meter (Weld Neck)

Safety Guard Removed for Video

Smooth Flow Entry With No Weld Bead (prevents jetting)

Weld Finish and Tube Surface Finishing Some Manufacturers Only

DP- Cone (Inlet)

DP-Cone Construction Front Support (large sizes)

DP-Cone Styles( For Slugging)

Gussets

Velocity Vectors around DP Cone

CFD

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Piping Concepts and Pressure Drop With low well head pressures at 5 psi it is critical that pressure drop and meter DP recovery is minimized. There is a fine balance in obtaining optimized production due to meter and pipeline hold caused by friction and DP losses in the system. Current thinking utilizes a method called telescoping piping to facilitate maximum production, whilst helping to prevent well cross over or gas being re-injected into an adjacent well usually because of a check valve failure.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

The advantage to using cone type meters is the recovery is high usually 20% better than a typical orifice unit for the same DP and also its ability to operate with good accuracy at low DPs On trials in Wyoming on similar geological areas over multiple wells it was noticed that single well head systems produced more gas than multiple pod systems in the same geological region. App. 1520% higher in some cases. Major issues that cone type meters overcome besides that of smaller straight run is it : Conditions the flow Does not need 30ds straight run as OFU devices. Passes liquid rather than holds it in the throat of the meter. Is economical and has low noise stability. (Can operate to appx 1/10 W.C.) Can be fitted in a small space with small enclosure

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

OFU Meter Systems

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Meter Typical Small Footprint Well Cone-meter system

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Using single well head approaches with cone meters + this type of piping can improve production in the 15-20% range from using OFUs and conventional single diameter pipe work also the benefit mentioned earlier in the area of wells feeding other wells locally due to check valve failure can be another reason to use this method. Basically each well can be fed into is own group on similar diameter piping and as the field is developed use larger pipe diameters the further down stream to facilitate lower dips which enhance the CBM production It not having to fight the effect of friction and restriction caused by smaller diameters which reduce the available D.P at the meter.

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Spacing between wells is usually regulated to prevent rapid de watering and possible well failure

Coal Bed Methane Measurement

Artificial Gas Lift :- Blowers Using centrifugal extraction fans (blowers) to pull CBM from wells has been used in the past, it is important to select the correct place for the meter usually upstream of the compressor using an absolute transmitter. This location / position to prevent the heat from the device converting the free water to steam or water vapour which will give the wrong D.P. and thus the wrong measurement.

Thank You