Variable orifice gas lift valve for high flow rates with detachable power source and method of using
AssigneeCamco International Inc.
InventorRonald E. Pringle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a surface controlled gas lift valve designed for high flow rates and used in a subterranean well, comprising: a valve for sealable insertion in a mandrel, having a variable orifice which alternately permits, prohibits, or throttles fluid flow into the valve, and a detachable and/or remote actuator are disclosed. The valve can be actuated by an electro-mechanical actuating assembly while sensors can relay the position of the variable orifice to a panel on the surface. The orifice valve and the actuator while operatively connected, may be separately installed in or retrieved from by either wireline or coiled tubing intervention methods.
Claims18
A gas lift valve for use in a subterranean well, comprising:
- a valve body with a longitudinal bore therethrough for sealable insertion in a mandrel;
- a variable orifice valve in the valve body for controlling fluid flow into the body;
- a mechanical actuator located in a downhole housing, the downhole housing being substantially parallel with the longitudinal bore, and the mechanical actuator being operatively connected to the variable orifice valve;
- and
- an electric motor connected to and driving the mechanical actuator upon receipt of a signal from a control panel to control movement of the mechanical actuator, whereby movement of the mechanical actuator controls movement of the variable orifice valve.
A gas lift valve for variably introducing injection gas into a subterranean well, comprising:
- a valve body with a longitudinal bore therethrough for sealable insertion in a mandrel;
- a variable orifice valve in the body for controlling flow of injection gas into the body;
- and
- an electromechanical actuator assembly located in a downhole housing, the downhole housing being substantially parallel with the longitudinal bore, and the electro-mechanical actuator assembly being operatively connected to the variable orifice valve,
- whereby the amount of injection gas introduced into the well through the variable orifice valve is controlled by electrical control of the movement of the electromechanical actuator assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.