Virtual Flow Meter pilot: based on Data Validation and Reconciliation Approach

To face the new challenges of production metering and back allocation, TOTAL is making an important effort to develop and test new approaches to improve its current production metering systems particularly for multiphase conditions. New technologies are tested through pilot applications within different subsidiaries worldwide. Thanks to these pilots, the suitability of various approaches to the needs of each asset can be analyzed and tested in detail. The SPE-149908 (M. Haouche 2012) paper presented a Virtual Flow Meter (VFM) field pilot in Qatar. The approach used on this VFM is the Data Validation and Reconciliation (DVR). The single Well model of the VFM is an assembly of three main units: Reservoir unit, Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) unit and Production Tubing unit. The conclusion was that the VFM was catching-up the production trends of all the Wells of the pilot. However, the VFM results are not quantitatively comparable to the production measurements, especially when the VFM is running far away from the calibration period. A recommendation was to enhance the ESP model that controls mainly the information on the flow rate. The present paper describes a new method for modeling the ESP performances in the VFM. This method takes into account the impact of the Gas on the ESP performances. Results are presented for three operational cases to see the benefits of this method and where it is applicable. The ESP operational data have been considered for a long time period in order to get a representative range of operational conditions. Conclusions are made on the capabilities of the new method to assess the impact of Gas on the ESP operational performances.