Side Pocket Mandrel Valve System Independent Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current downhole valve systems for oil and gas wells lack compactness and operational reliability, particularly in varying formation conditions and unconventional resource exploration, necessitating improved solutions for efficient hydrocarbon production and intervention.
Innovation Solution
A valve system featuring a side pocket mandrel with a main bore and laterally offset side pocket bore, accommodating multiple devices like gas lift valves, allowing independent retrieval and installation through a common opening, and fluid passages for efficient fluid communication and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices are housed in separate mandrels, then each device can be independently installed, but the overall system size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple device receptacles (first and second gas lift valve receptacles) into a single side pocket mandrel structure. The mandrel houses multiple valves in laterally offset side pocket bores that are separated by an internal wall, allowing multiple devices to be installed and retrieved through a single common opening rather than requiring separate mandrels for each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The side pocket mandrel is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate different types of downhole devices (gas lift valves, chemical injection valves, etc.) in multiple receptacles. The common opening and standardized receptacle design allow the same mandrel structure to serve multiple functions and host various device types.
2Ease of operation
If devices are accessible through separate openings, then installation is straightforward, but the mandrel structure becomes larger and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple access openings into a single common opening that provides access to all device receptacles. The laterally offset side pocket bores are arranged such that a single opening in the mandrel wall allows installation and retrieval tools to reach any valve in the sequence, eliminating the need for multiple separate openings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent arranges device receptacles in laterally offset positions within the mandrel structure, creating a three-dimensional arrangement that allows access through a single opening. The internal wall with openings enables tools to navigate through the mandrel interior to reach different receptacles, effectively using the mandrel's internal volume as an access pathway.
3Ease of manufacture
If valves are installed in series without fluid barriers, then installation is simple, but fluid communication between annulus and tubing cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fluid flow path by positioning barrier valves at specific locations within the series arrangement of gas lift valves. The first barrier valve is positioned between the annulus and the first gas lift valve, and the second barrier valve is positioned between the first and second gas lift valves, creating distinct fluid compartments that can be independently controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier valves act as intermediary elements that control fluid communication between different zones. By positioning barrier valves between the annulus and tubing, and between individual gas lift valves, the system can selectively open or close fluid pathways without requiring complete disassembly or complex sealing arrangements.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve system for use in a wellbore, comprising a side pocket mandrel having a main bore for alignment with a wellbore tubular and a laterally offset side pocket bore separated from the main bore by an internal wall, the laterally offset side pocket bore comprising a first receptacle for a first device and a second receptacle for a second device, the internal wall having an opening through which each of the first device and the second device is independently retrievable. There is also provided a side pocket mandrel, a hydrocarbon well and a method of operating a hydrocarbon well.