# US 2020/0399986 A1 · Pump through functionality in subsea valves using external manifold > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0399986 A1 - Document ID: US20200399986A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/910,563 - Filed: 2020-06-24 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-24 - Assignees: OneSubsea IP UK Limited - Applicants: OneSubsea IP UK Limited - Inventors: Mahesh Shenoy; John Kobersky; Christopher Irvine - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399986A1 ## CPC - E21B 34/16: Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)} - E21B 2200/04: Ball valves - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A subsea valve system for use in a subsea landing string includes a subsea valve and an external manifold in fluid communication with the subsea valve. The external manifold includes a cylinder, a split manifold piston, an above bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to an above bore pressure, a below bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to a below bore pressure, and an open chamber outlet. The split manifold piston is configured to move within the cylinder fluidly couple the above bore inlet to the open chamber outlet to enable pump through functionality while a respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the above bore pressure is greater than a respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the below bore pressure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A subsea system for use at a well, the subsea system comprising: a subsea valve system for use in a subsea landing string, the subsea valve system comprising: a subsea valve; and an external manifold in fluid communication with the subsea valve, wherein the external manifold comprises a cylinder, a split manifold piston within the cylinder, an above bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to an above bore pressure, a below bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to a below bore pressure, and an open chamber outlet, wherein the split manifold piston is configured to move within the cylinder to isolate the above bore inlet from the open chamber outlet to block pump through functionality while a respective force exerted on the split manifold piston by the above bore pressure is less than or equal to a respective force exerted on the split manifold piston by the below bore pressure and to fluidly couple the above bore inlet to the open chamber outlet to enable pump through functionality while the respective force exerted on the split manifold piston by the above bore pressure is greater than the respective force exerted on the split manifold piston by the below bore pressure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The subsea system of claim 1, wherein the subsea valve comprises a ball valve or a lubricator valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The subsea system of claim 1, wherein the split manifold piston comprises a first surface that is configured to be acted on by the above bore pressure and a second surface that is configured to be acted on by the below bore pressure, and the first surface and the second surface comprise two different surface areas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The subsea system of claim 3, wherein a respective surface area of the first surface is greater than a respective surface area of the second surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The subsea system of claim 1, wherein the subsea valve comprises a housing and adjustable valve element positioned in the housing, and the external manifold is positioned outside of the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The subsea system of claim 1, wherein the external manifold comprises a control line inlet that is configured to be exposed to a control line pressure via an umbilical from a surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The subsea system of claim 6, wherein the control line pressure through the control line inlet is configured to drive the split manifold piston into a position within the cylinder to thereby isolate the above bore inlet from the open chamber outlet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The subsea system of claim 1, wherein the subsea valve comprises a split operator piston with an open chamber that is fluidly coupled to the open chamber outlet and that ensures that the above bore pressure is contained within the open chamber and does not communicate with an open umbilical line. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The subsea system of claim 8, wherein the split operator piston is an annular piston that circumferentially surrounds an adjustable valve element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The subsea system of claim 1, wherein the subsea valve comprises a split operator piston comprising a first portion and a second portion, an open chamber between the first portion and the second portion along a vertical axis of the subsea valve, and the open chamber outlet is fluidly coupled to the open chamber. ### Claim 11 An external manifold configured to provide pump through functionality for a subsea valve, the external manifold comprising: a cylinder; a manifold piston within the cylinder; an above bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to an above bore pressure in a first portion of a bore, wherein the first portion of the bore is located between the subsea valve and a platform at a sea surface; a below bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to a below bore pressure in a second portion of the bore, wherein the second portion of the bore is located between the subsea valve and a well; and an open chamber outlet, wherein the manifold piston is configured to move within the cylinder to isolate the open chamber outlet while a respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the above bore pressure is less than or equal to a respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the below bore pressure and to enable a fluid flow to the open chamber outlet while the respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the above bore pressure is greater than the respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the below bore pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The external manifold of claim 11, wherein the manifold piston is configured to move within the cylinder to isolate the above bore inlet from the open chamber outlet while the respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the above bore pressure is less than or equal to the respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the below bore pressure and to enable the fluid flow from the above bore inlet to the open chamber outlet while the respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the above bore pressure is greater than the respective force exerted on the manifold piston by the below bore pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The external manifold of claim 11, wherein the manifold piston comprises a first portion and a second portion that move independently within the cylinder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The external manifold of claim 12, wherein the external manifold comprises a control line inlet that is configured to receive a control line pressure via an umbilical from a surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The external manifold of claim 11, wherein the manifold piston comprises a first surface that is configured to be acted on by the above bore pressure and a second surface that is configured to be acted on by the below bore pressure, and the first surface and the second surface comprise two different surface areas. ### Claim 16 A subsea valve system for use in a subsea landing string, the subsea valve system comprising: a subsea valve comprising a housing and an adjustable valve element that is configured to function between an open position and a closed position; and an external manifold positioned outside of the housing and in fluid communication with the subsea valve, wherein the external manifold is configured to provide pump through functionality for the subsea valve by fluidly coupling an above bore pressure to an open chamber of the subsea valve while an above bore pressure is greater than the below bore pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The subsea valve system of claim 16, wherein the external manifold comprises a cylinder, a manifold piston within the cylinder, an above bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to the above bore pressure, a below bore inlet that is configured to be exposed to the below bore pressure, and an open chamber outlet that is configured to be fluidly coupled to the above bore pressure while the above bore pressure is greater than the below bore pressure to thereby provide the pump through functionality for the subsea valve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The subsea valve system of claim 17, wherein the manifold piston comprises a first surface that is configured to be acted on by the above bore pressure and a second surface that is configured to be acted on by the below bore pressure, and the first surface and the second surface comprise two different surface areas. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The subsea valve system of claim 16, wherein the subsea valve comprises an operator piston that is coupled to the adjustable valve element, an open control pressure from an open umbilical is configured to drive the operator piston to adjust the adjustable valve element to an open configuration, and a close control pressure from a close umbilical is configured to drive the operator piston to adjust the adjustable valve element to a closed configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The subsea valve system of claim 19, wherein the operator piston comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the open chamber that is positioned between the first portion and the second portion of the operator piston.