# US 12,404,744 B2 · Wireline retrievable opening prong > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,404,744 B2 - Document ID: US12404744B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/119,214 - Filed: 2023-03-08 - Published: 2024-09-12 - Granted: 2025-09-02 - Earliest claimed: 2023-03-08 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Merced Gonzalez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12404744B2 ## CPC - E21B 34/08: responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence) - E21B 34/102: {with means for locking the closing element in open or closed position (E21B34/105 and E21B34/108 take precedence)} - E21B 34/106: {the retrievable element being a secondary control fluid actuated valve landed into the bore of a first inoperative control fluid actuated valve} - E21B 34/12: operated by movement of casings or tubings - E21B 34/16: Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)} - E21B 2200/05: Flapper valves - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A subsurface safety valve system may include a tubular valve housing disposable within a wellbore, a primary flow tube moveably secured within the valve housing between an upper position and a lower position, and a secondary valve securable within the valve housing downhole from the primary flow tube and a primary valve. The secondary valve is actuatable between an open position and a closed position. Further, the subsurface safety valve system may include a tubular opening prong securable to the primary flow tube, wherein the opening prong is moveable axially downhole to drive the secondary valve into the open position in response to the primary flow tube moving to the lower position, and wherein the tubular opening prong is movable axially uphole to release the secondary valve to move into the closed position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A subsurface safety valve system, comprising: a tubular valve housing disposable within a wellbore; a primary flow tube moveably secured within the valve housing between an upper position and a lower position; a secondary valve securable within the valve housing downhole from the primary flow tube and a primary valve, wherein the secondary valve is actuatable between an open position and a closed position; and a tubular opening prong securable to the primary flow tube, wherein the tubular opening prong is moveable axially downhole to drive the secondary valve into the open position in response to the primary flow tube moving to the lower position, and wherein the tubular opening prong is movable axially uphole to release the secondary valve to move into the closed position; and an upper key assembly having at least one upper key, wherein the at least one upper key is expandable into a corresponding upper key slot formed in the primary flow tube to secure the upper key assembly to the primary flow tube, wherein the upper key is retractable from the upper key slot to release the upper key assembly from the primary flow tube, and wherein the tubular opening prong is secured to a lower end of the upper key assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 1, wherein the tubular valve housing comprises a main body portion and an end sub secured to a downhole end of the main body portion, and wherein the secondary valve is engageable the end sub to secure the secondary valve to the end sub of the tubular valve housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 2, wherein the primary valve is secured within the main body portion of the tubular valve housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 1, wherein the primary valve comprises: a primary valve seat secured within a main body portion of the valve housing; and a primary flapper secured to the primary valve seat, wherein the tubular opening prong is configured to hold the primary flapper in an open position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid control line and piston disposed within the tubular valve housing, wherein the piston is moveable between a first and second position in response to fluid pressure in the fluid control line, and wherein movement of the piston from the first position to the second position drives the primary flow tube from the upper position to the lower position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 5, further comprising a spring assembly disposed in the valve housing, wherein the spring assembly is configured to bias the piston from the second position toward the first position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 1, wherein the upper key assembly comprises an upper body portion and a lower body portion, wherein the upper body portion is axially moveable with respect to the lower body portion between an extended position and a collapsed position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 7, wherein the upper body portion comprises a shim extending from a downhole end of the upper body portion, wherein the shim contacts the at least one upper key in the collapsed position to bias the at least one upper key in a radially outward direction into the corresponding upper key slot formed in the primary flow tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 8, further comprising an upper lock feature configured to engage and hold the shim in the collapsed position, wherein the upper lock feature comprises a shear pin, a shear screw, or some combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 7, wherein the upper body portion comprises a hollow mandrel having an upper lip formed in a radially inner surface of the upper body portion, wherein the upper lip is configured to interface with a retrieval tool, and wherein the retrieval tool is configured to jar the upper body portion, via the upper lip, to shear an upper lock feature holding the upper body portion in the collapsed