Separable Lubricator Housing for Stuck Valve Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure containment systems in the oil and gas industry face challenges with stuck or clogged back-pressure valves and two-way check valves, requiring costly mitigation operations and interventions such as milling or hot tapping to retrieve them safely.
Innovation Solution
A separable pressure containment system that includes a lubricator housing and rod with a non-polished section for engaging a torque generator, allowing for the application of high torque to dislodge stuck valves, reducing the need for expensive operations like milling or drill rig interventions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pressure containment systems are used, then pressure containment function is maintained, but stuck valves require costly mitigation operations and interventions
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricator housing is divided into separable components (barrel and yoke) that can be detached from each other. This segmentation allows the lubricator rod to be accessed and manipulated independently when the valve becomes stuck, enabling retrieval operations without requiring expensive mill or drill rig interventions.
Solution Approach 2:
The lubricator rod can be extracted from the sealed chamber by separating the barrel from the yoke. This extraction capability allows direct access to the rod for applying torque or other manipulation forces to dislodge stuck valves, eliminating the need for complex mitigation operations.
2Ease of operation
If the lubricator housing is made separable, then valve retrieval is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into two main parts (barrel and yoke) connected by a simple threaded interface. This segmentation provides valve retrieval capability while maintaining relatively simple individual components that can be manufactured and assembled using conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The separable housing design serves multiple functions: it maintains pressure containment during normal operation, enables valve retrieval when stuck, and allows for maintenance and inspection. This multi-functionality justifies the added structural complexity.
3Force
If non-polished section is added to lubricator rod, then torque application is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lubricator rod has different surface qualities at different locations: a polished section for sealing contact with the chamber walls and a non-polished section for torque application. This local differentiation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface finish parameter of the lubricator rod is changed from polished to non-polished at the torque application section. This parameter change provides better grip and torque transmission while the polished sections maintain sealing effectiveness.
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 reduces the need for costly operations by enabling the safe retrieval of stuck valves without damaging the tubing hanger, increasing the success rate of valve set and retrieve operations and minimizing the need for kill fluid and dry rod retrieval.
Implementation Method 1
The non-polished section is arranged in the interior bore of the barrel... The non-polished section can include a textured surface... Some devices also includes a nut arranged on the non-polished section
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure containment device includes a separable lubricator housing, a lubricator rod with a polished section and a non-polished section, and a pressure valve. The separable lubricator housing includes a barrel and a yoke releasably connected to the barrel. The yoke has an aperture defining an axis and the barrel has an interior bore centered on the axis. The lubricator rod is slidably arranged on the axis and extends from a first end arranged in the interior bore to a second end extending out the aperture of the yoke. The non-polished section is arranged in the interior bore of the barrel. The pressure valve is mounted to the second end of the lubricator rod.