Energy saving downhole and subsea valve
AssigneeHansen Downhole Pump Solutions A.S.
InventorsHenning Hansen, Tarald Gudmestad, James Lindsay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for operating a pressure operated device in a wellbore includes conducting pressurized gas to a power fluid inlet port of a valve at a first pressure. The first pressure is selected to cause a shuttle in the valve to be positioned to enable flow of the pressurized gas through the valve to a power fluid flow port in communication with a power fluid inlet of the pneumatic device. Pressure of the pressurized gas is increased to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, whereby the shuttle moves to close the power fluid inlet port to flow and to vent the power fluid flow port to ambient pressure in the wellbore.
Claims11
A pressure operated wellbore valve, comprising:
- a valve body having a bore therein for a shuttle, the shuttle comprising a piston at one end and flow ports for a power fluid to move through the shuttle longitudinally, the valve body comprising a power fluid inlet port at one longitudinal end and a power fluid flow port at another longitudinal end;
- a biasing device disposed in a chamber on one side of the shuttle;
- and
- wherein the shuttle comprises a first seal proximate a power fluid inlet in the valve body such that when the spring urges the shuttle to one end of the bore, the power fluid is in communication between the power fluid inlet and the power fluid flow port, and wherein when a pressure of the power fluid at the power fluid inlet urges the shuttle away from the power fluid inlet port, the first seal stops flow of the power fluid through the shuttle, and wherein a second seal between the shuttle and the bore is opened such that a flow path between the power fluid flow port and the exterior of the valve body is opened.
A method for operating a pressure operated device in a wellbore, comprising:
- conducting pressurized gas to a power fluid inlet port of a valve at a first pressure, the first pressure selected to cause a shuttle in the valve to be positioned to enable flow of the pressurized gas through the valve to a power fluid flow port in communication with a power fluid inlet of the pneumatic device;
- and
- increasing pressure of the pressurized gas to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, whereby the shuttle moves to close the power fluid inlet port to flow and to vent the power fluid flow port to ambient pressure in the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.