Surface controlled subsurface safety valve

A pilot valve assembly for operating a fluid pressure controlled subsurface safety valve installed in a well production flow conductor comprising:

• a side pocket mandrel adapted to be connected in said production flow conductor, said side pocket mandrel including a tubular receptacle eccentrically positioned in said mandrel, said receptacle being open at an upper end thereof and provided with an internal annular stop shoulder around said open upper end and a side port opening between the bores of said receptacle and said mandrel spaced downwardly from said open upper end of said receptacle;
• a tubular electrical contact assembly in said side pocket mandrel receptacle along a lower end portion thereof, said electrical contact assembly comprising longitudinally spaced electrical contact rings separated by electrical insulating rings, an electric wire extending downwardly from each of said contact rings, and an electrical cable connector secured through the lower end of said receptacle to said wires to said contact rings;
• a control fluid line connected into the lower end of said side pocket mandrel receptacle and provided with flow fitting means for connection with a control fluid line to said subsurface safety valve and a control fluid line to the surface end of said well bore, said flow coupling opening through said electrical contact assembly in said lower end portion of said side pocket mandrel receptacle;
• a latch assembly adapted for insertion into releasable locking relation in the upper end of said side pocket mandrel receptacle including a handling head for wireline insertion and removal;
• and
• a pilot valve connected on said latch assembly including a housing provided with a central flow passage therethrough and side port means communicating with said side port of side pocket mandrel receptacle when said latch assembly and said pilot valve are installed in said receptacle, an electrical solenoid operated flow control valve in said central flow passage through said pilot valve housing for controlling fluid flow through said flow passage to said side port of said housing, said central flow passage extending through said housing and opening through the lower end thereof in communication with said flow passage means extending upwardly through the lower end portion of said side pocket mandrel receptacle and said electrical contact assembly and electric plug assembly along the lower end portion of said pilot valve housing including longitudinally spaced and insulated electrical contact rings having spring sections positioned for engagement with said contact rings of said receptacle electrical contact assembly, and electrical wires between said solenoid operated valve and said plug assembly contact rings for conducting electrical power from said cable to the surface through said receptacle contact assembly and said pilot valve electrical plug assembly into said solenoid for electrically opening and closing said solenoid valve in said central flow passage through said pilot valve.

A pilot valve for controlling the operation of a subsurface safety valve installed in a well production flow conductor to release control fluid to said safety valve into the production flow conductor near said safety valve to permit said safety valve to close comprising:

• a side pocket mandrel in said production flow conductor including an eccentric longitudinal pilot valve receptacle having an upper end annular support shoulder and an internal locking recess within said receptacle below said shoulder and a side port opening in the said mandrel from said receptacle;
• a control fluid flow coupling connected into the lower end of said side pocket mandrel receptacle for connection with a control fluid line to said subsurface safety valve and to the surface;
• a wire line operable latch assembly for releasable engagement in the upper end portion of said side pocket mandrel receptacle;
• and
• a pilot valve secured with said latch assembly and disposed within said side pocket mandrel receptacle for controlling fluid flow from said flow coupling into the lower end of said receptacle through said side port in said receptacle into said side pocket mandrel, said pilot valve having a tubular housing connected at an upper end with said latch assembly and provided along a lower end portion with a central flow passage having lateral passage means communicating with a side port in said housing for communication into said side port in said side pocket mandrel receptacle, an electric solenoid operated flow control valve in said central flow passage of said housing controlling flow through said central flow passage into said side port of said housing, a battery pack in said housing, an electrical connection between said battery pack and said flow control valve solenoid, switch means in said electrical connections between said battery pack and said solenoid, and electrical circuit means for operating said switch means responsive to a signal transmitted to said pilot valve from a remote location.