Classifications

• • 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
  • E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
  • E21B34/06—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in wells
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K27/00—Construction of housing; Use of materials therefor
  • F16K27/06—Construction of housing; Use of materials therefor of taps or cocks
  • F16K27/067—Construction of housing; Use of materials therefor of taps or cocks with spherical plugs
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K5/00—Plug valves; Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary
  • F16K5/06—Plug valves; Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary with plugs having spherical surfaces; Packings therefor
  • F16K5/0605—Plug valves; Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary with plugs having spherical surfaces; Packings therefor with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K5/00—Plug valves; Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary
  • F16K5/06—Plug valves; Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary with plugs having spherical surfaces; Packings therefor
  • F16K5/0663—Packings
  • F16K5/0689—Packings between housing and plug
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K5/00—Plug valves; Taps or cocks comprising only cut-off apparatus having at least one of the sealing faces shaped as a more or less complete surface of a solid of revolution, the opening and closing movement being predominantly rotary
  • F16K5/08—Details
  • F16K5/14—Special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together
  • F16K5/20—Special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together for plugs with spherical surfaces
• • 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
  • E21B2200/00—Special features related to earth drilling for obtaining oil, gas or water
  • E21B2200/04—Ball valves

Definitions

• This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and in one example described below more particularly, provides a ball and seat valve capable of withstanding high temperature and high pressure applications.
• Hydrocarbons such as oil and gas
• subterranean formations that may be located onshore or offshore.
• the development of subterranean operations and the processes involved in removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation typically include a number of different steps such as, for example, drilling a wellbore at a desired well site, treating the wellbore to optimize production of hydrocarbons, and performing the necessary steps to produce and process the hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.
• Isolation Barrier Valves utilize a simple spherical ball and seat arrangement as the closure device. In order to meet the current performance demands, the choice of materials to manufacture the ball and seat is becoming restricted and may be nearing the limits of currently approved materials.
• the present disclosure is directed to an improved ball and seat valve which incorporates thermally fitted sleeves into the ball and/or the seat to allow greater pressures and temperatures due to the resultant stresses left within the parts due to interference.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an isolation barrier valve in accordance with the present disclosure
• FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the isolation barrier valve shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2.
• FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of an isolation barrier valve in accordance with the present disclosure.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an isolation barrier valve installed in a section of production tubing.
• the valve 10 includes a ball 12 and a seat 14.
• the ball 12 is generally spherically- shaped and formed of a metal alloy.
• the ball 12 is formed of a metal alloy, such as a 41 XX Series chromium-molybdenum alloy or more noble nickel alloy.
• a metal alloy such as a 41 XX Series chromium-molybdenum alloy or more noble nickel alloy.
• other materials may be used in forming the ball 12, which are capable of withstanding the high temperature and high pressure environments found in deep water subsea and other deep and ultra-deep wells.
• the ball 12 is formed with a flow passage 16 formed therethrough.
• the flow passage 16 is generally cylindrically shaped and occupies a significant volume of the ball 12.
• the flow passage 16 is designed to withstand high pressure, high velocity flow of downhole fluids.
• the ball 12 is formed with an axis 18 about which the ball is capable of rotating. As will be described further below, the ball 12 is capable of rotating through at least 90 degrees so as to assume one of two positions, one which can be characterized as an "open” position and the other which can be characterized as a "closed” position. In the "open” position, fluids are permitted to flow through the flow passage 16, for example, during the production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation of an oil and gas reservoir to the surface. In the "closed” position, fluid flow is shut off, thereby ceasing the flow of hydrocarbons to the surface.
• the isolation barrier valve can also be used to open and close the flow of completion and/or enhancement fluids downhole.
• the seat 14 is a generally cylindrically-shaped tubular member. Like the ball 12, the seat 14, is formed of a metal alloy, for example, a 41 XX Series chromium-molybdenum alloy or more noble nickel alloy. Again, as those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, other materials capable of withstanding the high temperature, high pressure environment of deep and ultra-deep wells can be used.
