Hydro-jetting Tool for Stuck Master Valve Gate Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
When a primary pressure control valve in a production tree fails to open, it prevents the kill fluid from being pumped into the well, necessitating costly and risky drilling or milling operations to access the well.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a rod with a conduit, a nozzle, a camera, and a pressure control system is used to position the nozzle and camera adjacent to the stuck valve, allowing a cutting fluid to be pumped through the nozzle to cut away the barrier, enabling its removal from the orifice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If drilling or milling operations are performed to access the well, then the well can be accessed and kill fluid can be pumped in, but operational risks and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the stuck gate valve barrier from the production tree system. By using a hydro-jetting tool to cut away the gate valve, the barrier is extracted and removed, allowing kill fluid to be pumped into the well without requiring risky drilling or milling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical drilling or milling system with a hydro-jetting system. Instead of using mechanical drill bits to remove the gate valve, high-pressure fluid jets are used to cut away the barrier, significantly reducing operational risks and costs while maintaining well control.
2Reliability
If drilling or milling operations are performed to access the well, then the well can be accessed, but costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive mechanical drilling or milling operations with a hydro-jetting system. The high-pressure fluid jets cut away the gate valve barrier, providing a cost-effective alternative to drilling or milling while ensuring well control can be re-established.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses hydraulic principles by pumping high-pressure fluid through a conduit and out of a nozzle to cut away the gate valve. This hydraulic cutting system is significantly less costly than mechanical drilling or milling operations while achieving the same goal of accessing the well.
3Ease of operation
If a broken valve is drilled or milled through, then access to the well is achieved, but the process becomes more complex and risky
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical drilling or milling processes with a simpler hydro-jetting system. The high-pressure fluid jets can be directed through the production tree to cut away the gate valve, providing a less complex and less risky method to achieve access to the well.
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
This method allows for the safe and efficient removal of stuck valves without the need for drilling or milling, reducing operational risks and costs while ensuring well control.
Implementation Method 1
The nozzle is configured to cut away the portion of the barrier upon pumping of a cutting fluid through a conduit of the rod and out of the nozzle towards the barrier
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a rod, a nozzle, a camera, and a pressure control system. The rod has a conduit extending along a rod axis. The rod is disposed adjacent to the barrier within the orifice. The nozzle is connected to the rod and is in hydraulic communication with the conduit and the orifice. The camera is also connected to the rod. The nozzle and the camera are configured to protrude from the rod and rotate about the rod axis. The pressure control system is connected to the tubular body and is disposed around the rod. The nozzle is configured to cut away the portion of the barrier upon pumping of a cutting fluid through a conduit of the rod and out of the nozzle towards the barrier. The portion of the barrier is removable from the orifice of the tubular body once cut away.