US3763932A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surface operated, subsurface safety valve assembly
Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
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Filing: 1971-12-27
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1991-12-27
Abstract
Abstract Opening and closing of a subsurface safety valve in a well tubing is regulated by control pressure supplied to the valve through a pressure passage extending from the valve to the well surface. Reduction in control pressure in the passage permits the valve to move to its normally closed position under the influence of a compressed spring. Repressuring the passage acts through an expansion chamber to reopen the valve against the force of the spring. A pressure bypass is provided for equalizing pressures above and below the closed valve to ease reopening of the valve. The valve may be permanent or retrievable, and in one form of the invention, a retrievable valve is landed within an inoperative, permanent safety valve. In the latter embodiment, means are provided for regulating opening and closing of the retrievable valve by pressure supplied through the pressure passage previously regulating operation of the permanent valve. In one form of the invention, the passage is provided by a small control line and in another form, the passage is provided between two concentric tubing strings.
Inventors
- 👤 R Dinning
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:58
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B34/00; E21B34/06; E21B34/10; E21B34/105; E21B34/106; E21B2200/00; E21B2200/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
A surface operated subsurface valve assembly for use in a well comprising: a. subsurface valve means responsive to a control pressure for regulating flow of effluents through a well conduit; b. control pressure passage means extending from said subsurface valve means toward the surface of said well for supplying control pressure to said valve means; c. biasing means for urging said vaLve means to normally closed position wherein effluent flow through said well conduit is terminated; d. opening means operable by said control pressure for opening said valve means against the action of said biasing means; e. pressure equalizing means operable by said control pressure for reducing the pressure differential across said valve means when said valve means is closed whereby said opening means may fully reopen said valve means; and f. check valve means openable by control pressure in said control pressure passage means for temporarily holding said subsurface valve means in open position while a relatively low control pressure is present in said passage means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
A surface operated subsurface valve assembly for use in a well comprising: a. subsurface valve means responsive to a control pressure for regulating flow of effluents through a well conduit; b. control pressure passage means extending from said subsurface valve means toward the surface of said well for supplying control pressure to said valve means; c. biasing means for urging said vaLve means to normally closed position wherein effluent flow through said well conduit is terminated; d. opening means operable by said control pressure for opening said valve means against the action of said biasing means; e. pressure equalizing means operable by said control pressure for reducing the pressure differential across said valve means when said valve means is closed whereby said opening means may fully reopen said valve means; and f. check valve means openable by control pressure in said control pressure passage means for temporarily holding said subsurface valve means in open position while a relatively low control pressure is present in said passage means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve means is retrievably positioned in said well conduit to permit placement and retrieval of said valve means from the well surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said control pressure passage means includes a second well conduit encircling said first named conduit to enclose a substantialy annular control pressure passage between said first mentioned conduit and said second conduit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said control pressure passage means includes a second well conduit encircling said first named conduit to enclose a substantially annular control pressure passage between said first mentioned conduit and said second conduit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An assembly as defined in claim 1 further including a second valve means retrievably positioned in said first mentioned valve means and operable by said control pressure for regulating flow of effluents through said well conduit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said second valve means includes; a. second biasing means for urging said second valve means to normally closed position; b. second opening means operable by said control pressure for opening said second valve means against the action of said second biasing means; and c. second pressure equalizing means operable by said control pressure for reducing the pressure differential across said second valve means when said second valve means is closed whereby said second opening means may fully reopen said second valve means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said first mentioned valve means includes selectively operable means for retaining said first mentioned valve means in open position irrespective of the control pressure value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes selectively operable means for retaining said valve means in open position irrespective of the control pressure value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
125 words
An assembly as defined in claim 1 further including: a. a substantially tubular valve housing body means; b. a substantially tubular control valve means, carried in said housing body means. c. a flapper valve closure element means operable by axial movement of said control sleeve means to open or close said well conduit to effluent flow; d. coil spring biasing means carried concentrically between said control sleeve means and said housing means for normally biasing said sleeve means in a direction to move said closure element means to closed position; and e. expansion chamber means communicating with said control pressure and operable by said control pressure to expand and to move said sleeve means in a direction moving said closure element means to open position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
An assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said bypass means includes means operable upon limited movement of said sleeve means to open a relatively small pressure passage means communicating with the area in said well conduit above and below said valve means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
167 words
A surface operated, subsurface valve assembly for use in a well comprising: a. a first subsurface valve means responsive to a control pressure for regulating flow of effluents through a well conduit; b. control pressure passage means extending from said subsurface valve means toward the surface of said well for supplying control pressure to said valve means; c. biasing means for urging said valve means to normally closed position; d. opening means operable by said control pressure for opening said valve means against the action of said biasing means; e. landing means in said valve means for landing a retrievable, second valve means in said first mentioned valve means; f. means for operating said retrievable valve means by said control pressure to regulate the flow of effluents through said conduit; and g. check valves means openable by control pressure in said control pressure passage means for temporily holding said subsurface valve means in open position while a relatively low control pressure is present in said passage means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
167 words
A surface operated, subsurface valve assembly for use in a well comprising: a. a first subsurface valve means responsive to a control pressure for regulating flow of effluents through a well conduit; b. control pressure passage means extending from said subsurface valve means toward the surface of said well for supplying control pressure to said valve means; c. biasing means for urging said valve means to normally closed position; d. opening means operable by said control pressure for opening said valve means against the action of said biasing means; e. landing means in said valve means for landing a retrievable, second valve means in said first mentioned valve means; f. means for operating said retrievable valve means by said control pressure to regulate the flow of effluents through said conduit; and g. check valves means openable by control pressure in said control pressure passage means for temporily holding said subsurface valve means in open position while a relatively low control pressure is present in said passage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
An assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said first mentioned valve is in fully open position and said retrievable valve means is landed and locked in said first mentioned valve means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
91 words
An assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said second valve means includes: a. second biasing means for urging said second valve means to normally closed position; b. second opening means operable by said control pressure for opening said second valve means against the action of said second biasing means; and c. a second pressure equalizing means operable by said control pressure for reducing the pressure differential across said second valve means when said second valve means is closed whereby said second opening means may fully reopen said second valve means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
An assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said second valve means further includes second pressure equalizing means operable by said control pressure for reducing the pressure differential across said second valve means when said second valve means is closed whereby said second opening means may fully reopen said second valve means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
An assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said landing means includes selectively operable means for retaining said valve means in open position irrespective of the control pressure value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
An assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said valve means includes: a. a substantially tubular valve housing body means; b. a substantially tubular control sleeve means carried in said housing body means; and c. a flapper valve closure element means operable by axial movement of said control sleeve means to open or close said well conduit to effluent flow.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
An assembly as defined in claim 11 further including pressure equalizing means operable by said control pressure for reducing the pressure differential across said valve means when said valve means is closed whereby said opening means may fully reopen said valve means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said check valve means includes a ball, a seat and a ball recess below said ball whereby application of control pressure to said control pressure passage means unseats said ball and permits said ball to fall into said ball recess.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |