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A system, method, and software for optimizing the commingling of well fluids from a plurality of producing subsea wells. The mixing temperature and water content in each header of a collection manifold are calculated for each subsea well and header combinations, responsive to data from sensors at t

A system, method, and software for optimizing the commingling of well fluids from a plurality of producing subsea wells. The mixing temperature and water content in each header of a collection manifold are calculated for each subsea well and header combinations, responsive to data from sensors at the collection manifold. Combinations with conditions outside operational limits are then discarded. Remaining combinations are ranked based on predetermined optimization criteria. The ranked combinations are provided for the operator for optimizing flow properties and well fluid production. The calculations can restart with new, real-time sensed values from the subsea collection manifold.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A system for managing production from a plurality of subsea wells, the system comprising: a collection manifold having a plurality of headers, each header adapted to collect well fluid from a fluid output of each of the plurality of subsea wells and convey the well flui

The invention claimed is: 1. A system for managing production from a plurality of subsea wells, the system comprising: a collection manifold having a plurality of headers, each header adapted to collect well fluid from a fluid output of each of the plurality of subsea wells and convey the well fluid to a vessel positioned at a surface of a sea; a plurality of flow control valves positioned between each of the plurality of subsea wells and the collection manifold to control the flow of well fluid entering each of the plurality of headers; at least one sensor positioned adjacent a well fluid inlet of the collection manifold for sensing a plurality of properties of the well fluid entering the collection manifold; a computer in communication with the at least one sensor, the computer having a memory and defining a server, calculator software stored in the memory in communication with the at least one sensor to calculate well fluid properties of the well fluid entering the collection manifold from each of the plurality of subsea wells and well fluid properties of the well fluid conveyed from the collection manifold to the vessel positioned at the surface of the sea to thereby selectively open or to selectively close a subset of the plurality of flow control valves defining a desired arrangement of the plurality of flow control valves to control the well fluid flow into each header responsive to predetermined criteria, the calculator software comprising: a well fluid inlet property calculator responsive to the sensed plurality of properties to calculate a specific heat capacity, and a density for a selected fluid of the well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells, a mixture calculator responsive to the well fluid inlet property calculator to calculate a mixing temperature and a water content of a mixture of the well fluid, the mixture being defined by the mixing of well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells in each of the plurality of headers, and a flow rate determiner responsive to the mixing temperature and the water content from the mixture calculator and a desired temperature and a desired water content of the mixture of well fluid exiting the collection manifold to determine a selected flow rate of well fluid entering each of the plurality of headers from each of the plurality of subsea wells to thereby attempt to achieve the desired temperature and desired water content, the flow rate determiner determining a plurality of well fluid inlet flow rates entering each of the plurality of headers to define a desired arrangement of the flow control valves; and a controller responsive to the calculator software that is adapted to control each of the plurality of flow control valves. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor positioned adjacent the collection manifold to sense a well fluid inlet temperature value, and a flow rate meter positioned adjacent the collection manifold to sense a well fluid inlet flow rate value; and the sensed plurality of properties are the sensed well fluid inlet temperature value and the sensed well fluid inlet flow rate value, the well fluid inlet property calculator being responsive to the sensed well fluid inlet temperature and flow rate values to calculate a well fluid inlet pressure. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one sensor comprises a pressure sensor positioned adjacent the collection manifold to sense a well fluid inlet pressure value, and a flow rate meter positioned adjacent the collection manifold to sense a well fluid inlet flow rate value; and the sensed plurality of properties are the sensed well fluid inlet pressure value and the sensed well fluid inlet flow rate value, the well fluid inlet property calculator being responsive to the sensed well fluid inlet pressure and flow rate values to calculate a well fluid inlet temperature. 4. A system according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one sensor comprises a pressure sensor positioned adjacent the collection manifold to sense a well fluid inlet pressure value, and a temperature sensor positioned adjacent the collection manifold to sense a well fluid inlet temperature value; and the sensed plurality of properties are the sensed well fluid inlet pressure value and the sensed well fluid inlet temperature value, the well fluid inlet property calculator being responsive to the sensed well fluid inlet pressure and temperature values to calculate a well fluid inlet flow rate. 5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the well fluid inlet property calculator further calculates a volumetric flow rate responsive to the sensed temperature value and the sensed pressure value. 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a remote operated vehicle. 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a valve actuation assembly that is remotely controlled from the surface. 8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is positioned between the plurality of flow control valves and the collection manifold. 9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate determiner further comprises a discarder responsive to the mixing temperature and the water content from the mixture calculator and a plurality of preselected operational limits including a temperature and a water content of the mixture of well fluid exiting the collection manifold, to discard each subset of the plurality of flow control valves with mixing temperatures and water content values from the mixture calculator that are outside of the preselected operational limits. 10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the flow rate determiner further comprises a ranker responsive to the mixing temperature and the water content from the mixture calculator and the desired temperature and the desired water content of the mixture of well fluid exiting the collection manifold to rank each subset of the plurality of flow control valves based upon the proximity of the mixing temperature and the water content for each subset of the plurality of flow control valves in relation to the desired temperature and the desired water content of the mixture of well fluid exiting the collection manifold. 11. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a database in communication with the calculator software and the at least one sensor, for the storage of sensed and calculated values from the calculator software and the at least one sensor. 12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the database provides values stored from the well fluid property calculator to the mixture calculator and to the flow rate determiner. 