Adaptive Spring-Rate Valve for Well Pressure Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the resource recovery industry, injection valves face challenges in maintaining efficient operation as formation pressure decreases over the life of a well, leading to potential leakage and chemical loss, especially due to high initial cracking pressures and unintended flashing of chemicals at lower pressures.
Innovation Solution
A spring-biased valve system with a plurality of operational spring rates, featuring a first spring for lower cracking pressures during the well's early life and a second, higher-rate spring activated by degrading a connection to maintain valve closure as formation pressure depletes, allowing for adaptive spring rate adjustment without surface intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a high spring rate is used to maintain valve closure as formation pressure depletes, then valve reliability improves, but cracking pressure becomes excessively high during early well life
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system dynamically transitions from a first spring rate configuration during early well life to a second spring rate configuration during later well life. This is achieved through a degradable connection that initially supports the poppet with a first spring, then degrades to allow engagement with a second spring providing higher biasing force, thereby adapting to changing formation pressure conditions throughout the well's productive life.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spring rate parameter over time to match changing operational conditions. Initially, a lower spring rate is used when formation pressure is high, then the system transitions to a higher spring rate when formation pressure depletes, optimizing valve performance at different stages of well production.
2Ease of operation
If a low spring rate is used to maintain low cracking pressures during early well life, then ease of chemical injection improves, but valve leakage occurs as formation pressure depletes
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system dynamically transitions from a first spring rate configuration during early well life to a second spring rate configuration during later well life. This is achieved through a degradable connection that initially supports the poppet with a first spring, then degrades to allow engagement with a second spring providing higher biasing force, thereby adapting to changing formation pressure conditions throughout the well's productive life.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spring rate parameter over time to match changing operational conditions. Initially, a lower spring rate is used when formation pressure is high, then the system transitions to a higher spring rate when formation pressure depletes, optimizing valve performance at different stages of well production.
3Reliability
If surface remedial actions are taken to replace valve components, then valve reliability is restored, but productivity is reduced due to well shutdown and retrieval operations
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system performs self-adjustment of spring rate through the degradable connection mechanism that automatically transitions from the first spring configuration to the second spring configuration as the connection degrades in situ within the wellbore. This eliminates the need for surface remedial actions or tool retrieval, allowing the valve to adapt to changing formation pressure conditions while maintaining continuous well production.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures consistent valve operation throughout the well's life by adjusting spring rates, preventing leakage and chemical loss, and maintaining a stable pressure environment, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reducing remedial actions.
Implementation Method 1
A spring biased device having a plurality of operational spring rates including a housing; a first spring disposed between a selective support and a functional component; a second spring disposed between the selective support and another support
Implementation Method 2
the connection being selectively defeatible
Data Source
AI summary
A spring biased device having a plurality of operational spring rates including a housing; a first spring disposed between a selective support and a functional component; a second spring disposed between the selective support and another support; and a releasable connection between the selective support and the housing. A valve including a housing; a seat disposed within the housing; poppet movable to a position on the seat and a position off the seat, the poppet having a valve stem; a selective support; another support attached to the housing, the selective support and the another support allowing through passage of the valve stem; a first spring disposed between the selective support and the poppet; a second spring disposed between the another support and the selective support; and a connection between the selective support and the housing, the connection being selectively defeatible.