Self-Opening Flapper Valve Dissolvable Member Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

In hydraulic fracturing, maintaining pressure on upside-down flappers to prevent premature opening is challenging, especially during tool withdrawal, leading to unintended flapper opening and reduced well productivity.

Innovation Solution

A fluid loss device with a dissolvable member that only activates after the flapper shifts from the open to the closed position, providing a controlled delay before the spring actuated opening sleeve triggers, allowing for sustained pressure retention and preventing premature flapper opening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pressure is applied to keep the flapper closed during tool withdrawal, then fluid isolation is maintained, but the tool withdrawal causes pressure drop leading to premature flapper opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid isolation reliabilityVSAvoidtool withdrawal difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The dissolvable member is pre-installed in the opening sleeve to provide preliminary blocking action. When fluid pressure increases after flapper closure, the dissolvable member dissolves to allow opening sleeve movement, ensuring the flapper remains reliably closed during the critical tool withdrawal period without requiring continuous external pressure maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The dissolvable member acts as an intermediary between the fluid pressure system and the opening sleeve mechanism. It translates the gradual increase in fluid pressure into a controlled release mechanism, mediating the transition from closed to open state and preventing premature opening during tool withdrawal operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If the opening sleeve is spring-actuated to open the flapper, then automatic opening is achieved, but premature spring activation causes unintended flapper opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic opening capabilityVSAvoidcontrolled opening timing

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The dissolvable member serves as an intermediary blocking element between the spring mechanism and the flapper. It prevents the spring from immediately actuating the opening sleeve, instead allowing automatic opening to occur only after the dissolvable member dissolves in response to increased fluid pressure, thereby ensuring reliable controlled timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system utilizes parameter changes in the dissolvable member's physical state. The member transitions from a solid blocking state to a dissolved state in response to changing fluid pressure parameters, which in turn triggers the spring-actuated opening mechanism at the appropriate time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the flapper is held open during fracturing, then fluid communication is maintained, but pressure retention is lost leading to reduced well productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewell productivityVSAvoidpressure retention

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The flapper is preliminarily held in the open position by the opening sleeve during tool insertion and positioning. Once the fracturing operation begins and fluid pressure increases, the dissolvable member dissolves, allowing the spring to automatically close the flapper, thereby retaining pressure while maintaining the capability for controlled opening during production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary 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 solution ensures reliable pressure retention and prevents premature flapper opening, enhancing well productivity by maintaining fluid isolation during fracturing and allowing controlled fluid communication during production.

Implementation Method 1

a dissolvable member coupled to the opening sleeve, the dissolvable member operable to fix the opening sleeve in the first opening sleeve position when the flapper is in the open position and for a period of time after the flapper moves to the closed position, and then dissolve triggering the opening sleeve to move from the first opening sleeve position to the second opening sleeve position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution:

Data Source

PatentUS11448040B2Fluid loss device including a self-opening upside down flapper valve

Publication Date: 2022.09.20 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

Provided is a fluid loss device, a well system, and a method for fracturing a well system. The fluid loss device, in this aspect, includes a dissolvable member coupled to an opening sleeve, the dissolvable member operable to fix the opening sleeve in a first opening sleeve position when an internal prop sleeve is in the first prop sleeve position and for a period of time after the internal prop sleeve moves to the second prop sleeve position, and then dissolve triggering the opening sleeve to move from the first opening sleeve position to the second opening sleeve position.