Elongated Standing Valve Flow Stopper for High-Angle Well Sealing

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional check valves in bottom hole spring assemblies fail to maintain an effective seal when positioned deep in the heel section of horizontal wells, leading to reduced fluid removal and hindered hydrocarbon flow due to backflow and improper orientation.

Innovation Solution

An elongated flow stopper with a concave section is introduced, allowing it to maintain contact with the housing at two points while avoiding contact on a line, enabling better sealing at higher angles and allowing fluid flow or restriction depending on its position, thus facilitating deeper placement of the spring assembly without losing seal integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the spring assembly is positioned deeper in the heel section of a horizontal well, then more liquid can be trapped above the spring assembly for removal, but the check valve fails to maintain an effective seal due to increased horizontal orientation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveamount of liquid trapped above spring assemblyVSAvoidseal effectiveness of check valve

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The check valve is segmented into two separate functional components: a flow stopper with elongated shape for sealing against the seat, and a check ball for preventing backflow. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the flow stopper maintaining sealing capability at higher angles through its elongated geometry that accommodates the horizontal orientation better than a spherical ball

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flow stopper transitions from a conventional spherical shape to an elongated shape with specific dimensional proportions (length-to-diameter ratio). This dimensional change in the flow stopper allows it to maintain effective contact with the seat at higher angles of orientation, enabling the valve to function effectively in the horizontal heel section where conventional spherical check valves fail

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the spring assembly is positioned closer to the surface to maintain check valve seal, then seal integrity is maintained, but less liquid can be trapped and removed per plunger cycle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal integrity of check valveVSAvoidfluid removal per plunger cycle

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The check valve is segmented into two separate functional components: a flow stopper with elongated shape for sealing against the seat, and a check ball for preventing backflow. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the flow stopper maintaining sealing capability at higher angles through its elongated geometry that accommodates the horizontal orientation better than a spherical ball

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flow stopper transitions from a conventional spherical shape to an elongated shape with specific dimensional proportions (length-to-diameter ratio). This dimensional change in the flow stopper allows it to maintain effective contact with the seat at higher angles of orientation, enabling the valve to function effectively in the horizontal heel section where conventional spherical check valves fail

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 elongated flow stopper allows for effective sealing at greater angles, enabling deeper placement of the spring assembly, increased fluid removal per plunger cycle, and improved hydrocarbon flow by preventing backflow, with the ability to maintain a seal up to 76 degrees compared to 48 degrees with conventional designs.

Implementation Method 1

The flow stopper is moveable between a first position and a second position within the tubular cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

The concave section allows the flow stopper to impact the housing with a first point of contact and a second point of contact on the line, and the concave section ensures that the first point of contact and the second point of contact are separated by a gap where the flow stopper does not contact the inner surface of the housing on the line

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical sealing:

Data Source

PatentUS11274524B2Elongated flow stopper in standing valve of bottom hole spring assembly for facilitating production of hydrocarbons

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 QSO

AI summary

A flow stopper for a standing valve within a bottom hole spring assembly for facilitating production of hydrocarbons has an elongated shape. The elongated shape has a concave section such that the flow stopper can impact a line running along an inner surface of the housing in a lengthwise direction of the tubular cavity. The concave section allows the flow stopper to impact the housing with a first point of contact and a second point of contact on the line, and the two points of contact are separated by a gap where the flow stopper does not contact the housing. The flow stopper may include a first and a second ball where the balls are connected by a stem. The flow stopper may also include a plurality of balls that are not connected to each other. The flow stopper may include a ball connected to a stem.