Chemical Injection Valve Replacement With Injection Line Plugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for replacing chemical injection valves in oil and/or gas wells are inefficient and often result in a loss of double barrier integrity, with 50% of injection valves being faulty, and require maintenance of multiple threaded connections in the chemical injection system.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an injection line plugging tool that connects to the chemical injection valve, provides threads, and uses a plug to seal the injection line, allowing for efficient replacement of the valve while maintaining two barriers, and an injection line plugging tool that can be used as an upper barrier during the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional methods are used to replace chemical injection valves, then the valve replacement can be performed, but the double barrier integrity is lost and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The injection line is plugged before the chemical injection valve is removed. This preliminary plugging action ensures that the double barrier integrity is maintained throughout the replacement process, as the plug provides a temporary barrier while the valve is being replaced. The method performs the plugging action in advance before the actual valve replacement occurs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple threaded connections are maintained in the chemical injection system, then the system remains flexible, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the faulty chemical injection valve from the system while maintaining the injection line connection. By taking out only the defective valve component and not the entire injection line assembly, the system maintains its flexibility and adaptability while reducing maintenance complexity. The valve can be replaced independently without affecting other parts of the system.
3Reliability
If the injection line is plugged during valve replacement, then barrier integrity is maintained, but the injection line guiding through tubing hanger may be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The plugging tool is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently inserted into the injection line without interfering with the guiding mechanism through the tubing hanger. The segmentation allows the plugging function to be performed while maintaining the ability to guide and install the injection line. The tool and line are separated into distinct functional elements that do not conflict with each other.
Data Source
AI summary
Method for replacing a chemical injection valve connected to a well head via an injection line housing, where an end of an injection line is provided within the injection line housing, includes: connecting an injection line plugging tool to the chemical injection valve; providing threads in the end of the injection line by means of the injection line plugging tool; connecting an injection line plug to the threads of the injection line by the injection line plugging tool; disconnecting the chemical injection valve from the injection line housing; connecting a further chemical injection valve to the injection line housing; connecting the injection line plugging tool to the further chemical injection valve; removing the injection line plug from the end of the injection line by the injection line plugging tool; disconnecting the injection line plugging tool from the further chemical injection valve.