Tubing annulus plug valve
AssigneeVetco Gray Inc.
InventorPeter Kent
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tubing hanger lands in a tubular outer wellhead member and supports a string of production tubing. The tubing hanger has a production passage for communicating with the interior of the production tubing and an annulus passage for communicating with a tubing annulus on the exterior of the production tubing. An access port leads from the annulus passage to an exterior portion of the body for communicating the tubing annulus with the annulus passage. A valve stem is movable along an axis of the annulus passage between a closed position, blocking the access port, and an open position, exposing the annulus port. A pressure equalizing passage extends from the annulus passage above the valve stem to the annulus passage below the valve stem.
Claims20
A wellhead apparatus, comprising:
- a tubing hanger body for landing in a tubular outer wellhead member and supporting a string of production tubing, the body having a production passage for communicating with the interior of the production tubing and an annulus passage for communicating with a tubing annulus on the exterior of the production tubing;
- an access port leading from the annulus passage to an exterior portion of the body for communicating the tubing annulus with the annulus passage;
- and
- a valve stem carried sealingly in the annulus passage for movement along an axis of the annulus passage between a closed position, blocking the access port, and an open position, exposing the annulus port, the valve stem being a solid member dimensioned to prevent any flow through the valve stem from the annulus passage below the valve stem to the annulus passage above the valve stem.
A wellhead apparatus, comprising:
- a tubing hanger body for landing in a tubular outer wellhead member and supporting a string of production tubing, the body having a production passage for communicating with the interior of the production tubing and an annulus passage for communicating with a tubing annulus on the exterior of the production tubing;
- an access port leading from the annulus passage to an exterior portion of the body for communicating the tubing annulus with the annulus passage;
- a valve stem carried sealingly in the annulus passage for movement along an axis of the annulus passage between a closed position, blocking the access port, and an open position, exposing the annulus port;
- and
- a pressure equalizing passage joining upper and lower portions of the annulus passage for equalizing any pressure in the annulus passage above the valve stem with pressure in the annulus passage below the valve stem.
A wellhead apparatus, comprising:
- a tubing hanger body for landing in a tubular outer wellhead member and supporting a string of production tubing, the body having a production passage for communicating with the interior of the production tubing and an annulus passage for communicating with a tubing annulus on the exterior of the production tubing;
- an access port leading from an access port junction with the annulus passage to an exterior portion of the body for communicating the tubing annulus with the annulus passage;
- an upper seal member stationarily mounted in the annulus passage above the access port junction;
- an intermediate seal member stationarily mounted in the annulus passage below the access port junction;
- a valve stem carried in the annulus passage for movement along an axis of the annulus passage between an upper closed position, in sealing engagement with the upper and intermediate seal members for closing the access port, and a lower open position in sealing engagement with the intermediate seal member but not the upper seal member, thereby opening the access port;
- a lower seal member below the intermediate seal member, defining a hydraulic chamber in the annulus passage below the intermediate seal member and above the lower seal member;
- a piston band on the valve stem and located in the hydraulic chamber;
- a downstroke hydraulic passage leading to the hydraulic chamber above the piston band for stroking the valve stem to the lower open position;
- and
- a pressure equalizing passage extending alongside the annulus passage from an upper equalizing junction with the annulus passage above the upper seal member to a lower equalizing junction with the annulus passage below the lower seal member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.