Apparatus and methods for a gas lift valve

A well production system comprising:

• a well having a wellbore;
• a casing positioned in the wellbore;
• a production tubing positioned within the casing and defining an annulus therebetween;
• a plurality of remotely controlled valves positioned at predetermined locations along the production tubing comprising:
• a drive section comprising:
• a motor adapted to provide rotational movement of a motor shaft;
• a position sensor couple to the motor and adapted to determine a rotation position of the motor;
• a gearbox coupled to the motor shaft and adapted to provide a rotational movement of a gearbox shaft;
• and
• a linear actuator coupled to the gearbox and adapted to convert the rotational movement of a gearbox shaft to an axial movement in an axial direction;
• a connecting rod coupled to the linear actuator;
• and
• a valve assembly comprising:
• an inlet and an outlet;
• a valve assembly comprising:
• an inlet and an outlet;
• and
• a gate slidably positioned between the inlet and the outlet, the gate coupled to the linear actuator;
• at least one sensor adapted to sense at least one environmental parameter;
• a motor controller coupled to each of the plurality of remotely controlled valves and adapted to control the axial movement in a continuously variable mode such that the connecting rod causes the gate to translate to a continuously variable position between a fully closed position and a fully open position;
• and
• wherein the motor controller is adapted to control each of the plurality of remotely controlled valves based at least in part on the at least one environmental parameter;
• wherein the motor controller is adapted to position at least one of the plurality of remotely controlled valves to direct a flow of a fluid from any of the annulus into the production tubing or the production tubing into the annulus;
• a processor adapted to receive information from the at least one sensor and further adapted to determine an operating parameter of any of the plurality of remotely controlled valves, the annulus and the production tubing;
• a production tree positioned at a surface and coupled to the casing and the production tubing;
• a production wing valve positioned on the production tree and in hydraulic communication with the production tubing;
• a casing wing valve positioned on the production tree and in hydraulic communication with the annulus;
• and
• wherein the processor is further adapted to control the production wing valve and the casing wing valve between an open position and a closed position.

A method of operating a downhole control valve comprising:

• providing a valve assembly having a plurality of continuously variable positions between a fully open position and a fully closed position;
• providing a control signal to the valve assembly;
• controlling a fluid flow through the valve assembly;
• wherein the providing of the control signal comprises:
• rotating a motor;
• rotating a gearbox coupled to the motor;
• actuating a linear actuator coupled to the gearbox:
• producing an axial movement of a gate coupled to the linear actuator and positioning the gate to a predetermined one of the plurality of continuously variable positions;
• and
• wherein the positioning the gate to a predetermined one of the plurality of continuously variable positions comprises sensing a rotational position of the motor and positioning the gate based on the rotational position.

A method of controlling the production of a well comprising:

• coupling a plurality of remotely controlled valves at predetermined locations along a length of a production tubing disposed in the well;
• selectively controlling at least one of the plurality of remotely controlled valves to one of a plurality of continuously variable positions between a fully closed position and a fully open position;
• controlling a fluid flow between the production tubing and an annulus;
• sensing at least one parameter;
• and
• selectively adjusting at least one of the plurality of remotely controlled valves to a different predetermined one of the plurality of continuously variable positions based on the at least one parameter.