Safety Valve Sealing Around Cable in ESP
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety valves in wellbores often fail to isolate fluid flow effectively when a longitudinal cable, such as an electrical component, is present, as the cable interferes with the seal formation, preventing proper isolation during drilling and production operations.
Innovation Solution
A safety valve system with a valve body and bore closure assembly that includes a sealing element and a control assembly, which can maintain an open position in response to a control signal and close in its absence, using a drive mechanism like a hydraulic piston assembly or electrically actuated piston to engage a sealing element that can expand or compress to seal around the cable, ensuring fluid isolation regardless of the cable's presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a longitudinal cable is present in the wellbore for electric submersible pump operation, then the pump can be powered and controlled, but the cable interferes with seal formation in safety valves, preventing effective fluid isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is divided into multiple cup portions that can independently engage with the cable, allowing each segment to contribute to the overall seal rather than requiring a single continuous seal that would be blocked by the cable
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is positioned within the valve body and can nestle around the cable, with the cup portions conforming to the cable's presence to create an effective seal while allowing the cable to pass through the valve bore
2Reliability
If a mechanical seal component is disposed in the flow path to isolate fluid, then fluid isolation is achieved, but additional components interfere with seal formation and prevent isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element serves multiple functions: it provides the primary seal surface, engages with the cable to maintain seal integrity, and works with the drive mechanism to enable controlled opening and closing, eliminating the need for separate components for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element and cable engagement features are combined into a single integrated component rather than separate parts, reducing the number of components in the flow path while maintaining both sealing and cable accommodation capabilities
3Reliability
If a sealing element is designed to seal about the cable, then fluid isolation is maintained, but the sealing element must be resilient or inflatable to engage the cable effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element utilizes a flexible bushing structure that can deform and conform to the cable's presence, creating an effective seal through elasticity rather than requiring complex inflatable or mechanically actuated sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element's physical parameters (such as radial dimension) can be changed through inflation or elastic deformation to engage the cable and create a seal, allowing adjustment of sealing force and conformity without changing the fundamental structure
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 system effectively maintains fluid isolation in wellbores by sealing around the longitudinal cable, allowing for seamless operation of downhole tools like electric submersible pumps, even when the cable is deployed, and can isolate specific portions of the wellbore as needed.
Implementation Method 1
The drive mechanism may comprise a hydraulic piston assembly configured in a compressed state upon the application of a hydraulic control signal to a surface of the piston
Implementation Method 2
The sealing element may comprise a resilient bushing configured to engage the longitudinal cable upon closing of the valve
Implementation Method 3
The sealing element may comprise an inflatable element configured to expand and engage the longitudinal cable in response to having a fluid disposed therein
Implementation Method 4
The one or more springs may be configured to actuate the drive assembly in the modification, change, or absence of the control signal
Data Source
AI summary
A safety valve for downhole use in a well comprises a valve body having a longitudinal bore for fluid flow; a bore closure assembly positioned to seal about a longitudinal cable within the bore; and a control assembly positioned and configured to actuate in response to a change in a control signal condition.