Electric/hydraulic safety valve

An electrically surface-controlled subsurface safety valve, comprising:

• an outer housing comprising a central bore extending axially through the outer housing, the central bore operable to convey subsurface production fluids there through;
• a valve closure mechanism disposed proximate a downhole end of the central bore;
• a bore flow management actuator disposed in the central bore;
• a piston coupled to the bore flow management actuator, the piston operable to move the bore flow management actuator between a closed state and a flow state to engage or disengage the valve closure mechanism to determine a flow condition of the subsurface production fluids through the central bore;
• and
• an electro/hydraulic valve fluidly coupled to the piston for movement thereof, the electro/hydraulic valve including;
• a fluid chamber;
• and
• an electro/thermal expansion pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and further wherein an inlet check valve is positioned in fluid communication between the fluid chamber and the fluid inlet and an outlet check valve is positioned in fluid communication between the fluid outlet and the piston.

A method of operating an electrically surface-controlled subsurface safety valve, comprising:

• providing an electrically surface-controlled subsurface safety valve downhole within a wellbore, the surface-controlled subsurface safety valve including;
• an outer housing comprising a central bore extending axially through the outer housing, the central bore operable to convey subsurface production fluids there through;
• a valve closure mechanism disposed proximate a downhole end of the central bore;
• a bore flow management actuator disposed in the central bore;
• a piston coupled to the bore flow management actuator, the piston operable to move the bore flow management actuator between a closed state and a flow state to engage or disengage the valve closure mechanism to determine a flow condition of the subsurface production fluids through the central bore;
• and
• an electro/hydraulic valve fluidly coupled to the piston for movement thereof, the electro/hydraulic valve including;
• a fluid chamber;
• and
• an electro/thermal expansion pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and further wherein an inlet check valve is positioned in fluid communication between the fluid chamber and the fluid inlet and an outlet check valve is positioned in fluid communication between the fluid outlet and the piston;
• and
• sending power to the electro/thermal expansion pump to expand fluid located therein and axially urge the piston downhole to move the bore flow management actuator toward the flow state.