Helping wells go with the flow

• Accurate flow monitoring is vital to gain a clear picture of the composition of each well, which can help us to maximize hydrocarbon recovery
• Aramco's AI-assisted microwave resonance-based meter could provide more accurate real-time data than ever before
• The innovation draws on Aramco's expertise in Fourth Industrial Revolution technology 

For millions of years, oil, gas, and water have been trapped in reservoir rocks deep below the earth’s surface. Conventional reservoir rocks are porous and permeable, but the overlying rocks are not, which keeps the hydrocarbons in place. 

Once we have found these reservoirs and drilled into the rock, extracting the oil and gas also means bringing up the water, too. The oil, gas, and water come out of the well in what is called a multiphase flow; including a binary liquid phase — oil and water — and a gas phase.

Information when it matters

There are various measurement approaches, most of which involve passing a signal through the flow of fluid and analyzing the results. Some test how quickly sound travels through the flow, while others emit radiation and determine how much energy is absorbed. 

Without accurate real-time measurement it is difficult to make good decisions. For decades the oil and gas industry has relied on multiphase flow meters that have multiple limitations. Some meters cannot provide accurate measurements when there are high water and gas flows, for example. Others are affected by changes in the salinity or temperature of the fluids. Also, none of them work in all field conditions, meaning different set-ups — or entirely different meters — will be needed at each field or group of wells.

Finding a technological solution that can fix a majority of these shortcomings is hugely valuable. 

Leveraging the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The use of technologies like Digital Twin is just a part of how the new meter draws on our expertise in Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, cloud computing, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). It also uses 3D-printed parts, which are lighter and cheaper to produce than typical machine components.

The improved accuracy and reduced cost of this meter aims to significantly improve well productivity and, furthermore, may help reduce its carbon footprint, because a facility that is producing too much water will have to use additional energy to get rid of it. It is also a lower-carbon alternative to manual, portable well-testing, which requires trucks filled with equipment, and the presence of a large operation crew on the field year-round. 

Creating a commercial solution

The new design was tested at our research facilities in Houston, in the United States, and at a commercial flow loop facility there, as well as by Aramco's field engineers in Saudi Arabia. The first version of the three-phase meter was tested in April 2022 and a prototype is expected to be tested in the field in 2023. The project team has already spun out a company, with support from Aramco, to develop the meter into a commercial product.

This technology dovetails into Aramco's 4IR infrastructure — making use of capabilities we have developed and using them to create innovative solutions to long-standing challenges, and support the digitalization of the energy industry. Besides the multiphase flow meter's commercial potential, we have also licensed the technology to King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) so they can explore further beneficial uses.

Future flow

Our microwave-based, multiphase flow meter has great potential to play a key role in enhancing production and improving reservoir management, helping us to operate more efficiently and continue to make the best use of our natural resources. It demonstrates the limitless possibilities of using innovative technologies to help overcome existing and new challenges in the oil and gas industry.