Subsurface Safety Valve Power Delivery via Inductive Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety valves in subterranean wellbores face challenges in deepwater applications due to high hydrostatic pressure and the difficulty of delivering and maintaining electrical power to downhole equipment, leading to costly workovers and production delays.
Innovation Solution
An electrically-powered surface-controlled subsurface safety valve system that includes a power source and a delivery system capable of transmitting power through a wellbore using isolator subs for inductive and dielectric isolation, allowing for higher voltage and current delivery to downhole safety valves, reducing the need for traditional cabling and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If traditional electrical cables are installed in the wellbore to deliver power to downhole safety valves, then power delivery is achieved, but installation difficulty and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical electrical cable installation with electromagnetic induction. The power delivery system uses a transmitter coil that generates an alternating magnetic field to induce current in a receiver coil at the safety valve, eliminating the need for physical cable installation through the wellbore. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining power delivery capability while dramatically simplifying installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary medium for power transmission. Instead of direct electrical contact through cables, power is transmitted through the wellbore fluid medium via inductive coupling between transmitter and receiver coils. This intermediary approach enables power delivery without requiring cable installation infrastructure.
2Power
If electrical cables are installed in the wellbore, then power can be delivered to safety valves, but cable erosion and damage occur during installation and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical cable systems entirely by substituting electromagnetic induction for electrical power transmission. This removes the source of cable erosion and damage, thereby improving reliability while maintaining power delivery capability to the safety valves.
3Reliability
If hydraulic or magnetic systems are used for safety valves, then power delivery issues are avoided, but control precision and reliability decrease in deepwater applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges electromagnetic power delivery with electromagnetic actuation control into a single integrated system. The same electromagnetic field that delivers power to the safety valve also provides precise control signals, eliminating the need for separate hydraulic or magnetic control systems and their associated complexity.
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 safety valves in an open position during normal conditions and closes them when power is terminated, preventing fluid flow to the surface, thereby ensuring well control and reducing operational costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a delivery system capable of transmitting power through a wellbore using isolator subs for inductive and dielectric isolation
Implementation Method 2
a delivery system capable of transmitting power through a wellbore using isolator subs for inductive and dielectric isolation
Data Source
AI summary
A subsurface safety valve system for a wellbore within a subterranean formation is described. The system can include a power source that generates power, and a delivery system disposed within the wellbore and electrically coupled to the power source. The system can also include at least one safety valve disposed within the wellbore and electrically coupled to the delivery system, where the at least one safety valve remains open while the at least one safety valve receives the power from the delivery system, and where the at least one safety valve closes when the at least one safety valve stops receiving power from the delivery system. The system can further include production tubing mechanically coupled to a distal end of the at least one safety valve, where the at least one safety valve shuts in a cavity within production tubing when the at least one safety valve closes.