Month: July 2009

The speed, or velocity, of fluid or gas flow through a pipe or vessel. Also the reservoir flow rate, which is one of the parameters used in flow testing analysis to determine the quantity of gas available in a natural gas field. Even when favorable geological, geophysical and petrophysical data are available for exploration or development activities in a field, there is no alternative of knowing that the wells in the area of interest would actually flow the desired fluid(s) at economical rates. This means that dynamic evidence of recoverable hydrocarbons is needed eventually. Well testing is one of the most effective means of characterizing hydrocarbon reservoirs under dynamic conditions. Such characterization of reservoirs is as accurate as the measured rates and pressures, fluid properties and relevant geological and petrophysical information. It is, therefore, essential to have accurate measurements of both flow rates and pressures due to their complementary nature in given reservoir system. Although in most cases, pressure measurements are accurate, more attention needs to be paid to the flow rate measurements, especially during the early stages of exploration.

A recording of the in-situ rate of fluid flow at different depths in a well, normally one completed for production or injection. The flow profile is a log recorded in a unit such as barrels per day, or as a percentage of the total flow from the reservoir in a production well or into the reservoir in an injection well

The surface pipe through which oil or gas travels from a well to processing equipment or to storage

Type of module installation onto offshore platforms that does not require lifting operations. A specialized vessel transporting the module uses a ballast system to position itself directly above the location where the module is to be installed; it then proceeds to de-ballast and lower the module into place. Once this has been completed the vessel backs off and the module is secured to the support structure

A storage tank with a flat roof that floats on the surface of the oil thus reducing evaporation to the minimum. The roof rests on a series of pontoons whose buoyancy supports the roof proper; a floater. These are used for storage of high volatile components such as gasoline, naphtha and benzene.