13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the database provides values stored from the well fluid property calculator and the mixture calculator to the to the flow rate determiner. 14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the database stores the desired mixing temperature and the desired water content of the well fluid exiting the collection manifold for providing to the flow rate determiner. 15. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an outlet temperature sensor positioned adjacent the outlet of the collection manifold and in communication with the computer, to sense an outlet temperature value of the well fluid exiting the collection manifold. 16. A system for managing production from a collection manifold receiving well fluid from a plurality of subsea wells, comprising: at least one sensor adapted to be positioned adjacent a well fluid inlet of the collection manifold for sensing a plurality of properties of the well fluid entering the collection manifold; a calculator software responsive to one or more values communicated to the calculator software from the at least one sensor, the values being selected from the group consisting of a well fluid inlet pressure value, a well fluid inlet temperature value, and a well fluid flow rate value, and responsive to a desired temperature and a desired water content for the mixture of well fluid exiting the collection manifold, to determine a selected flow rate of the well fluid entering the collection manifold from each of the plurality of subsea wells to thereby attempt to achieve the desired temperature and the desired water content, the calculator software calculates a mixing temperature of a mixture of the well fluid mixing in the collection manifold and calculates a water content of the mixture of the well fluid mixing in the collection manifold; a plurality of flow control valves positioned between each of the plurality of wells and the collection manifold to control the flow rate of the well fluid entering the collection manifold; and a controller responsive to the calculator software to control the flow rate of the well fluid through each of the plurality of flow control valves by selectively actuating each of the plurality of flow control valves. 17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the calculator software calculates a volumetric flow rate, a specific heat capacity, and a density for a selected fluid of the well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells responsive to the sensed temperature value and the sensed pressure value. 18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the selected well fluid comprises oil, water, and gas for which the calculator software calculates the volumetric flow rate, the specific heat capacity, the density for each of the oil, water, and gas. 19. A system according to claim 16, further comprising a database in communication with the calculator software, the temperature sensor, and the pressure sensor, for the storage of sensed and calculated values from the calculator software, the temperature sensor, and the pressure sensor. 20. A system according to claim 16, wherein the controller comprises a valve actuation assembly that is remotely controlled from a vessel at a surface of a sea. 21. A system according to claim 16, further comprising a communications network placing the pressure and temperature sensors in communication with the calculator software. 22. A system according to claim 16, further comprising a communications network placing the controller in communication with the calculator software. 23. A system according to claim 16, wherein the pressure sensor and the temperature sensor is positioned between the plurality of flow control valves and the collection manifold. 24. A system according to claim 16, wherein: the collection manifold comprises a plurality of headers that are each in fluid communication with each of the plurality of subsea wells; the controller selectively controls the flow rate of the well fluid entering each of the headers of the collection manifold; and the calculator software being responsive to the well fluid inlet pressure value, the well fluid inlet temperature value, the desired temperature, and the desired water content for the mixture of well fluid exiting the collection manifold, to determine a selected flow rate of the well fluid entering each of the plurality of headers from each of the plurality of subsea wells to thereby attempt to achieve the desired temperature and the desired water content. 25. Software stored in a tangible computer medium located on a server, the software manages well fluid production from plurality of subsea wells feeding into a subsea collection manifold through a plurality of control valves regulating the flow of the well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells, the software comprising: an operating conditions calculator to calculate a plurality of predetermined individual well fluid properties of the well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells and a plurality of well fluid properties of a mixture of the well fluid formed in the collection manifold when the well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells enters the collection manifold, the operating conditions calculator is responsive to a sensed temperature value and a sensed pressure value of the well fluid exiting each of the plurality of wells, to calculate a mixing temperature of a mixture of the well fluid in the collection manifold and a water content of the mixture of well fluid in the collection manifold; and a flow rate determiner responsive to comparing the properties of the mixture of the well fluid in the collection manifold and a predetermined set of values for well fluids exiting the collection manifold, to determine a selected flow rate of well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells. 26. Software according to claim 25, wherein the operating conditions calculator is responsive to a sensed temperature value and a sensed pressure value of the well fluid exiting each of the plurality of wells, to calculate a flow rate, a specific heat capacity, and a density for a selected fluid of the well fluid from each of the plurality of subsea wells. 27. Software according to claim 25, wherein the flow rate determiner is also responsive to the operating conditions calculator and the sensed temperature value and the sensed pressure value of the well fluid exiting each of the plurality of wells. 28. A method for managing production of well fluids from a collection manifold receiving well fluid from a plurality of subsea wells, comprising: transmitting a sensed pressure and a sensed temperature from a well fluid output of each of the plurality of subsea wells through a communications network; calculating a mixing temperature and a water content for a well fluid mixture formed in the collection manifold by the mixing of the well fluid from each of the plurality subsea wells responsive to the sensed pressure and sensed temperatures from each of the plurality of subsea wells; determining a position for each of a plurality of flow control valves positioned between each of the plurality of wells and the collection manifold to control the flow rate of the well fluid entering the collection manifold from each subsea well in order to thereby achieve a desired temperature and a desired water content of the well fluid exiting the collection manifold. 29. A method according to claim 28, further comprising repeating the transmitting, calculating, and determining steps continuously during operations to thereby continue to achieve the desired temperature and the desired water content of the well fluid exiting the collection manifold responsive to changes in the sensed pressure and the sensed temperature from the well fluid output of each of the plurality of subsea wells. 30. A method according to claim 28, further comprising transmitting a sensed temperature value and a sensed pressure value of the well fluid exiting the collection manifold for comparison with the desired temperature and the desired water content of the well fluid exiting the collection manifold.