US2954043A - Air or gas lift valves - Google Patents

Air or gas lift valves Download PDF

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US2954043A
US2954043A US633735A US63373557A US2954043A US 2954043 A US2954043 A US 2954043A US 633735 A US633735 A US 633735A US 63373557 A US63373557 A US 63373557A US 2954043 A US2954043 A US 2954043A
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Prior art keywords
valve
closure
bore
pressure
port means
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US633735A
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Carlos R Canalizo
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Otis Engineering Corp
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Otis Engineering Corp
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
    • E21B43/121—Lifting well fluids
    • E21B43/122—Gas lift
    • E21B43/123—Gas lift valves
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/2931—Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
    • Y10T137/2934—Gas lift valves for wells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/7722—Line condition change responsive valves
    • Y10T137/7837—Direct response valves [i.e., check valve type]
    • Y10T137/7879—Resilient material valve
    • Y10T137/7888—With valve member flexing about securement
    • Y10T137/7889—Sleeve

Definitions

  • This invention relates to air or gas lift valves for use in oil wells and the like for controlling the admission of gas or air into a column of uid in the well to lift the column and aid in flowing the fluid from the well.
  • the Well equipment includes a' string of relatively small pipe called the tubing which is inserted inside a larger diameter pipe Vcalled the casing Gas or air is introduced under controlled pressures and volumes into the annular space between the tubing and the casing and is injected through suitable gas lift valves located at spaced points along the tubing into the column of oil inside the tubing in order to lift the oil to the surface.
  • the gas lift valves may be mounted exteriorly of the tubing string and communicate with the interior of the tubing through suitable ports in the wall of said tubing, or the valves may be removably mounted in specially prepared landing nipples wherein the valve is positioned laterally of the principal tubing bore and in which suitable gas inlet ports are provided so that the tubing bore remains open for the passage of other -tools therethrough.
  • the valves may be removably,
  • Conventional gas lift valves generally include a circular valve seat having ay central lbore or orifice through which the lifting gas passes from the annular space and into the tubing.
  • a valve disc or plug is arranged to cooperate with the seat to open and close the bore of said seat for controlling the passage of gas therethrough.
  • the movements of the disc or plug are ordinarily controlled by a suitable loading mechanism, such as a coil spring or a flexible bellows, or both, which are adapted to provide the necessary loading on the valve disc to control the pressures at which opening and closing of the valve will take place.
  • Such conventional gas liftvalves are subject to many disadvantages. They are necessarily relatively complicated in construction, requiring a relatively large number of parts, including moving parts.
  • the plug and seat members are subject to erosion and cutting out due to the necessarily high velocities of the gas passing through the valve, particularly in the initial opening and nal closing s-tages.
  • conventional plugs and seats are made of metal and require highly finished and specially hardened seating surfaces.
  • the bellows and springs are subject to corrosion and fatigue and must therefore be constructed of specially alloyed expensive materials.
  • conventional gas lift valves have a limited valve opening area, and the opening of the movable valve member is limited to the movement of a bellows or spring.
  • Conventional gas lift valves are universally subject to the effect of the pressure existing within the tubing; that is, the opening pressure of a conventional gas lift valve varies with the pressure existing in the tubing.
  • Most conventional gas lift valves are also subject to wire-drawing; that is, the valve does not com- ICC Patented Sept. 27, 1960 gas lift valve construction which will eliminate or greatlyv obviate the several disadvantages inherent in .conventional types of gas lift valves.
  • a principal object of this invention is to provide a gas lift valve which may be mounted exteriorly of the tubing ystring or which may be removably installed in a landing nipple in the -tubing string.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a valve structure which includes pressure loaded valve closure or control sleeve yconstructed of a flexible resilient material which is normallyy in a closed position contacting gas admission ports in a valve housing but which is contractable radially to'an open position away from said gas admission ports.
  • a still further object of the invention is to provide a valve s-tructure in which the closure elements have no metal-to-metal engaging surfaces.
  • An additional object of the invention is to provide a gas lift valve of the type described and which includes an auxiliary check valve means adapted to prevent back flow of fluid from the tubing, the check valve being constructed of -resilient flexible material.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a gas lift valve whose closure elements do not depend on a fine iinish and close tolerances, whereby the valve may function properly even though the closure elements suffer corrosion or erosion.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a gas lift valve which opens and closes at a predetermined pressure completely independently of the pressure existing within the tubing. l .l
  • An additional object of the invention is to provide a. gas lift valve which opens and closes positively at a predetermined pressure without any wire-drawing effects.
  • Figure 1 is an elevation view showing a portion of a Well with the valve mounted exteriorly of the'tubing lstring of the well;
  • FIG. 2 is a detailed view, partly in section, of the valve of Figure l, whe-rein the control sleeve is shown i closed posi-tion; n
  • FIG 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, of the valve of Figures 1 and 2, wherein the control sleeve is shown in open position;
  • Figure 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention and installed in a specially prepared nipple in the tubing string;
  • Figure 5 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the lower part of the valve of Figure 4, wherein the control sleeve is shown in closed position;
  • Figure 6 is an isometric view of the retainer for the lower end of the control sleeve
  • I Figure 7 is an isometric view of the check valve body or spider.
  • Figure 8 is an isometric view of the reinforcing sleeve for the check valve seal element.
  • valve 10 is shown mounted on the exterior of a specially prepared nipple 11 which is connected by couplings 12 in la string of well pipe or tubing (not shown) and which is disposed in a string of well casing C.
  • the tubing string and the casing string may extend from a producing formation to the surface of the ground rangl,
  • valve may be provided with a packer (not shown) below the valve in a manner well known in the art.
  • the valve includes a tubular chamber 13 whose upper end is closed by a charging sub 14 having a charging valve 15 threaded in an opening in the upper end of said s ub and a plug 16 threaded into the sub above the charging valve.
  • the charging valve permits flow therethrough into the chamber but prevents reverse flow from the chamber.
  • the charging valve may be similar to the well known pneumatic valves used for introduction of the air into pneumatic tires.
  • a protective cap 17 may be threaded onto the upper end 18 of the sub to protect the plug from damage.
  • a tubular body 19 is threaded into the lower end of the chamber and is provided with a plurality of lateral gas entry slots 20 through its wall for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.
  • a tubular lower sub 21 is threaded into the lower end of the body 19 and is provided with threads 22 at its lower end for attachment of the Valve to an injection lug 23 which is welded or otherwise affixed to the nipple 11.
  • An injection passage 24 in the injection sub communicates with an injection port 25 in the wall of the nipple whereby fluid communication is provided through the injection passageway from the valve to the interior of the tubing, and the welds 26 attaching the lug to the nipple prevent leakage between the lug and the nipple.
  • a protective guide lug 27 may be welded to the exterior of the nipple above the upper end of the valve to prevent damage to the valve as the tubing is lowered into or pulled from the well.
  • a valve mandrel 28 having a bore 29 opening to its upper end has mounted on its lower end a tubular control sleeve or closure member 30 closed at its lower end, and constructed of resilient material such as rubber, neoprene, or the like.
  • the outer surface of the closed lower end of the control sleeve approximates a hemisphere.
  • the control sleeve is held in position on the lower end of the valve mandrel by an inwardly extending annular flange 31 at the upper end of said control sleeve which resiliently engages an upwardly facing annular shoulder 32 on the outer surface of the lower portion of the valve mandrel.
  • valve mandrel is inserted through the lower end of 'the bore of the body and protrudesupwardly therethrough and is held in place in said body by the engagement of an external annular shoulder 33 on the mandrel with an internal annular shoulder 34 Vformed by a counterbore 35 in the body and by a nut 36 and a lock nut 37 threaded to the upper end of the mandrel and engaging the upper end of the body.
