Abstract: The invention provides a method for quantitative downhole surveillance of a multi-phase flow, comprising at least two phases of either oil, water or gas, in a petroleum well. The method comprising providing at least one shunt chamber which comprises a flow phase separation section, a delay chamber, one or more outlet ports, at least one flow restrictor and a tracer release system with one or more tracers. The method comprises separating a shunt flow in the shunt chamber into a low-density flow phase and a high-density flow phase; releasing at least one tracer into the tracer delay chamber. The method also comprises passing the separated low-density flow phase and high-density flow phase through each flow restrictor and flushing out the low-density phase flow and the high-density phase flow with tracer from the shunt chamber through the outlet ports into the local flow inside the well.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor system and methods for detecting the presence of water in an insulating material surrounding plant equipment and/or pipe work. The sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors located in and spatially distributed over the insulating material, each sensor being operable to provide a sensor output indicative of the presence of water in an insulating material. The system also comprises at least one reference sensor operable to provide a reference sensor output indicative of the presence of water in an ambient environment in the vicinity of the plurality of sensors. In addition, the system comprises a processor configured to receive the sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors and the reference sensor output. The processor is configured to correlate the sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors and the reference sensor output to provide a correlation data output for use in evaluating a corrosion condition.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of monitoring influx of a fluid to a hydrocarbon producing well comprising providing at least one tracer release apparatus (100) in a hydrocarbon producing well at an influx location (14a-14d). The at least one tracer release apparatus comprises a fluid volume (121) and a tracer material (124) located in the fluid volume. The method comprises shutting in the tracer release apparatus during production to increase the concentration of tracer molecules in the fluid volume; releasing the tracer molecules from the tracer release apparatus into the production flow and detecting the presence of tracer downstream of the influx location.

Abstract: A method for quantitative downhole surveillance of a multi-phase flow, comprising at least two phases of either oil, water or gas, in a petroleum well. The method comprising providing at least one shunt chamber (100) which comprises a flow phase separation section (130), a delay chamber (140), one or more outlet ports (122), at least one flow restrictor (126a, 128b) and a tracer release system (124) with one or more tracers. The method comprises separating a shunt flow in the shunt chamber into a low-density flow phase and a high-density flow phase; releasing at least one tracer into the tracer delay chamber, passing the separated flow phases through each flow restrictor and flushing out the phase flows with tracer into the local flow inside the well. The method comprises monitoring the tracers in the production flow and measuring the concentration of the one or more tracers.

Abstract: The invention provides a positioning system for a lifting apparatus. The positioning system comprises a movable support having a longitudinal axis. The system comprises a first positioning member movably mounted to the support, wherein the first positioning member comprises a first axis and a second axis and is configured to move along the longitudinal axis of the support with the first axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support. The system also comprises a second positioning member mounted to the first positioning member and configured to move transversely to the first axis of the first positioning member.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for handling pot lids in an aluminium production plant. The system comprises a robot assembly and a sensor system. The robot assembly comprises at least one manipulator arm and a lid gripper apparatus configured to grip at least one protruding or upstanding formation on a pot lid. The lid gripper apparatus is mounted at one end of the at least one manipulator arm. The sensor system is operable to generate position information to control the position of the at least one manipulator arm and/or lid gripper apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides an anode replacement system for electrolytic cells of an aluminum production plant, the system comprises a support frame and at least one movable member mounted on the support frame wherein the at least one movable member supports at least one anode gripping apparatus. Each of the at least one anode gripping apparatus is configured to grip a shaft of at least one anode assembly at any position along the shaft of the at least one anode assembly. The system comprises a sensor system configured to generate or collect position information to control the position of the at least one anode gripping apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor system and methods for detecting the presence of water in an insulating material surrounding plant equipment and/or pipe work. The sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors located in and spatially distributed over the insulating material, each sensor being operable to provide a sensor output indicative of the presence of water in an insulating material. The system also comprises at least one reference sensor operable to provide a reference sensor output indicative of the presence of water in an ambient environment in the vicinity of the plurality of sensors. In addition, the system comprises a processor configured to receive the sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors and the reference sensor output. The processor is configured to correlate the sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors and the reference sensor output to provide a correlation data output for use in evaluating a corrosion condition.

Abstract: The invention provides a cooler system for a hydrocarbon flow system and a method of use. The cooler system comprises a heat exchange conduit comprising a primary inlet for receiving a fluid to be cooled and a primary outlet. A return conduit is fluidly connected to the heat exchange conduit at a return location downstream of the primary inlet, and is configured to direct at least a proportion of fluid in the heat exchange conduit from the return location to a secondary cooler inlet system. The secondary cooler inlet system enables inflow of recycled fluid from the return conduit to the heat exchange conduit at a plurality of inflow positions along the hydrocarbon flow system, upstream of the return location. The method comprises flowing fluid into the hydrocarbon flow system at one or more of the plurality of inflow positions.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of cooling a flowing fluid in a hydrocarbon flow system using a heat exchange cooler apparatus having at least one cooler conduit; and a sensor system. The method comprises flowing the fluid through the cooler conduit from a cooler inlet to a cooler outlet to cool the fluid and operating a cleaning system to deliver energy (e.g. heat) to the cooler conduit to cause solid materials deposited on the interior of the cooler to be released into the flowing fluid. A cooler sensor data set obtained from the sensor system is compared with a reference data set to verify the performance of the cleaning system.

