Baker Hughes Corporation

Grant R Thompson

David Z Anderson

James T Sloan

Brock Alan Peoples

John E Burris

Gary B Lake

Anthony S Coghill

Tyler C Roberts

Edward O'Malley

Scott C Strattan

Thomas S Myerley

Ronald D Williams

Brian S Shaw

Charles M Tompkins

Barry Lee Brown

Jeremy R Johnson

Robert G McDaniel

Doug A Lowry

John L McCoy, Jr

A device to be deployed downhole. The device includes a member including a metallic foam and a sealing material coupled to the metallic foam. The member attains a compressed shape when compressed to restrict fluid flow between regions downhole. The sealing material may be in, on or coated on the metallic foam member.

Apparatus including metal foam and methods for using same downhole

An actuation assembly including a sleeve member having a radially outwardly extending projection and a piston having an axis, the piston operatively coupled to the projection of the sleeve member and arranged to exert an actuation force on the projection of the sleeve member for actuating the sleeve member, the actuation force positioned about radially aligned with the axis or radially outwardly from the axis.

Method of reducing deflection through a rod piston in a subsurface safety valve

A position monitoring system includes a tubular with a cavity formed therein, a magnet movable relative to the tubular, and a sensor sensible of a magnetic field of the magnet. A housing positioned within the cavity sealably isolates the sensor from environmental properties while permitting the sensor to sense the magnetic field of the magnet.

Magnetic position monitoring system and method

The problem of flappers that will not close due to high velocity gas rushing past and creating a vortex that has zones of high pressure pressing the flapper against the force of the torsion spring is reduced or overcome with modifications in the passage through a subsurface safety valve so as to reduce the intensity of the vortex to allow the torsion spring to pivot the flapper to closed position. Various shapes are inserted adjacent the flapper base to create turbulence to minimize or prevent the vortex and the associated pressure increases that would otherwise prevent flapper closure with the flow tube retracted. Inserts that create turbulence are placed in a recess that in part holds the flapper when it is rotated to the open position.

Pressure vortex device to allow flapper closure in high velocity fluid applications

A downhole valve apparatus including a force transmitter configured to move in an axial direction and a valve actuator configured to move in an axial direction. The valve actuator is independently movable relative to the force transmitter and physically isolated from the force transmitter. A first magnetic assembly is disposed at the force transmitter. A second magnetic assembly is disposed at the valve actuator. The first and second magnetic assemblies are configured to repel one another and cause the force transmitter to move the valve actuator when the force transmitter is moved toward the valve actuator.

Subsurface safety valve and method of actuation

A sealing system for a flow tube keeps cement from getting around it to the flapper when the safety valve is in the open position. Seals are provided at opposed ends of the flow tube so that the power spring and the flapper will not get fouled with cement pumped through the flow tube in wells that are completed through a production string with the safety valve in place. The seals may be mounted to the flow tube or the surrounding body. A unique seal construction separates cement from the flapper behind the flow tube. The force acting on the flow tube to hold the valve open also helps to apply a force against the lower seal adjacent the flapper.

Cement control ring

Various techniques for holding open an SSSV using expansion technology are disclosed. A sleeve is delivered to the SSSV and expanded mechanically or hydraulically to deposit the deformed sleeve in position over a flapper or against a flow tube holding the flapper in the open position.

Flapper lock open apparatus

A seal is provided to prevent contamination by sand or grit in the clearance between a flow tube and the inner housing wall in a safety valve. An enlarged space is provided adjacent the seal to allow accumulation of sand or grit in the annular clearance space without causing seizure of the flow tube. The insert safety valve is assembled without a spacer with a seal mounted to the lower end of the insert valve to engage the bottom sub on the SSV. As a result, particularly for larger sizes of insert safety valves, the assembly is lighter and shorter, which facilitates use of readily available standard lubricator and wireline equipment.

Sand control seal for subsurface safety valve

A control system for the operation of the subsurface safety valve is disclosed. The control system uses a pressurized gas chamber, as well as a shuttle valve which connects to the main fluid pressure supply from the surface. The shuttle valve is connected to the gaseous chamber as well as to a barrier piston. As a result of the arrangement, leakages between the downstream side of the operating piston and the shuttle valve result in a reestablishment of the pressure balance on the operating system which allows the subsurface safety valve to close. Additionally, in the event of loss of gaseous pressure, the same pressure-balancing effect occurs on the operating piston, which allows the subsurface safety valve to go to a closed position. The configuration of the control system, which includes a gaseous chamber, allows for disconnection of the hydraulic fluid supply before the predetermined depth is reached to facilitate the connection of a tubing hanger.

Control system with collection chamber

The invention relates to a control system for a subsurface safety valve (SSV). A pressure-balance feature is introduced such that the control system components are unaffected by the depth of placement of the SSV. Through the use of this feature, the standard hydraulic control system used for surface components can also be used for an SSV regardless of its depth of installation. In another feature of the invention, a shuttle valve is provided so that each time the SSV is stroked, a volume of control fluid is purged into the annulus. One embodiment of the shuttle valve may or may not be sensitive to annulus pressure and employs annulus pressure as an aid to stroking the shuttle valve upon application of surface control pressure to assist in actuation of the SSV, while at the same time providing for a purge of a controlled volume of fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Tulsa, OK, United States of America

Grant R Thompson