  • An O-ring seal means 38 in an annular groove 39 in the external surface of the valve mandrel seals between the mandrel and the counterbore 35 of the body.
  • valve mandrel The outer surface of the valve mandrel is relieved at its lower end at 40 to provide a space 41 between the lower outer surface of the mandrel and the inner surface of the control sleeve, and lateral ports 42 through the wall of the mandrel provide communication between the bore 29 of the mandrel and said space.
  • the inner diameter of the body 19 below the counterbore 35 is further enlarged at 43, providing a downwardly facing shoulder 43a thereat, and this enlarged inner diameter includes the area in which the slots 20 are located.
  • the control sleeve is of such free diameter as to normally resiliently engage the enlarged surface 43 and the ports 20 to close said ports and to function in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.
  • a retainer or support member 44 having a concave upper surface 45 conforming to the convex lower outer surface of the control sleeve supports the lower end of said control sleeve and is in turn supported on the upper end of the lower sub 21.
  • a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 46 in the outer surface of the retainer provide passages for the flow of fluids therepast.
  • a check valve 47 is threaded into the upper end of the sub 21 and includes a check valve body or spider 48 having a cup-shaped opening 49 in its lower end.
  • a tubular resilient check valve seal element or cup 50 constructed of rubber, neoprene, or the like, has an outwardly inclined lip 51 at its lower end normally resiliently engaging the bore wall of the sub 21.
  • the seal element or cup is secured in the cup-shaped opening in the check valve body by a cap screw 52 threaded into said body with its head engaging an inwardly extending annular ange 53 at the upper end of said element.
  • a resilient tubular reinforcing sleeve 53a having a plurality of depending ngers 53b formed by a plurality of upwardly extending slits 53e is disposed around the check valve element and within the cup-shaped opening of the check valve body whereby the ⁇ element is reinforced by the fingers of said sleeve.
  • a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 54 in the outer surface of the check valve body provide uid iiow passages past the check valve body.
  • the construction of the check valve thus permits ow of fluid or lifting gas downwardly through the slots 54 and thence past the lip of the seal element, said lip exing inwardly to permit such flow.
  • Flow of fluid or gas in an upward direction is prevented by the sealing engagement of the lip 51 of the element with the bore wall of the lower sub.
  • the lip of the seal element is normally in closed position in contact with said bore wall of the lower sub, but readily ilexes inwardly to permit downward ow therepast.
  • the lower end of Ithe cup-shaped opening of the body is beveled downwardly and outwardly at 55.
  • the ngers of the reinforcing sleeve will usually bridge the openings of the slots 54 in the check valve body to prevent extrusion of the valve element in said slots when the pressure below the check valve is greater than that above said check valve.
  • the chamber 13 is charged with a pneumatic fluid such as air or gas to a predetermined operating pressure through the charging Valve 15.
  • a pneumatic fluid such as air or gas
  • the plug 16 and the protective cap 17 may be installed to seal off any leakage ⁇ through the charging valve and to protect the upper end of the charging valve.
  • the gas under pressure flows through the bore 29 of the valve mandrel and through the ports 42 of said mandrel into the space 41 between the mandrel and the closure member or control sleeve 30, thereby holding said control sleeve in closing or sealing contact with the bore wall of the body 19 across the slots 20.
  • valve With the valve thus pre-set or pre-loaded for the desired operating pressure, it is installed in position on the mandrel 11 and the tubing is lowered into position in the casing of the well. Oil or other formation liquid will enter the lower open Vend (not shown) of the tubing and rise to the level therein to an extent determined by the formation pressure. It is noteworthy that the formation liquid cannot ow outwardly through the gas lift valve, as the check valve 47 closes off upward flow through the body from the passage 24 by the sealing engagement of the lip 51 of the check valve element 50 with the bore of the sub 21.
  • valves may be employed at spaced intervals along the tubing string.
  • the valves may be set to operate at different annulus pressuresor they may be set to operate at the same pressure, in accordance with well established iluid lifting practices.
  • valve closure member may be of a type to resist the corrosive effects of the injection gas or of the well fluids, and the resilient material of the closure member is less subject to erosion than is a metal closure element.
  • valve is able to open and close substantially instantaneously as the injection gas pressure exceeds or falls below, respectively, the pre-set or pre-loaded oper'- ating pressure of the valve, there being no differential areas subjected to diierent pressures within and without the tubing, whereby the so-called tubing eiect present in metallic valves is eliminated.
  • valve admits of accurate operation and control, as the wear, corrosion or erosion of any of the operating parts has little or no eect on their operation.
  • the absence of metal bellows or springs eliminates the undesirable effects inherent with such elements due to their fat Trent or relaxing through repeated ilexure or deformation.
  • valve area is much larger than that of conventional gas lift valves, .as the area of the slots ⁇ 20 is much greater than the opening through the normalvalve-and-seat arrangement used in conventional valves. Itis apparent that the valve is not subject to wire-drawing, as the control sleeve .moves between closedand open positions as soon as the annulus pressure exceeds or becomes less than the predetermined charging pressure of the valve.
  • valve is not subject to the eiect of pressure within the tubing and the control sleeve opens at the same pressure whether or not pressure exists within the tubing. It is also evident that when the check valve is used no reverse flow can take place from the inside of the tubing through the valve tothe annular space between the -tubng string and the casing string.
  • Figure 4 shows the gas lift valve removably installed in a specially prepared housing or landing nipple of atubing string.
  • the specially prepared housing or landing nipple 70 is of a character generally referred to as the olset type and is threadedly connected in a tubing string T.
  • This landing nipple is provided with a landing section or pocket 71 which is laterally offset from the bore through the nipple whereby a full opening as large as the bore through the tubing is provided past the pocket,
  • This pocket may be made up of an upper section 72 and a lower section 73 welded together and having a common longitudinal bore 74 openingupwardly.
  • the pocket may be eccentrically atlixed in the wall of the nipple as by welds 75.
  • An internal annular recess 76 near the upper'end of the upper pocket section provides a locking recess for engagement by a lock dog on the removable gas lift valve, as will be more fully explained.
  • a plurality of ports 77 through the wall of the lower pocket section provide fluid communication between the exterior of the nipple and the interior of the pocket, and a discharge port 7'8 at the lower end of the pocket pro- .vides liuid communication therethrough between the bore the valve 79' are therefore assigned like numbers to those of the valve 10.
  • a locking mandrel 80 is connected to the upper end of the charging sub 14 by means of the threads 18, in lieu of the protective cap 17 shown in Figures l and 2.
  • 'I'he locking mandrel includes an expansible and retractible 4latch means 81 of -a character to engage in the locking recess of the pocket.
  • An external annular ange 82 near the upper end of the locking mandrel is engageable with the upper end of the pocket to limit downwarld movement of thevalve in the pocket, and a gripping head* 83 is engageable by a suitable running or retrieving tool (not shown) for inserting the valve into lor removing it from the pocket.
  • a .guide and flow cap 84 attached by means of the threads 22 to the lower end of the lower sub 21 is provided with a plurality of ow ports 85 therethrough whereby fluids or gas passing downwardly through the valve may emerge therethrough from the lower end of the valve.
  • the lower surface of the liow cap is downwardly and inwardly beveled at 86 whereby the valve may be easily inserted into the pocket.
  • An upper sealing means 57 shown to be of the V type, is disposed on the outer surface of the body 19l above the ports 20 and is retained thereon between an upwardly facing external annular shoulder 58 on the body and the lower end of the chamber 13.