Abstract: The invention is a method, a system, tools for use by the system, and an interpretation method for injecting and detecting tracers and conducting flow characterizing of a petroleum well. The method describes monitoring of travel time and slip velocity between two/three different phases (oil/water and possibly gas) in the well. The travel time and slip velocity are determined using an injection too for injection of an over pressurized injection of the partitioning tracers each of which would follow certain phase. The tracers are detected by an optical detection probe in the pipe. The slip velocity is obtained from the difference of travel time of two tracers which partition to two different phases.

Abstract: A method, a system, tools for use by the system, and an interpretation method for injecting and detecting tracers and conducting flow characterizing of a petroleum well are disclosed. The method describes monitoring of travel time and slip velocity between two/three different phases (oil/water and possibly gas) in the well. The travel time and slip velocity are determined using an injection too for injection of an over pressurized injection of the partitioning tracers each of which would follow certain phase. The tracers are detected by an optical detection probe in the pipe. The slip velocity is obtained from the difference of travel time of two tracers which partition to two different phases.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of installing a sensor system in insulating material surrounding plant equipment and/or pipe work in a facility. The method comprises selecting a section of insulated plant equipment and/or pipework of the facility and installing a plurality of sensors in insulating material surrounding the plant equipment and/or pipe work in the section according to an installation plan. The plurality of sensors is installed by transmitting and/or receiving at least one unique identifier to and/or from each sensor of the plurality of sensors using an electronic apparatus and recording at least one installation property of each of the plurality of sensors using the unique identifiers. The method also comprises defining a group of installed sensors using the transmitted and/or received unique identifiers and associating the group of installed sensors with the section of insulated plant equipment and/or pipework.

Abstract: A method for quantitative downhole surveillance of a multi-phase flow, comprising at least two phases of either oil, water or gas, in a petroleum well. The method comprising providing at least one shunt chamber (100) which comprises a flow phase separation section (130), a delay chamber (140), one or more outlet ports (122), at least one flow restrictor (126a, 128b) and a tracer release system (124) with one or more tracers. The method comprises separating a shunt flow in the shunt chamber into a low-density flow phase and a high-density flow phase; releasing at least one tracer into the tracer delay chamber, passing the separated flow phases through each flow restrictor and flushing out the phase flows with tracer into the local flow inside the well. The method comprises monitoring the tracers in the production flow and measuring the concentration of the one or more tracers.

Abstract: The invention provides a tracer release system (100) and method of use. The tracer release comprises at least one tracer chamber for connection to a production tubing (12). The at least one tracer chamber comprising at least one inlet (118), at least one outlet (120), a fluid volume (122) and a tracer material (124) located in the fluid volume. The tracer chamber also comprises a valve (126) configured to selectively open and/or close the at least one outlet.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of monitoring influx of a fluid to a hydrocarbon producing well comprising providing at least one tracer release apparatus (100) in a hydrocarbon producing well at an influx location (14a-14d). The at least one tracer release apparatus comprises a fluid volume (121) and a tracer material (124) located in the fluid volume. The method comprises shutting in the tracer release apparatus during production to increase the concentration of tracer molecules in the fluid volume; releasing the tracer molecules from the tracer release apparatus into the production flow and detecting the presence of tracer downstream of the influx location.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor system and methods for detecting the presence of water in an insulating material surrounding plant equipment and/or pipe work. The sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors located in and spatially distributed over the insulating material, each sensor being operable to provide a sensor output indicative of the presence of water in an insulating material. The system also comprises at least one reference sensor operable to provide a reference sensor output indicative of the presence of water in an ambient environment in the vicinity of the plurality of sensors. In addition, the system comprises a processor configured to receive the sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors and the reference sensor output. The processor is configured to correlate the sensor outputs from the plurality of sensors and the reference sensor output to provide a correlation data output for use in evaluating a corrosion condition.

Abstract: A tracer method for online monitoring of downhole zonal contributions of oil, condensate, gas, or water mass flux of a production flow in a petroleum production well, includes arranging distinct tracer carrier systems, each in different production zones in said well, the distinct tracer carrier systems arranged for releasing unique tracers to a fluid of the production zones, the tracers having affinity after downhole release to separate phases of oil, condensate, gas, or water, using an online tracer monitor, conducting sampling of tracer concentrations for at least one of the tracers in said zonal mass fluxes at a high sampling rate, based on said concentration values, estimating the corresponding zonal tracer fluxes for each delivery data point and using said one or more estimated zonal mass fluxes to control one or more Petro Technical processes.

Abstract: A method, a system, tools for use by the system, and an interpretation method for injecting and detecting tracers and conducting flow characterizing of a petroleum well are provided. The method describes monitoring of travel time and slip velocity between two/three different phases (oil/water and possibly gas) in the well. The travel time and slip velocity are determined using an injection tool for injection of an over pressurized injection, thus simultaneous injection to all phases, of the partitioning tracers each of which would follow certain phase. The tracers are detected by a tracer detector downstream the injector. The slip velocity is obtained from the difference of travel time of two tracers which partition to two different phases.

Abstract: A tracer method for online monitoring of downhole zonal contributions of oil, condensate, gas, or water mass flux of a production flow in a petroleum production well, includes arranging distinct tracer carrier systems, each in different production zones in said well, the distinct tracer carrier systems arranged for releasing unique tracers to a fluid of the production zones, the tracers having affinity after downhole release to separate phases of oil, condensate, gas, or water, using an online tracer monitor, conducting sampling of tracer concentrations for at least one of the tracers in said zonal mass fluxes at a high sampling rate, based on said concentration values, estimating the corresponding zonal tracer fluxes for each delivery data point and using said one or more estimated zonal mass fluxes to control one or more Petro Technical processes.