# US 12,760,630 B2 · Unloading valve and a gas lift system and a method of installing such a gas lift system

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- Number: US 12,760,630 B2
- Document ID: US12760630B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/875,202
- Filed: 2023-07-12
- Published: 2025-12-04
- Granted: 2026-10-13
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-15
- Assignees: Shell USA, Inc.
- Applicants: Shell USA, Inc.
- Inventors: Marco Muijderman; Wouter Johannes Gregorius Keultjes; Erik Kerst Cornelissen; Coen Van Schie
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760630B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/123: {Gas lift valves}
- E21B 34/08: responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence)
- F16K 1/443: {the seats being in series}
- F16K 17/30: spring-loaded
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

An unloading valve, which allows fluid flow in a flow direction through the unloading valve up to a predetermined maximum flow rate, and which blocks fluid flow in a blocking direction. The unloading valve is specifically suited for use in a continuous gas lift system. It can be installed in a wellbore tubular by punching it into the wall of the wellbore tubular using a punch tool run within the tubular bore.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas lift system for use in
a wellbore tubular arranged in a borehole, comprising a tubular bore, and an annular space surrounding the wellbore tubular which annular space is accessible for fluid flow, the gas lift system comprising;
an unloading valve arranged in a wall of the wellbore tubular for allowing fluid flow from the annular space into the tubular bore, the unloading valve comprising:
an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid flow path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port;
a valve float;
an inlet valve seat arranged at the inlet port to receive the valve float thereby sealing the inlet port;
an outlet valve seat arranged at the outlet port to receive the valve float thereby sealing the outlet port;
a bias spring acting on the valve float, to impose a bias force on the valve float towards the inlet valve seat;
wherein the valve float is movably arranged in the fluid flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and is bidirectionally movable between the inlet valve seat and the outlet valve seat,
wherein the unloading valve allows fluid flow in a flow direction from the annular space into the tubular bore when the valve float is in an intermediate position between the inlet valve seat and the outlet valve seat and wherein the unloading valve closes in the flow direction when a predetermined maximum flow rate is exceeded;
a binary check valve arranged in the wellbore tubular at a depth below the unloading valve,
wherein the binary check valve allows fluid flow from the annular space into the tubular bore at any flow rate and blocks flow in opposite direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas lift system of claim 1, wherein a fluid cannot pass through the unloading valve along the fluid flow path when the valve float is seated in one of the inlet valve seat and the outlet valve seat, and where the fluid can pass along the fluid flow path through the unloading valve when the valve float is in an intermediate position between the inlet valve seat and the outlet valve seat.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gas lift system of claim 1, which blocks fluid flow in the flow direction after the predetermined maximum flow rate has been exceeded.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The gas lift system of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional unloading valves and wherein the unloading valves are arranged at increasing depths within a wall of the wellbore tubular.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gas lift system of claim 1, wherein the valve float is configured such that hydrodynamic drag acting on the valve float increases with flow rate to urge the valve float toward the outlet valve seat.

### Claim 6

A method of installing a gas lift system in a borehole in an earth formation comprising a wellbore tubular arranged with the borehole, comprising a tubular bore, and an annular space surrounding the wellbore tubular which annular space is accessible for fluid flow, said method comprising steps of:
providing an unloading valve comprising:
an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid flow path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port, which allows fluid flow in a flow direction from the inlet port to the outlet port through the unloading valve;
a valve float;
an inlet valve seat arranged at the inlet port to receive the valve float thereby sealing the inlet port;
an outlet valve seat arranged at the outlet port to receive the valve float thereby sealing the outlet port;
a bias spring acting on the valve float, to impose a bias force on the valve float towards the inlet valve seat, whereby the valve float allows fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port up to a predetermined maximum, and blocks fluid flow in a blocking direction which is opposite of the flow direction;
wherein the valve float is movably arranged in the fluid flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port, and wherein the valve float is bidirectionally movable between the inlet valve seat and the outlet valve seat;
providing a binary check valve which allows fluid flow from the annular space into the tubular bore at any flow rate and blocks flow in opposite direction;
providing a punch tool;
running the punch tool into the tubular bore to a first desired depth;
punching the unloading valve into a wall of the wellbore tubular, whereby the flow direction of the unloading valve is directed from the annular space into the tubular bore;
running the punch tool into the tubular bore to a second desired depth below the first desired depth;
punching the binary check valve into the wall of the wellbore tubular at the second desired depth, whereby the binary check valve allows fluid flow from the annular space into the tubular bore;
removing the punch tool from the tubular bore while leaving the unloading valve and the binary check valve behind in the wall.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the unloading valve comprises a cylindrically shaped housing section, and chamfer at the inlet side of the unloading valve, optimized to enhance push back resistance of the unloading valve left behind in the wall.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The gas lift system of claim 1, wherein the valve float directly engages each of the inlet valve seat and the outlet valve seat.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the unloading valve is configured such that the valve float is operable to move from the intermediate position to the outlet valve seat when the predetermined maximum flow rate is exceeded.