  • a similar lower sealing means 59 is ⁇ disposed on the outer surface of the lower sub 21 between a downwardly facing external annular shoulder 60 on said sub and the upper end of the ow cap 84.
  • the valve is lowered in the pocket until its downward movement is stopped by the engagement of the flange 82 of the locking mandrel with the upper end of the pocket, the latch means of the locking mandrel being camrned resiliently inwardly against a biasing means (not shown) in the mandrel as the valve is lowered into the pocket.
  • the latch means is moved outwardly into the locking recess by the biasing means to releasably hold the valve in position in the pocket.
  • the upper and lower sealing means 57 and S9 seal# ingly engage the bore walls 87 of the lower pocket sec- 'tion above and below, respectively, the ports 77 in the wall of the pocket and direct lifting gas entering said ports to the slots in the body of the valve.
  • the valve then functions in the same manner as the valve 10, previously described. That is, the well fluids enter the open lower end of the tubing and rise therein as determined by the formation pressure.
  • the formation lluids may enter the pocket through the discharge port of the pocket and through the upper end of the pocket but are prevented from flowing outwardly through the ports 77 in the wall of the pocket by the upper and lower seal means of the gas lift valve.
  • the cheek valve 47 of the gas lift valve prevents ow upwardly through the valve.
  • Lifting gas may then be introduced into the annular space between the tubing string and the casing string C and enters through the ports 77 of the pocket whereupon it is directed to the slots 20 ofthe gas lift valve by the seal means S7 and 59. If the lifting gas pressure exceeds the pre-set or pre-loaded pressure in the chamber of the valve, the control sleeve V30 moves inwardly to open the slots, whereupon the gas ilows downwardly through the valve and through the discharge port 78 into the tubing string to lift the well uids in lsaid tubing string.
  • control sleeve When the gas pressure in the annular space falls below the pre-set charging pressure in the chamber, the control sleeve returns to its normally closed position to close the slots 20 of the valve, the check valve also closi'ng to prevent reverse flow through the valve.
  • a number of landing nipples may be included at spaced intervals in the tubing string, whereby a plurality of gas lift valves may be mounted therein.
  • the gas lift valves at different levels in the tubing may be set to operate at different pressures, if desired; and, any of the valves may be installed in or removed from any landing nipple by means of a exible line operating mechanism without disturbing any of the other valves or landing nipples in a manner already known in the art.
  • the gas lift valve of the invention is adaptable to installation in a landing nipple, whereby the valve can be removed and replaced without disturbing the tubing string in the well. Further, it will be seen that the gas lift valve of this embodiment functions in exactly the same manner as the valve of the lrst embodiment and with the same advantages of operation and construction.
  • valve or valves could be removably mounted in landing nipples concentric with the tubing bore.
  • the gas lift valve could be permanently mounted inside a nipple in the tubing string, if desired.
  • a ow device including: a housing having a bore having an loutlet at one end andrprovided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of .the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling ow of uid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a deformable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the housing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried bysaid housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the interior of said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said hollow member being adapted to receive a compressible fluid under pressure, said closure member being deformable to open said port means to permit liuid ow therethrough.
  • a gas lift valve according to claim l having a support means carried Vby said housing and engaging said one end of said closure means to prevent movement of said one end in a direction opposite to said one direction.
  • a gas lift valve according to claim l having a support member carried by said housing, said support member having a concave upper surface engaging said one end of said closure means to prevent movement of said one e'nd of said closure means in a direction opposite to said one direction.
  • a ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling ow of fluid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a deformable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the lhousing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a closed pressure Huid chamber communicating with the interior f said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said -hollow member being filled with a compressible Huid, said closure member being deformable to open said .port means to permit fluid ow through said port means, bore and outlet.
  • a flow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling flow of uid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a yieldable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the housing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a ⁇ closed pressure iluid chamber communicating with the interior of said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said hollow member providing means for receiving a compressible fluid under pressure in excess of atmospheric, said closure member being yieldable to open said .port means to permit uid ow through said port means, bore and outlet.
  • a ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet 4at one end and .provided with lateral port ea's between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling ow of iluid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a yieldable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the housing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the interior of said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said hollow member being charged with a compressible iluid at a predetermined superatmospheric pressure, said closure member being yieldable to open said port means to permit iluid flow therethrough.
  • a ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; an elongate yieldable resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure means closed at one end mounted in the housing bore and having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the interior of the housing at said lateral port means so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end of said closure means in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the open end of said tubular closure means, said chamber and the interior of the tubular closure means being adapted tovreceive a compressible fluid under pressure to yieldably maintain said closure means in its port means closing position, said closure means being yieldable in response to uid pressure in said lateral port means to open said port means to permit fluid ow through said port means.
  • a ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateralA port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the voutlet; an elongate yieldable resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure means closed at one end mounted in the housing bore and having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the interior of the housing at said lateral por-t means so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end of said closure means in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the open end of said tubular closure means, said chamber and the interior of the tubular closure means being adapted to receive a compressible uid under pressure to yieldably maintain said closure means in its port means closing position, said closure means being yieldable in response to fluid pressure in said lateral port means to open said port means to permit fluid ow through said port means; and a back pressure valve in the bore of the housing adapted to cl-ose the same against
  • a gas lift valve including: a tubular body having lateral ports communicating the exterior thereof with the interior thereof; a resilient hollow cup-like closure means closed at one end mounted in said body means supporting said closure means in said body positioning the exterior of said closure means to engage the inner wall of said tubular body adjacent said ports, said supporting means engaging said one end of said closure means to Ilimit; movement of said one end in one direction, said closure means being movable from such engaging position to control the ow of uid through said may flow therethrough; and means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure within said hollow cup-like closure means to normally hold said closure means -in position engaging the inner wall of said body and closing said ports.
  • a well device including: a well pipe; a tubular body installed on said well pipe and having lateral port means communicating the exterior of said body with thev interior of said body; hollow cup-like closure means closed at one end constructed lof flexible, resilient material mounted in said body adjacent said port means; means supporting said closure means in said body with its exterior normally in closing engagement with the interior of said body at said .port means said closure means being contractable away from said port means to control the flow of iluid through Isaid port means, said support-ing means engaging said one end of said closurel means to limit movement of said one end in one direction; a flow passageway extending from the interior of said port means in said body and adapted when said body is installed on said well pipe to communicate with inlet means in said well pipe whereby fluids entering said valve may flow therethrough into said well pipe; and pressurizing 'means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of said hollow closure means to normally resiliently maintain said closure meansl in closing position, said pressurizing means including a sealed chamber on said body having communication
  • a well dev ice including: well pipe; a tubular body installed on said Well pipe and having lateral port means communicating the exterior of said body with the interior of said body; hollow cup-like closure means constructedof flexible, resilient material closed at one end andv mounted in said body adjacent said port means; means ⁇ supporting said closure means in said body with its exterior normally in closing engagement with the interior of said body at said port'means said closure means being contractable away from said port means to control the flow of uid through said port means, said supportingA means engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end in one direction; a ow passageway extending from the interior of said port means in said body and adapted when said body is installed on said well pipe to communicate with inlet means in said well pipe whereby flu-ids entering said valve may flow vtherethrough into said well pipe; pressurizing means for f maintaining -a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of ⁇ said lhollow closure means to normally re- 'V siliently maintain said closure means in closing position,
  • said pressurizing means including a sealed chamber on said body having communication with the interior of said hollow closure means and chargeable with a pneu-V matic Huid to said predetermined pressure; and check valve means in said ow passageway closing against iiuid flow from said well pipe back through said body, whereby such back flow is prevented from acting against said closure means.