• the seat 14 in one example may have an inner diameter of approximately 4.5 inches and an outer diameter of approximately 5.0 inches, although, as those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, any suitably sized seat may be employed.
• a support sleeve 20 is formed in and lines the surface of the flow passage 16 of the ball 12.
• the support sleeve 20 is formed of the same metal alloy used to form the ball 12 and seat 14.
• the support sleeve is generally cylindrically-shaped and in one embodiment may vary in thickness from 0.0625 to 0.125 inches, although other suitable thicknesses and materials may be used.
• the support sleeve 20 may be thermally fit to the inner cylindrical surface of the ball 12 forming the flow passage 16. In one embodiment, the support sleeve 20 is cooled before being placed into the flow passage 16. Once it warms again, it forms an interference fit with the inner cylindrical surface of the ball 12.
• the ball 12 is heated hereby causing it to expand.
• the support sleeve 20 is then inserted into the ball 12, which is then allowed to cool. Once cooled, the support sleeve 20 is interference fit within the flow passage 16 of the ball 12.
• the support sleeve 20 is formed as a single sleeve which extends along the entire length of the cylindrical surface forming the flow passage 16.
• a pair of generally cylindrically-shaped support sleeves 22 and 24 are used in place of the single support sleeve 20, as shown in FIG. 3.
• the pair of support sleeves 22 and 24 may be made of the same material and installed in the manner described with reference to the single support sleeve 20.
• the pair of support sleeves 22 and 24 is installed each at opposite ends of the longitudinal length of the flow passage 16.
• a plurality of support sleeves are installed along the longitudinal length of the flow passage 16.
• the seat 14 also may be provided with a support sleeve 26, as shown in FIGs. 1 and 3.
• the support sleeve 26 may also be formed of the same metal allow, for example, a 41 XX Series cliromium-molybdenum alloy or more noble nickel alloy, as the ball 12 and seat 14. Again, as those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate other suitable materials may be used.
• the support sleeve 26 in one embodiment is approximately 0.0625 to 0.125 inches thick, but other suitable thicknesses may be employed.
• the support sleeve 26 is thermally fit to the seat 14. In one embodiment, the sleeve is heated and placed over a cool seat 14 and allowed to cool, thereby shrinking into an interference fit on the seat 14. In another embodiment, the support sleeve 26 is placed over the seat 14, which has been cooled and then allowed to warm so as to thereby form an interference fit between the support sleeve 26 and the seat 14.
• the ball 12 and seat 14 have a tendency to deform due to the stresses created by the high temperature, high pressure fluid flow. This is illustrated in FIG. 2, by arrows A and B, which represent upstream and downstream pressure, respectively. These pressures cause the ball and seat to deform which can cause leakage of fluids out of the valve.
• the support sleeves 20 (or 22 and 24) and 26 in accordance with the present disclosure act to pre-stress the ball 12 and seat 14, respectively, and thereby prevent these components from deforming at higher temperatures and/or pressures than would be possible without the support sleeves. This is best illustrated in FIG. 2 where the support sleeve 26 is shown pre-stressing the seat 14 such that deformation at the point of contact between the ball 12 and seat 14 is prevented or at least minimized thereby preserving the integrity of the seal at point C.
• FIG. 4 shows valve 10 with ball 12 and seat 14 installed within a downhole tool 28, which in turn is shown within a section of production casing or tubing 30.
• the valve 10 would be used as a lower completion isolation valve and installed just below the uppermost gravel pack packer in the wellbore formed in the reservoir of interest.
• the valve mechanism 10 may be used in other applications both in the oil field, such as in subsea trees, and outside of the oil field where high temperature, high pressure reliable valves are needed.
• the pressures for example, can be as high as 15,000 psi and possibly even higher.
• the valve 10 would be suitable for such applications.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Taps Or Cocks (AREA)
• Lift Valve (AREA)
• Temperature-Responsive Valves (AREA)

Priority Applications (12)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=57104085

Family Applications (1)

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Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (41)

• 2015
  • 2015-05-14 WO PCT/US2015/030736 patent/WO2016182574A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2015-05-14 BR BR112017018597A patent/BR112017018597A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2015-05-14 SG SG11201708087YA patent/SG11201708087YA/en unknown
  • 2015-05-14 US US15/565,797 patent/US10591068B2/en active Active
  • 2015-05-14 AU AU2015394337A patent/AU2015394337B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2015-05-14 MX MX2017012327A patent/MX2017012327A/es unknown
  • 2015-05-14 CA CA2979540A patent/CA2979540A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-05-14 GB GB1716215.7A patent/GB2555007A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2016
  • 2016-03-18 NL NL1041768A patent/NL1041768B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2016-04-12 IT ITUA2016A002524A patent/ITUA20162524A1/it unknown
  • 2016-04-13 FR FR1653273A patent/FR3036156A1/fr not_active Ceased
• 2017
  • 2017-09-25 NO NO20171528A patent/NO20171528A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (5)

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