position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 1, wherein the secondary valve comprises: a lower key assembly having at least one lower key, wherein the at least one lower key is expandable into a corresponding lower key slot formed in the valve housing to secure the secondary valve to the valve housing, and wherein the lower key is retractable from the lower key slot to release the secondary valve from the valve housing; a secondary valve seat connected to a downhole end of the lower key assembly; and a secondary flapper secured to the secondary valve seat, wherein the secondary flapper is actuatable between an open position and a closed position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 11, wherein the lower key assembly comprises a shifting portion and a seal portion, wherein the seal portion comprises a mandrel and a seal secured to an outer surface of the mandrel, wherein the seal is configured to interface with the valve housing, and wherein the shifting portion is moveable axially with respect to the seal portion between an extended position and a mated position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 12, wherein the shifting portion comprises a shim extending from a downhole end of the shifting portion, wherein the shim is configured to contact the at least one lower key in the mated position to bias the at least one lower key in a radially outward direction into the corresponding lower key slot formed in the valve housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 12, wherein the shifting portion comprises a hollow mandrel having an inner lip formed at an uphole end of the shifting portion, wherein the inner lip is configured to interface with a retrieval tool with the tubular opening prong removed from the wellbore, and wherein the retrieval tool is configured to jar the shifting portion, via the inner lip, to shear a lower lock feature holding the shifting portion in the mated position. ### Claim 15 A subsurface safety valve system, comprising: a tubular valve housing disposable within a wellbore, the valve housing having a lower key slot; a primary flow tube axially moveable within the valve housing between an upper position and a lower position, the primary flow tube having an upper key slot formed in a radially inner surface of the primary flow tube; a secondary valve securable within the valve housing downhole from the primary flow tube and a primary valve, wherein the secondary valve comprises a lower key assembly having a lower key configured to expand into the corresponding lower key slot formed in the valve housing to secure the secondary valve to the valve housing; a secondary valve seat connected to a downhole end of the lower key assembly; a secondary flapper secured to the secondary valve seat, wherein the secondary flapper is actuatable between an open position and a closed position; an upper key assembly comprising an upper key, wherein the upper key is expandable into the upper key slot to secure the upper key assembly to the primary flow tube; and a tubular opening prong secured to a downhole end of the upper key assembly, wherein the opening prong is moveable axially downhole to drive the secondary flapper into the open position in response to the primary flow tube moving to the lower position, and wherein the opening prong is moveable axially uphole to release the secondary flapper to move into the closed position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 15, wherein the upper key assembly comprises an upper lock feature configured to hold the upper key in the corresponding upper key slot, and wherein a retrieval tool is configured to jar the upper key assembly to shear the upper lock feature and release the upper key to retract from the upper key slot, and wherein retracting the upper key is configured to release the upper key assembly and the tubular opening prong from the primary flow tube for removal from the wellbore. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 16, wherein the upper key assembly comprises an upper lip formed in a radially inner surface of the upper key assembly, wherein the upper lip is configured to interface with the retrieval tool. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The subsurface safety valve system of claim 15, wherein the secondary valve comprises a lower lock feature configured to hold the lower key in the corresponding lower key slot, and wherein a retrieval tool is configured to jar the secondary valve to shear the lower lock feature and release the lower key to retract from the lower key slot, and wherein retracting the lower key is configured to release the secondary valve from the valve housing. ### Claim 19 A method for actuating a secondary subsurface safety valve, comprising: applying a threshold pressure to a control line disposed within a main body to drive a primary flow tube in an axially downhole direction with respect to the main body, wherein a retrievable lock mandrel is secured to the primary flow tube and an opening prong is secured to the retrievable lock mandrel such that the opening prong moves in the axially downhole direction to contact and drive a secondary flapper to an open position in response to movement of the primary flow tube in the axially downhole direction, and wherein the secondary flapper is secured to a secondary valve seat that is secured to the main body in a position downhole from the primary flow tube; and releasing pressure to the control line, wherein a spring assembly biases the primary flow tube in an axially uphole direction in response to pressure in the control line falling below the threshold pressure, wherein the opening prong is moves in the axially uphole direction to release the secondary flapper to move into a closed position in response to the primary flow tube moving in the axially uphole direction.