  • a well device including: a well pipe; a tubular body installed on said well pipe and having lateral port means communicating the exterior of said body with the interior of said body; hollow cup-like closure means constructed fof flexible, resilient material closed at one end f mounted in said body adjacent said port rnean-s; means supporting said closure means in said body with its exterior normally in closing engagement with the interior of said body at said port means, said closure means being contractable away from said port means to control the flow of fluid through said port means, said supporting means engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end of said closure means in one direction; a flow passageway extending from the im terior of said port means in said body and adapted when said body is installed on said well pipe to communicate with inlet means in said well pipe whereby uids entering said valve may flow therethrough into said well pipe; pressurizing means ⁇ for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of said hollow closure means to normally resiliently maintain said closure means in closing position, said pressurizing means including a sealed chamber on
  • a gas lift valve including: a body having a longitudinal bore forming a passageway therein; lateral port means in said body providing communication between the exterior of said body and said passageway at a point spaced from the ends of said body; outlet port means in said body spaced from said lateral port means and providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body; an elongate tlexible resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure member closed at one end mounted in the bore of said body, said closure member having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the bore wall of said body across said port means and deformable away from said bore wall and port means to permit and control the flow of fluids through said port means; means supporting said closure member in said body and engaging said one end of said closure member to limit movement of said one end in one direction; and means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure in said tubular closure member to normally yieldably maintain said closure member in port closing position.
  • a gas lift valve including: a body having a longitudinal bore forming a passageway therein; lateral port means in said body providing communication between the exterior of said body and said passageway at a point spaced from the ends of said body; outlet port means in said body spaced from said lateral port means and providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body; an elongate tlexible resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure member closed at one end mounted in the bore of said body, said closure member having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the bore wall of said body across said port means and deformable away from said bore wall and port means to permit and control the ow of uids through said port means; means in said body engaging said one end of said closure member to limit movement of said one end in one direction; and a sealed chamber in said body communicating with the interior of said closure member, said chamber being chargeable with a pneumatic fluid to a predetermined pressure to normally yieldably maintain said closure member disposed in port closing position.
  • a gas lift valve including: a body having a longitudinal bore forming a passageway therein; lateral port means in said body providing communication between the exterior of said body and said passageway at a point spaced from the ends of said body; outlet port means in said body spaced from said lateral port means and providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body; an elongate :llexible resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure member closed at one end mounted in the bore of said body, said closure member having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the bore wall of said body across said port means and deformable away from said bore wall and port means to permit and control the ow of iluids through said port means; means supporting said closure member and engaging said one end of said closure member to limit movement of said one end in one direction; a sealed chamber in said body communicating with the interior of said closure member, said chamber being chargeable with a pneumatic uid to a predetermined pressure to normally yieldably maintain said closure member disposed in port closing position; and check valve means in said passageway intermediate said passage
  • a gas lift valve for use in a landing nipple having aperture means communicating the exterior thereof with the interior thereof, said valve including a tubular body having lateral port means providing communication between the exterior of said body with the interior of said body; an elongate tubular closure means constructed of flexible resilient material mounted in said body adjacent said port means, said closure means having a substantially hemispheric integral closed end portion of the same material as said closure means and its exterior portion spaced from said substantially hemispheric end portion normally disposed in a position engaging the interior wall of the body across said port means and deformable away from said port means to control the ow of fluid through said port means into said body; means carried by ⁇ said body engaging said closed end portion to limit movement of said closed end portion in one ydirection said body having means on its exterior providing grooves adapted to receive sealing means on the exterior of said body spaced above and below said port means, said grooves being so spaced on said body that when said sealing means is disposed in said grooves said sealing means is sealingly engageable with the walls of

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Description

Sept. 27, 1960 c. R. cANALlzo AIR OR GAS LIFT VALVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1957 1NvENToR Carlos R. Canallzo vATTORNEY Il In Sept. 27, 1960 c. R. cANALlzo AIR 0R GAS LIFT VALVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. l1, 1957 Fig.7
d/IS
INVENTOR F'Q- Carlos R. Conolizo BY Zmmw ATTORNEY United States Patent AIR R GAS LIFI VALVES Carlos 'R. `Canalizo, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Otis Engineering Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Jan. 11, 1957, ser. No. 633,135 11 claims. (ci. 137-155) This invention relates to air or gas lift valves for use in oil wells and the like for controlling the admission of gas or air into a column of uid in the well to lift the column and aid in flowing the fluid from the well.
In conventional gas lift Vsystems the Well equipment includes a' string of relatively small pipe called the tubing which is inserted inside a larger diameter pipe Vcalled the casing Gas or air is introduced under controlled pressures and volumes into the annular space between the tubing and the casing and is injected through suitable gas lift valves located at spaced points along the tubing into the column of oil inside the tubing in order to lift the oil to the surface.
The gas lift valves may be mounted exteriorly of the tubing string and communicate with the interior of the tubing through suitable ports in the wall of said tubing, or the valves may be removably mounted in specially prepared landing nipples wherein the valve is positioned laterally of the principal tubing bore and in which suitable gas inlet ports are provided so that the tubing bore remains open for the passage of other -tools therethrough. Alternatively, the valves may be removably,
positioned in the main tubing bore, or they may be fixed in position in the main tubing bore. v
Conventional gas lift valves generally include a circular valve seat having ay central lbore or orifice through which the lifting gas passes from the annular space and into the tubing. A valve disc or plug is arranged to cooperate with the seat to open and close the bore of said seat for controlling the passage of gas therethrough. The movements of the disc or plug are ordinarily controlled by a suitable loading mechanism, such as a coil spring or a flexible bellows, or both, which are adapted to provide the necessary loading on the valve disc to control the pressures at which opening and closing of the valve will take place.
Such conventional gas liftvalves are subject to many disadvantages. They are necessarily relatively complicated in construction, requiring a relatively large number of parts, including moving parts. The plug and seat members are subject to erosion and cutting out due to the necessarily high velocities of the gas passing through the valve, particularly in the initial opening and nal closing s-tages. As a result, conventional plugs and seats are made of metal and require highly finished and specially hardened seating surfaces. The bellows and springs are subject to corrosion and fatigue and must therefore be constructed of specially alloyed expensive materials.
Further, conventional gas lift valves have a limited valve opening area, and the opening of the movable valve member is limited to the movement of a bellows or spring. Conventional gas lift valves are universally subject to the effect of the pressure existing within the tubing; that is, the opening pressure of a conventional gas lift valve varies with the pressure existing in the tubing. Most conventional gas lift valves are also subject to wire-drawing; that is, the valve does not com- ICC Patented Sept. 27, 1960 gas lift valve construction which will eliminate or greatlyv obviate the several disadvantages inherent in .conventional types of gas lift valves.
A principal object of this invention is to provide a gas lift valve which may be mounted exteriorly of the tubing ystring or which may be removably installed in a landing nipple in the -tubing string.
