The automation of oil well production measurement stations became a necessity after the ANP regulation, which requires more reliable and accurate systems. The big problem, especially in onshore production where there are several wells with low production capacity, is the complexity of aligning the metering manifolds, which often require up to three valves per well line. To automate the alignment of the manifolds, three actuators per line would be needed, which would make the project financially unfeasible.
Aware of this need, Bettis offers a solution that allows you to align up to eight production wells to a measurement system with a single point of control, considerably reducing the investment required. It is a multi-way valve that has eight inputs arranged radially and 45º out of phase, with a selector "pipe" mounted in the center, which allows the alignment of any of the eight inputs to the "test" output, while the other lines remain connected to the output of “production”.
The working principle of the Multiway valve is quite simple. Bettis' advantage is to offer a robust and reliable solution, based on 55 years of experience in improving their product.
Proper alignment between the selector and the inputs is possible if the selector is perfectly centered and has good freedom of rotation on its axis, thus avoiding jolts that make positioning difficult. To guarantee these characteristics, Bettis uses a tapered bearing in the valve bone, with a sealing system that prevents contamination of the bearing by the product. Another important point is the guarantee of sealing between the line being tested and the others, because if there is a passage in any direction, the measurement will be distorted. At this point, Bettis uses a system with carbon-based material, which provides a good sealing characteristic, in addition to a metallic guide to ensure mechanical resistance.
In its upcoming supply of 65 Multi-way valves to the UN-RNCE Mossoró Production Asset, Bettis will implement a new solution for actuating the valves. It is a more robust and compact actuator, which has the motor, control, drive and terminal box integrated in a single housing, with IP-68 degree of protection.