FMC Technologies is the world's leading supplier of Model Based Flow Metering, but FlowManager™ does more than just Metering.  With modules for Flow Simulation, Flow Control (includes Gas Lift or Pump Optimization) and Flow assurance, FlowManager™ is a key Operational Support System. Modules also provide functionality for avoidance of wax and hydrates, as well as early detection of any deposits in the system.

It is also an Information management system, where all sensor and meter readouts are reconciled for full metering consistence subsea as well as with topside.

• Flow Metering - with sensor/meter reconciliation
• Flow Assurance Advice - avoid getting in trouble
• Flow Optimisation - take out the full potential
• Flow Control - stabilize and balance vertical flow

 

FlowManager™ Concept

FlowManager™ is a flow management system enabling online production monitoring and control, facilitating deliverability optimization for wells and flow lines.

 

FlowManager™ provides a functional and user friendly interface. It can be operated both onsite and through remote access.

FlowManager™ combined with FMC Technologies’ flow assurance competence and life-of-field services ensures full operation support at all times.

• Optimize production
• Produce according to plan
• Extend life-of-field and increase total recovery
• Reduce operational expenses
• Integrate all available data sources
• Reconcile measured data

 

Flow Metering

The Flow Metering module is capable of providing accurate measurements even at locations where no physical sensors are present. Flow Metering measurement points are often referred to as model based meters.

The Flow Metering module determines important parameters including multiphase flow rates for wells and transport lines at defined points by rationalizing available physical sensor readings with theoretical values and actual production information.

The Flow Metering module can utilise data from any physical flow-related device for its analysis (even physical meters or associated
sensors), provided there is a defined relationship between the calculated response and physical measurement.

 

Flow Assurance Advice

Flow Assurance includes all issues that are important to enable and optimize the flow of oil and gas from reservoir to the topside receiving facilities. Analysis, design requirements and operation philosophy to ensure optimal production in spite of potential limitations due to:

• Slugging, safe shut-down and restart
• Deposition, wax, asphaltenes, sand, scale and hydrates
• Erosion and corrosion

 

Flow Simulation and Optimization

The FlowManager™’s Flow Simulation and Optimization module is an advanced online and offline tool for flow simulation and optimization.
This module used for engineering and operation analysis of the production system performance. Such investigation implies an analysis of the hydraulic conditions of the multiphase flow through wells, flow lines and risers; from well inflow to the arrival separators.
The Flow Simulation module is used to configure and/or optimize the production systems, from the reservoir through to the process plant. It performs simulations for both single wells/flow-lines and for complex multi-well production system networks.

The Flow Simulation module optimizes production by iterating alternative well flow rates, artificial lift rates, well routings, etc., taking into account physical limitations and process constraints.

 

Flow Control

The Flow Control module is an integrated part of the FlowManager™ system and is designed to suppress liquid slugging and stabilize production in order to enhance maximized production flow rates.
The Flow Control module simplifies well management operations enabling operators to focus on plant process control.

The Flow Control module is a proven effective delivery maximization tool where high well counts or unstable flow caused by gas break-through or water coning make manual operations difficult.
Flow Control provided by FMC’s FlowManager™ tool has been installed since 1996 and is currently used for more than 80 wells controlling rates every 20 seconds.

 

Subsea Metering Added Value with FlowManager™

The FlowManager™ Flow Metering System provides 3-phase rate estimation in wells, based on stationary measurements along the flow trajectory. It provides functionality comparable to multiphase flow meters and additional capability for production optimization.

The different design concepts for multiphase metering are listed below:
• Standalone FlowManager™  – Model Based Metering
• Combined FlowManager™ and physical meter – Consistent Metering
• Standalone physical multiphase meter – Point Metering

 

Single well flowrates can be consistently determined locally versus a shared MPFM.  Local reconciliation at well or cluster level can be performed without considering transients in flowlines.

Typically, when a meter is present, the system is at least locally over-determined. This means that more sensor information is available than strictly necessary in order to determine the flow rates. Local reconciliation is than possible by varying the choice of sensor signals used for rate determination, observation of phase split, and the deviation between measured and simulated sensor response for sensors.

Significant changes in solution indicate that a sensor used in the basis is suspicious, and significant deviation between measured and simulated sensor response for a sensor outside of basis indicates that this sensor is faulty or need calibration.

The procedure is valid for any over-determined measurement system, and does not require a multiphase flow meter as such. Fraction meters, density meters etc. can also be used, but flow meters are more common.