A further object of the invention is to provide a valve structure which includes pressure loaded valve closure or control sleeve yconstructed of a flexible resilient material which is normallyy in a closed position contacting gas admission ports in a valve housing but which is contractable radially to'an open position away from said gas admission ports.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a valve s-tructure in which the closure elements have no metal-to-metal engaging surfaces.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a gas lift valve of the type described and which includes an auxiliary check valve means adapted to prevent back flow of fluid from the tubing, the check valve being constructed of -resilient flexible material. Y v
Another object of the invention is to provide a gas lift valve whose closure elements do not depend on a fine iinish and close tolerances, whereby the valve may function properly even though the closure elements suffer corrosion or erosion.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a gas lift valve which opens and closes at a predetermined pressure completely independently of the pressure existing within the tubing. l .l
An additional object of the invention is to provide a. gas lift valve which opens and closes positively at a predetermined pressure without any wire-drawing effects.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be Areadily apparent from the reading of the following `description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:
Figure 1 is an elevation view showing a portion of a Well with the valve mounted exteriorly of the'tubing lstring of the well;
Figure 2is a detailed view, partly in section, of the valve of Figure l, whe-rein the control sleeve is shown i closed posi-tion; n
Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, of the valve of Figures 1 and 2, wherein the control sleeve is shown in open position;
Figure 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention and installed in a specially prepared nipple in the tubing string;
Figure 5 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the lower part of the valve of Figure 4, wherein the control sleeve is shown in closed position;
Figure 6 is an isometric view of the retainer for the lower end of the control sleeve;
IFigure 7 is an isometric view of the check valve body or spider; and
Figure 8 is an isometric view of the reinforcing sleeve for the check valve seal element. A
Referring now particularly to Figures 1 `through 3 of the drawings, the valve 10 is shown mounted on the exterior of a specially prepared nipple 11 which is connected by couplings 12 in la string of well pipe or tubing (not shown) and which is disposed in a string of well casing C. The tubing string and the casing string may extend from a producing formation to the surface of the ground rangl,
may be provided with a packer (not shown) below the valve in a manner well known in the art.
The valve includes a tubular chamber 13 whose upper end is closed by a charging sub 14 having a charging valve 15 threaded in an opening in the upper end of said s ub and a plug 16 threaded into the sub above the charging valve. The charging valve permits flow therethrough into the chamber but prevents reverse flow from the chamber. The charging valve may be similar to the well known pneumatic valves used for introduction of the air into pneumatic tires. A protective cap 17 may be threaded onto the upper end 18 of the sub to protect the plug from damage. Y
A tubular body 19 is threaded into the lower end of the chamber and is provided with a plurality of lateral gas entry slots 20 through its wall for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter described.V A tubular lower sub 21 is threaded into the lower end of the body 19 and is provided with threads 22 at its lower end for attachment of the Valve to an injection lug 23 which is welded or otherwise affixed to the nipple 11. An injection passage 24 in the injection sub communicates with an injection port 25 in the wall of the nipple whereby fluid communication is provided through the injection passageway from the valve to the interior of the tubing, and the welds 26 attaching the lug to the nipple prevent leakage between the lug and the nipple. A protective guide lug 27 may be welded to the exterior of the nipple above the upper end of the valve to prevent damage to the valve as the tubing is lowered into or pulled from the well.
A valve mandrel 28 having a bore 29 opening to its upper end has mounted on its lower end a tubular control sleeve or closure member 30 closed at its lower end, and constructed of resilient material such as rubber, neoprene, or the like. The outer surface of the closed lower end of the control sleeve approximates a hemisphere. The control sleeve is held in position on the lower end of the valve mandrel by an inwardly extending annular flange 31 at the upper end of said control sleeve which resiliently engages an upwardly facing annular shoulder 32 on the outer surface of the lower portion of the valve mandrel. The valve mandrel is inserted through the lower end of 'the bore of the body and protrudesupwardly therethrough and is held in place in said body by the engagement of an external annular shoulder 33 on the mandrel with an internal annular shoulder 34 Vformed by a counterbore 35 in the body and by a nut 36 and a lock nut 37 threaded to the upper end of the mandrel and engaging the upper end of the body. An O-ring seal means 38 in an annular groove 39 in the external surface of the valve mandrel seals between the mandrel and the counterbore 35 of the body. The outer surface of the valve mandrel is relieved at its lower end at 40 to provide a space 41 between the lower outer surface of the mandrel and the inner surface of the control sleeve, and lateral ports 42 through the wall of the mandrel provide communication between the bore 29 of the mandrel and said space.
The inner diameter of the body 19 below the counterbore 35 is further enlarged at 43, providing a downwardly facing shoulder 43a thereat, and this enlarged inner diameter includes the area in which the slots 20 are located. The control sleeve is of such free diameter as to normally resiliently engage the enlarged surface 43 and the ports 20 to close said ports and to function in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.
A retainer or support member 44 having a concave upper surface 45 conforming to the convex lower outer surface of the control sleeve supports the lower end of said control sleeve and is in turn supported on the upper end of the lower sub 21. A plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 46 in the outer surface of the retainer provide passages for the flow of fluids therepast.
A check valve 47 is threaded into the upper end of the sub 21 and includes a check valve body or spider 48 having a cup-shaped opening 49 in its lower end. A tubular resilient check valve seal element or cup 50 constructed of rubber, neoprene, or the like, has an outwardly inclined lip 51 at its lower end normally resiliently engaging the bore wall of the sub 21. The seal element or cup is secured in the cup-shaped opening in the check valve body by a cap screw 52 threaded into said body with its head engaging an inwardly extending annular ange 53 at the upper end of said element. A resilient tubular reinforcing sleeve 53a having a plurality of depending ngers 53b formed by a plurality of upwardly extending slits 53e is disposed around the check valve element and within the cup-shaped opening of the check valve body whereby the `element is reinforced by the fingers of said sleeve.
A plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 54 in the outer surface of the check valve body provide uid iiow passages past the check valve body. The construction of the check valve thus permits ow of fluid or lifting gas downwardly through the slots 54 and thence past the lip of the seal element, said lip exing inwardly to permit such flow. Flow of fluid or gas in an upward direction is prevented by the sealing engagement of the lip 51 of the element with the bore wall of the lower sub. The lip of the seal element is normally in closed position in contact with said bore wall of the lower sub, but readily ilexes inwardly to permit downward ow therepast. The lower end of Ithe cup-shaped opening of the body is beveled downwardly and outwardly at 55. The ngers of the reinforcing sleeve will usually bridge the openings of the slots 54 in the check valve body to prevent extrusion of the valve element in said slots when the pressure below the check valve is greater than that above said check valve.
In operation, before the valve is installed in position on the nipple 11 and before the tubing T has been lowered into the well, the chamber 13 is charged with a pneumatic fluid such as air or gas to a predetermined operating pressure through the charging Valve 15. The plug 16 and the protective cap 17 may be installed to seal off any leakage` through the charging valve and to protect the upper end of the charging valve. The gas under pressure flows through the bore 29 of the valve mandrel and through the ports 42 of said mandrel into the space 41 between the mandrel and the closure member or control sleeve 30, thereby holding said control sleeve in closing or sealing contact with the bore wall of the body 19 across the slots 20. It will be evident that -as long as the pressure of the exterior of the gas lift valve is less than that on the interior 'of the chamber and the closure member 30, the closure member will be maintained in closed position in sealing contact across the slots 20 (Figure 2), forming a tight closure therefor. The slots are sufficiently narrow that the material of the valve member does not extend therethrough to any material degree. The lower end of the closure member or control sleeve is retained in position on the lower end of the mandrel against the pressure of the charging gas, as previously indicated, by the concave upper surface of the retainer 44 and by the confinement of the flange 31 of the control sleeve between the upwardly facing shoulder 32 on the mandrel and the downwardly facing shoulder 43a in the bore of the body. y
With the valve thus pre-set or pre-loaded for the desired operating pressure, it is installed in position on the mandrel 11 and the tubing is lowered into position in the casing of the well. Oil or other formation liquid will enter the lower open Vend (not shown) of the tubing and rise to the level therein to an extent determined by the formation pressure. It is noteworthy that the formation liquid cannot ow outwardly through the gas lift valve, as the check valve 47 closes off upward flow through the body from the passage 24 by the sealing engagement of the lip 51 of the check valve element 50 with the bore of the sub 21.
