Deformable Valve Seats for Horizontal Wellbore Ball Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve assemblies for oil, gas, or water wells struggle to maintain effective fluid flow control, especially in horizontal wells, where traditional dropped balls can become unseated, leading to premature disengagement of downhole tools and inconsistent cleaning in the annulus during circulation operations.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with first and second resiliently deformable seats, each allowing passage of a valve closure member at different threshold pressures, ensuring the valve closure member remains seated and functional across various orientations, including horizontal wellbores, by using a selectively operable fluid outlet conduit that can be opened or closed to divert fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single valve seat is used with a dropped ball, then the valve assembly is simple in structure, but the valve closure member becomes unseated in deviated and horizontal wellbores, leading to premature disengagement of tools
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is segmented into two distinct valve seats (first and second seats) positioned at different locations within the bore. This segmentation allows the system to handle different wellbore orientations effectively - the first seat captures the ball in vertical wells, while the second seat prevents ball escape in deviated and horizontal wells, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The first valve seat acts as an intermediary element that initially captures the dropped ball and then releases it under pressure to engage the second valve seat. This intermediary mechanism enables the ball to transition between different seating positions based on wellbore orientation and pressure conditions, providing adaptability without requiring a completely complex redesign of the entire valve assembly.
2Ease of operation
If the valve closure member is allowed to move freely through the bore, then the tool can be activated at the desired depth, but the closure member escapes in horizontal wellbores, preventing proper function
Solution Approach 1:
The valve system employs dynamic behavior where the first valve seat is designed to deform under pressure and allow the ball to pass through at a first threshold pressure. This dynamic response enables the ball to move freely when needed (for tool activation) while automatically being retained by the second valve seat in horizontal configurations, thus balancing ease of operation with reliability.
3Reliability
If a deformable plug is used to seal the bore, then the seal is improved, but the plug must be forced through the seat requiring high pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented between two valve seats with different deformation characteristics. The first seat uses a deformable plug that seals reliably at lower pressures, while the second seat is designed to be forced through at a higher second threshold pressure. This segmentation allows the system to achieve reliable sealing without requiring excessively high pressures for the initial sealing action.
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 valve assembly maintains a secure seal and allows for controlled fluid diversion, preventing premature disengagement of tools and improving the consistency of annulus cleaning by retaining the valve closure member between the seats, even in deviated wellbores, and can be cycled repeatedly for efficient circulation tasks without losing the ball.
Implementation Method 1
the first seat is adapted to resiliently deform from a first resting configuration to a second deformed configuration of the first seat to allow passage of the valve closure member past the first seat at a first threshold pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly (1) for use particularly in a deviated wellbore of an oil, gas or water well comprises a body (50) with an axis and first and second resiliently deformable seats (20, 25) to seat a valve closure member (10a) such as a ball, the seats being deformable to allow passage of the ball at different first and second fluid pressures acting on the seated valve closure member. The first and second seats are axially spaced from one another on a control sleeve (60) on opposite sides of an inner end of a selectively operable fluid outlet conduit connecting the bore with an external surface of the valve assembly, and operation of the valve assembly at pressures between the first and second pressures opens and closes the outlet while maintaining the ball between the first and second seats.