Abstract: An improved method and capacitance probe arrangement for determining the fluid phase fractions of fluids having differing permitivity such as those of gas, oil, and water and oil-water emulsion in a fluid stream flowing from an oil well which includes trapping the primarily liquid in a vertically disposed chamber. The liquid is held therein to permit separation of the phase fractions to the extent possible within a reasonable time. A number of measurements are taken of the capacitance at a plurality of discrete vertically spaced locations within the chamber. These capacitance measurements relate directly to the varying permittivity of the phase fractions of the various liquids contained therein which may be gas, oil, and water and a oil-water emulsion. The measurements are processed by a data processor to provide precise information on such phase fractions and emulsion interfaces. A number of embodiments of the novel probe are disclosed for determining capacitance at spaced locations within the chamber.

Abstract: An improved method and arrangement for calculating the fluid phase fractions of gas, oil, and water and oil-water emulsion in a fluid steam flowing from an oil well which includes separating out the majority of gas from the well stream and repeatedly trapping a sample of the primarily resultant liquid well stream in a vertically disposed sampling chamber. The well stream sample is held therein to permit separation of the phase fractions to the extent possible within a reasonable time. A number of measurements of the well stream sample are taken. In addition, a number of measurements are taken of the capacitance at a plurality of discrete vertically spaced locations within the sampling chamber. These capacitance measurements relate directly to the varying permitivity of the phase fractions of gas, oil, and water and the oil-water emulsion of the sample. The measurements are processed by a data processor to provide precise information on such phase fractions and emulsion interfaces.