If the formation pressure is such that the formation fluids will not flow upwardly to the Surface, 'gas `or air treferred to as gas generally) in sufcient pressures will be in'tldued into the annular spac between the tubing string and the casing string in order for the gas to be injected through the gas lift valve into the column of uid in the tubing. While the pressure of the gas is below the pressure of the charging gas in the chamber of the valve, the control sleeve remains in its normal position in which it closes the slots 20 of the valve as previously described. v 1 `As soon as the pressure of the'injection gas exceeds the pressure of the charging gas, the control sleeve-or clo'sure member 30 is forced inwardly away from the bore wall of the body 19 and the slots `20 therein, and the injection gas ows inwardly through said rslots asshown by the arrows in Figure 3. The gas then ows' downwardly through the slots 46 of the retainer member andvthrough the longitudinal slots 54 of the check valve body or spider 48 and past the outside of the check valve element, resiliently flexing the lip 5-1 thereof inwardly from its sealing engagement with the bore wall of the sub. The gas further flows downwardly into the injection passage 24 of the injection lug and into the interior of the tubing. p The force and volume of gas thus introduced will lift the column of iluid standing above the valve to the surface or will aerate the column of uid to so lighten said column that it may be lifted by its formation pressure. As soon as the gas pressure in the annular space between the tubing and the casing falls below the pre-set operating pressure of the valve, that is, the pressure of the loading gas within the chamber 13 and within the control sleeve or closure member 30, the valve closure member will again move to its normally closed position engaging the -bore wall of the body 19 to close the slots 20, and the check valve 47 will close to prevent any back ow of iluid through the valve.
A number of gas lift valves may be employed at spaced intervals along the tubing string. In this event the valves may be set to operate at different annulus pressuresor they may be set to operate at the same pressure, in accordance with well established iluid lifting practices.
It will be seen that a gas lift valve has been illustrated and described which isreadily mountable on the exterior of a tubing string. The valve will be seen to involve no metal-to-metal sealing surfaces in its moving parts, the closure member being made of a resilient material, whereby high preoision of machining is not necessary on the valve seat parts. The resilient material of the valve closure member may be of a type to resist the corrosive effects of the injection gas or of the well fluids, and the resilient material of the closure member is less subject to erosion than is a metal closure element.
y It will be seen that the amount of movement of the valve member to open the slots 20 is small, and the volumeV of the loading chamber may be adjusted so this change in volume as the valve is opened is negligible compared to the total volume of the chamber. Accordingly, 'it will be seen that the valve is able to open and close substantially instantaneously as the injection gas pressure exceeds or falls below, respectively, the pre-set or pre-loaded oper'- ating pressure of the valve, there being no differential areas subjected to diierent pressures within and without the tubing, whereby the so-called tubing eiect present in metallic valves is eliminated.
It will further be seen that the valve admits of accurate operation and control, as the wear, corrosion or erosion of any of the operating parts has little or no eect on their operation. The absence of metal bellows or springs eliminates the undesirable effects inherent with such elements due to their fatigung or relaxing through repeated ilexure or deformation.
It will also be seen that the valve area is much larger than that of conventional gas lift valves, .as the area of the slots `20 is much greater than the opening through the normalvalve-and-seat arrangement used in conventional valves. Itis apparent that the valve is not subject to wire-drawing, as the control sleeve .moves between closedand open positions as soon as the annulus pressure exceeds or becomes less than the predetermined charging pressure of the valve.
It will additionally be seen that the valve is not subject to the eiect of pressure within the tubing and the control sleeve opens at the same pressure whether or not pressure exists within the tubing. It is also evident that when the check valve is used no reverse flow can take place from the inside of the tubing through the valve tothe annular space between the -tubng string and the casing string.
Figure 4 shows the gas lift valve removably installed in a specially prepared housing or landing nipple of atubing string.
The specially prepared housing or landing nipple 70 is of a character generally referred to as the olset type and is threadedly connected in a tubing string T. This landing nipple is provided with a landing section or pocket 71 which is laterally offset from the bore through the nipple whereby a full opening as large as the bore through the tubing is provided past the pocket, This pocket may be made up of an upper section 72 and a lower section 73 welded together and having a common longitudinal bore 74 openingupwardly. The pocket may be eccentrically atlixed in the wall of the nipple as by welds 75. An internal annular recess 76 near the upper'end of the upper pocket section provides a locking recess for engagement by a lock dog on the removable gas lift valve, as will be more fully explained. j
A plurality of ports 77 through the wall of the lower pocket section provide fluid communication between the exterior of the nipple and the interior of the pocket, and a discharge port 7'8 at the lower end of the pocket pro- .vides liuid communication therethrough between the bore the valve 79' are therefore assigned like numbers to those of the valve 10. Y
A locking mandrel 80 is connected to the upper end of the charging sub 14 by means of the threads 18, in lieu of the protective cap 17 shown in Figures l and 2. 'I'he locking mandrel includes an expansible and retractible 4latch means 81 of -a character to engage in the locking recess of the pocket. An external annular ange 82 near the upper end of the locking mandrel is engageable with the upper end of the pocket to limit downwarld movement of thevalve in the pocket, and a gripping head* 83 is engageable by a suitable running or retrieving tool (not shown) for inserting the valve into lor removing it from the pocket. A
A .guide and flow cap 84 attached by means of the threads 22 to the lower end of the lower sub 21 is provided with a plurality of ow ports 85 therethrough whereby fluids or gas passing downwardly through the valve may emerge therethrough from the lower end of the valve. The lower surface of the liow cap is downwardly and inwardly beveled at 86 whereby the valve may be easily inserted into the pocket.
An upper sealing means 57, shown to be of the V type, is disposed on the outer surface of the body 19l above the ports 20 and is retained thereon between an upwardly facing external annular shoulder 58 on the body and the lower end of the chamber 13. A similar lower sealing means 59 is `disposed on the outer surface of the lower sub 21 between a downwardly facing external annular shoulder 60 on said sub and the upper end of the ow cap 84. These sealing means are adapted'Y to sealingly engage the bore wall 87 of the pocket above and below the ports 77, as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained.
Figures l through 3, -the plug 16 is installed in the upper end of thecharging sub, and the locking mandrel is attached thereto. The gas lift valveand locking mandrell assembly is lthen lowered into the tubing string in the well known manner by means of a flexible line lowering mechanism (not shown) and is moved laterally in the landing nipple in a manner well lknown in the ar-t to position the valve into the pocket. The valve is lowered in the pocket until its downward movement is stopped by the engagement of the flange 82 of the locking mandrel with the upper end of the pocket, the latch means of the locking mandrel being camrned resiliently inwardly against a biasing means (not shown) in the mandrel as the valve is lowered into the pocket. The latch means is moved outwardly into the locking recess by the biasing means to releasably hold the valve in position in the pocket.
The upper and lower sealing means 57 and S9 seal# ingly engage the bore walls 87 of the lower pocket sec- 'tion above and below, respectively, the ports 77 in the wall of the pocket and direct lifting gas entering said ports to the slots in the body of the valve.
The valve then functions in the same manner as the valve 10, previously described. That is, the well fluids enter the open lower end of the tubing and rise therein as determined by the formation pressure. The formation lluids may enter the pocket through the discharge port of the pocket and through the upper end of the pocket but are prevented from flowing outwardly through the ports 77 in the wall of the pocket by the upper and lower seal means of the gas lift valve. The cheek valve 47 of the gas lift valve prevents ow upwardly through the valve.
