Wellhead Cap for Hydrocarbon Well Temporary Abandonment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for temporarily abandoning hydrocarbon production wells lack a safe, reliable, and low-maintenance solution for sealing and re-entry, often requiring costly and high-maintenance valve systems, especially when actuated valves fail.
Innovation Solution
A cap for hydrocarbon production wells with a machined metal body, featuring a dual seal flange system and optional sensor device, allowing for secure sealing and re-entry through machining operations without the need for a re-entry valve, enabling pressure monitoring and reducing maintenance needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve system is used for temporary abandonment and re-entry, then the well can be re-entered for repairs, but the maintenance needs and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the valve component from the temporary abandonment system, replacing it with a simple cap that can be sealed and re-entered without requiring functional valves. This eliminates the maintenance burden while preserving the re-entry capability through alternative means (drilling through the cap if necessary).
Solution Approach 2:
The cap is designed as a simple, low-cost component that can be easily replaced or drilled through if needed. Rather than investing in expensive, maintenance-intensive valve systems, the solution uses a disposable-like approach where the cap serves its sealing function and can be breached if re-entry becomes necessary, eliminating ongoing maintenance costs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If actuated valves are used in the valve tree, then production control is enabled, but the system becomes vulnerable to failure and requires regular maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the actuated valves from the system during temporary abandonment, replacing them with a passive cap. This eliminates the reliability issues associated with valve failure while maintaining the ability to control production through alternative means (permanent plugging or drilling through the cap if re-entry is needed).
Solution Approach 2:
The cap provides a passive, self-contained sealing solution that requires no active components or maintenance. It automatically performs its sealing function without requiring power, control systems, or regular servicing, thereby eliminating the reliability vulnerabilities of actuated valves.
3Ease of operation
If a complex valve system is installed for temporary abandonment, then re-entry options are available, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex valve system from the temporary abandonment equipment, replacing it with a simple cap. The re-entry capability is preserved through alternative methods (drilling or machining through the cap) rather than relying on complex valve operations, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex valve system to enable re-entry, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple sealed cap that can be breached or drilled through for re-entry. The complexity is reversed from the control mechanism to a simple structural component, reducing overall system complexity while preserving re-entry options.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
A cap (100) for a hydrocarbon production well (700), said cap (100) having a body (105) with a top (100a) and a bottom (100b), the bottom (100b) having a first connecting flange (101) with a first seal face (102), the first connecting flange (101) configured to connect to an end flange (201, 301) of a wellhead component (200, 300), the top (100a) having a second connecting flange (103) with a second seal face (104). There is also provided a wellhead component (200, 300), a method for entering a hydrocarbon production well (700), and a method for enabling re-entry into a hydrocarbon production well (700).