Otis Engineering Corporation

Steven C Speegle

Michael B Vinzant

Kenneth L Schwendemann

Robert W Crow

Michael W Meaders

Robert L Hilts

Cary G Mondon

Vinson D Sullivan

A retrievable well safety valve in a cased well system including a tubing string, a dual packer downhole around the tubing sealing with the casing and submersible pump in the tubing string below the packer. The safety valve controls flow of pumped fluids through the tubing to surface and directs gas flow into the casing annulus above the packer. When the safety valve is landed in cooperating tubing nipples above the packer, separated central annular flow passages are formed for pumped fluids and gas respectively. A ball valve in the central flow passage controls pumped fluid flow therethrough and an annular valve coupled to the ball valve controls gas flow from below the packer through the annular flow passage around and by the ball valve. When the ball valve is in the down and open position, the valve ball member engages a lower seat, which maintains the central and annular flow passages separate and prevents comingling flow of fluids and gas. The coupled valves are held open by pressured fluid from surface and are closed automatically on loss of pressure in their control fluid circuits. When the valves close, a circuit of flow passages for recirculating pumped fluids and gas are opened below the ball valve and the pump may continue operation without overload.

Well safety valve

Pressure equalizing means for well tools having a tubular housing and an operator tube movable longitudinally therewithin, there being provided a valved bypass passage in the housing and a shoulder on the operator tube for engaging and opening the valve of the valved bypass passage upon longitudinal movement of the operator tube in the housing, the equalizing mechanism further including a pair of seal rings sealing between the housing and the operator tube above and below the valved bypass passage in the housing and a lateral passage in the wall of the operator tube normally above the pair of seals but movable under no-flow conditions with the operator tube to a position between the pair of seals prior to the operator tube shoulder contacting the valve of the bypass passage, thus avoiding damage to or flow cutting of the seals which normally form a secondary seal to provide bubble-tight integrity even if the valve in the bypass passage does not seal bubble tight.

Equalizing means for well tools

A surface controlled subsurface safety valve having a ball type valve closure. The ball member and its associated components are protected from damage by preventing excessive control fluid pressure from applying force to the ball member. Also, rotation of the ball member is prevented until any difference in pressure across the ball member and its seating surface has decreased below a preselected safe value.

Subsurface safety valve

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Flower Mound, TX, United States of America

Steven C Speegle