Lifting gas may then be introduced into the annular space between the tubing string and the casing string C and enters through the ports 77 of the pocket whereupon it is directed to the slots 20 ofthe gas lift valve by the seal means S7 and 59. If the lifting gas pressure exceeds the pre-set or pre-loaded pressure in the chamber of the valve, the control sleeve V30 moves inwardly to open the slots, whereupon the gas ilows downwardly through the valve and through the discharge port 78 into the tubing string to lift the well uids in lsaid tubing string.
When the gas pressure in the annular space falls below the pre-set charging pressure in the chamber, the control sleeve returns to its normally closed position to close the slots 20 of the valve, the check valve also closi'ng to prevent reverse flow through the valve.
A number of landing nipples may be included at spaced intervals in the tubing string, whereby a plurality of gas lift valves may be mounted therein. The gas lift valves at different levels in the tubing may be set to operate at different pressures, if desired; and, any of the valves may be installed in or removed from any landing nipple by means of a exible line operating mechanism without disturbing any of the other valves or landing nipples in a manner already known in the art.
It will be seen that the gas lift valve of the invention is adaptable to installation in a landing nipple, whereby the valve can be removed and replaced without disturbing the tubing string in the well. Further, it will be seen that the gas lift valve of this embodiment functions in exactly the same manner as the valve of the lrst embodiment and with the same advantages of operation and construction.
While an eccentric or offset mounting of the gas lift valve has been shown and described, obviously the valve or valves could be removably mounted in landing nipples concentric with the tubing bore. Additionally, the gas lift valve could be permanently mounted inside a nipple in the tubing string, if desired.
The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
What is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
4il. A ow device including: a housing having a bore having an loutlet at one end andrprovided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of .the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling ow of uid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a deformable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the housing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried bysaid housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the interior of said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said hollow member being adapted to receive a compressible fluid under pressure, said closure member being deformable to open said port means to permit liuid ow therethrough.
2. A gas lift valve according to claim l having a support means carried Vby said housing and engaging said one end of said closure means to prevent movement of said one end in a direction opposite to said one direction. 3. A gas lift valve according to claim l having a support member carried by said housing, said support member having a concave upper surface engaging said one end of said closure means to prevent movement of said one e'nd of said closure means in a direction opposite to said one direction.
4. A gas lift valve according to claim 3 wherein said support member is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots in the outer surface thereof to permit ow of fluids therepast.
5. A ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling ow of fluid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a deformable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the lhousing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a closed pressure Huid chamber communicating with the interior f said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said -hollow member being filled with a compressible Huid, said closure member being deformable to open said .port means to permit fluid ow through said port means, bore and outlet.
6. A flow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling flow of uid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a yieldable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the housing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a `closed pressure iluid chamber communicating with the interior of said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said hollow member providing means for receiving a compressible fluid under pressure in excess of atmospheric, said closure member being yieldable to open said .port means to permit uid ow through said port means, bore and outlet.
7. .A ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet 4at one end and .provided with lateral port ea's between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; closure means mounted in the housing bore for controlling ow of iluid through said lateral port means, said closure means comprising a yieldable hollow member having a substantially cylindrical tubular portion closed at one end, said cylindrical portion having its exterior normally in a position engaging the interior of the housing so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said hollow member to limit movement of said one end of said hollow member in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the interior of said hollow member, said chamber and the interior of said hollow member being charged with a compressible iluid at a predetermined superatmospheric pressure, said closure member being yieldable to open said port means to permit iluid flow therethrough.
8. A ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateral port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the outlet; an elongate yieldable resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure means closed at one end mounted in the housing bore and having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the interior of the housing at said lateral port means so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end of said closure means in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the open end of said tubular closure means, said chamber and the interior of the tubular closure means being adapted tovreceive a compressible fluid under pressure to yieldably maintain said closure means in its port means closing position, said closure means being yieldable in response to uid pressure in said lateral port means to open said port means to permit fluid ow through said port means.
9. A ow device including: a housing having a bore having an outlet at one end and provided with lateralA port means between the exterior of the housing and its bore spaced longitudinally of the housing from the voutlet; an elongate yieldable resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure means closed at one end mounted in the housing bore and having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the interior of the housing at said lateral por-t means so as to close said lateral port means; and means carried by said housing engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end of said closure means in one direction and providing a closed pressure fluid chamber communicating with the open end of said tubular closure means, said chamber and the interior of the tubular closure means being adapted to receive a compressible uid under pressure to yieldably maintain said closure means in its port means closing position, said closure means being yieldable in response to fluid pressure in said lateral port means to open said port means to permit fluid ow through said port means; and a back pressure valve in the bore of the housing adapted to cl-ose the same against back flow from the outlet to the lateral port means, whereby said back flow is prevented from acting against said closure means.
10. A gas lift valve including: a tubular body having lateral ports communicating the exterior thereof with the interior thereof; a resilient hollow cup-like closure means closed at one end mounted in said body means supporting said closure means in said body positioning the exterior of said closure means to engage the inner wall of said tubular body adjacent said ports, said supporting means engaging said one end of said closure means to Ilimit; movement of said one end in one direction, said closure means being movable from such engaging position to control the ow of uid through said may flow therethrough; and means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure within said hollow cup-like closure means to normally hold said closure means -in position engaging the inner wall of said body and closing said ports.
11. A well device including: a well pipe; a tubular body installed on said well pipe and having lateral port means communicating the exterior of said body with thev interior of said body; hollow cup-like closure means closed at one end constructed lof flexible, resilient material mounted in said body adjacent said port means; means supporting said closure means in said body with its exterior normally in closing engagement with the interior of said body at said .port means said closure means being contractable away from said port means to control the flow of iluid through Isaid port means, said support-ing means engaging said one end of said closurel means to limit movement of said one end in one direction; a flow passageway extending from the interior of said port means in said body and adapted when said body is installed on said well pipe to communicate with inlet means in said well pipe whereby fluids entering said valve may flow therethrough into said well pipe; and pressurizing 'means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of said hollow closure means to normally resiliently maintain said closure meansl in closing position, said pressurizing means including a sealed chamber on said body having communication with the interior of said hollow closure means and chargeable with a pneumatic fluid to said predetermined pressure'.
12. A well dev ice including: well pipe; a tubular body installed on said Well pipe and having lateral port means communicating the exterior of said body with the interior of said body; hollow cup-like closure means constructedof flexible, resilient material closed at one end andv mounted in said body adjacent said port means; means` supporting said closure means in said body with its exterior normally in closing engagement with the interior of said body at said port'means said closure means being contractable away from said port means to control the flow of uid through said port means, said supportingA means engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end in one direction; a ow passageway extending from the interior of said port means in said body and adapted when said body is installed on said well pipe to communicate with inlet means in said well pipe whereby flu-ids entering said valve may flow vtherethrough into said well pipe; pressurizing means for f maintaining -a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of `said lhollow closure means to normally re- 'V siliently maintain said closure means in closing position,
said pressurizing means including a sealed chamber on said body having communication with the interior of said hollow closure means and chargeable with a pneu-V matic Huid to said predetermined pressure; and check valve means in said ow passageway closing against iiuid flow from said well pipe back through said body, whereby such back flow is prevented from acting against said closure means.
13, A well device including: a well pipe; a tubular body installed on said well pipe and having lateral port means communicating the exterior of said body with the interior of said body; hollow cup-like closure means constructed fof flexible, resilient material closed at one end f mounted in said body adjacent said port rnean-s; means supporting said closure means in said body with its exterior normally in closing engagement with the interior of said body at said port means, said closure means being contractable away from said port means to control the flow of fluid through said port means, said supporting means engaging said one end of said closure means to limit movement of said one end of said closure means in one direction; a flow passageway extending from the im terior of said port means in said body and adapted when said body is installed on said well pipe to communicate with inlet means in said well pipe whereby uids entering said valve may flow therethrough into said well pipe; pressurizing means `for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of said hollow closure means to normally resiliently maintain said closure means in closing position, said pressurizing means including a sealed chamber on said body having communication with the interior of said `hollow closure means and chargeable with a pneumatic fluid to said predetermined pressure; and check valve means including a cup-shaped member constructed of exible resilient material mounted `in said passageway, the concave end of said cup-shaped member opening away from the closure means and resiliently sealingly engaging the walls of said passageway, whereby back ow through the body to act on said hollow closure means is prevented.
14. A gas lift valve including: a body having a longitudinal bore forming a passageway therein; lateral port means in said body providing communication between the exterior of said body and said passageway at a point spaced from the ends of said body; outlet port means in said body spaced from said lateral port means and providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body; an elongate tlexible resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure member closed at one end mounted in the bore of said body, said closure member having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the bore wall of said body across said port means and deformable away from said bore wall and port means to permit and control the flow of fluids through said port means; means supporting said closure member in said body and engaging said one end of said closure member to limit movement of said one end in one direction; and means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure in said tubular closure member to normally yieldably maintain said closure member in port closing position.
15. A gas lift valve including: a body having a longitudinal bore forming a passageway therein; lateral port means in said body providing communication between the exterior of said body and said passageway at a point spaced from the ends of said body; outlet port means in said body spaced from said lateral port means and providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body; an elongate tlexible resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure member closed at one end mounted in the bore of said body, said closure member having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the bore wall of said body across said port means and deformable away from said bore wall and port means to permit and control the ow of uids through said port means; means in said body engaging said one end of said closure member to limit movement of said one end in one direction; and a sealed chamber in said body communicating with the interior of said closure member, said chamber being chargeable with a pneumatic fluid to a predetermined pressure to normally yieldably maintain said closure member disposed in port closing position.
16. A gas lift valve including: a body having a longitudinal bore forming a passageway therein; lateral port means in said body providing communication between the exterior of said body and said passageway at a point spaced from the ends of said body; outlet port means in said body spaced from said lateral port means and providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body; an elongate :llexible resilient substantially cylindrical tubular closure member closed at one end mounted in the bore of said body, said closure member having its cylindrical exterior normally disposed in a position engaging the bore wall of said body across said port means and deformable away from said bore wall and port means to permit and control the ow of iluids through said port means; means supporting said closure member and engaging said one end of said closure member to limit movement of said one end in one direction; a sealed chamber in said body communicating with the interior of said closure member, said chamber being chargeable with a pneumatic uid to a predetermined pressure to normally yieldably maintain said closure member disposed in port closing position; and check valve means in said passageway intermediate said lateral port means and said outlet port means and between said closure member and said outlet port means, said check valve means opening to permit tlow of tluids from said lateral port means through said passageway to said outlet port means but closing to flow of fluids from said outlet port means to said lateral port means, whereby fluids are prevented from flowing from said outlet port to act against said closure means.
17. A gas lift valve for use in a landing nipple having aperture means communicating the exterior thereof with the interior thereof, said valve including a tubular body having lateral port means providing communication between the exterior of said body with the interior of said body; an elongate tubular closure means constructed of flexible resilient material mounted in said body adjacent said port means, said closure means having a substantially hemispheric integral closed end portion of the same material as said closure means and its exterior portion spaced from said substantially hemispheric end portion normally disposed in a position engaging the interior wall of the body across said port means and deformable away from said port means to control the ow of fluid through said port means into said body; means carried by `said body engaging said closed end portion to limit movement of said closed end portion in one ydirection said body having means on its exterior providing grooves adapted to receive sealing means on the exterior of said body spaced above and below said port means, said grooves being so spaced on said body that when said sealing means is disposed in said grooves said sealing means is sealingly engageable with the walls of a landing nipple above and below said aperture means when said body is `disposed in a landing nipple whereby the dow of uids through said aperture is directed into said port means; a ow passageway in said body providing communication between the interior ends of said port means and the exterior of said body at a point spaced longitudinally from said port means a distance greater than the nearer sealing means whereby uids entering said valve through said port means may ow therethrough into the interior of the landing nipple; and pressurizing means for maintaining a predetermined pneumatic pressure on the interior of said closure means to normally resiliently yieldably maintain said closure means in port means closing position.
References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,642,889 Cummings June 23, 1953 2,731,977 McGowan Jan. 24, 1956 2,790,395 Garrett et al Apr. 30, 1957
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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3154940A (en) * 1962-06-12 1964-11-03 Glenn L Loomis Well tool with pressure responsive valve
US3182564A (en) * 1963-05-14 1965-05-11 Lake Ct Switch Company Motors
US3223109A (en) * 1962-05-16 1965-12-14 Leslie L Cummings Gas lift valve
US3322137A (en) * 1963-10-09 1967-05-30 Otis Eng Co Air or gas lift valves
US3360061A (en) * 1964-10-08 1967-12-26 Otis Eng Co Large well bore drilling apparatus
US3417774A (en) * 1966-06-13 1968-12-24 Dresser Ind Retrievable gas lift valve assembly
US3595315A (en) * 1970-01-19 1971-07-27 Thomas R Alley Gas lift valve
US3949780A (en) * 1974-09-19 1976-04-13 Buckman Thomas P Two piece check valve
US20110042097A1 (en) * 2008-02-04 2011-02-24 Marathon Oil Company Apparatus, assembly and process for injecting fluid into a subterranean well
US20220298899A1 (en) * 2020-08-06 2022-09-22 Lift Plus Energy Solutions, Ltd. Hybrid hydraulic gas pump system

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2642889A (en) * 1951-03-19 1953-06-23 Cummings Inc Gas lift valve
US2731977A (en) * 1956-01-24 mcgowen
US2790395A (en) * 1954-03-09 1957-04-30 Us Industries Inc Well flow control apparatus and system

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2731977A (en) * 1956-01-24 mcgowen
US2642889A (en) * 1951-03-19 1953-06-23 Cummings Inc Gas lift valve
US2790395A (en) * 1954-03-09 1957-04-30 Us Industries Inc Well flow control apparatus and system

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3223109A (en) * 1962-05-16 1965-12-14 Leslie L Cummings Gas lift valve
US3154940A (en) * 1962-06-12 1964-11-03 Glenn L Loomis Well tool with pressure responsive valve
US3182564A (en) * 1963-05-14 1965-05-11 Lake Ct Switch Company Motors
US3322137A (en) * 1963-10-09 1967-05-30 Otis Eng Co Air or gas lift valves
US3360061A (en) * 1964-10-08 1967-12-26 Otis Eng Co Large well bore drilling apparatus
US3417774A (en) * 1966-06-13 1968-12-24 Dresser Ind Retrievable gas lift valve assembly
US3595315A (en) * 1970-01-19 1971-07-27 Thomas R Alley Gas lift valve
US3949780A (en) * 1974-09-19 1976-04-13 Buckman Thomas P Two piece check valve
US20110042097A1 (en) * 2008-02-04 2011-02-24 Marathon Oil Company Apparatus, assembly and process for injecting fluid into a subterranean well
US8413726B2 (en) * 2008-02-04 2013-04-09 Marathon Oil Company Apparatus, assembly and process for injecting fluid into a subterranean well
US20220298899A1 (en) * 2020-08-06 2022-09-22 Lift Plus Energy Solutions, Ltd. Hybrid hydraulic gas pump system

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