High flow, tubing insensitive, deep set wireline retrievable safety valve
Embodiments of a high flow, tubing insensitive, deep set wireline retrievable safety valve are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a valve system for use downhole in a wellbore comprises a tubing retrievable safety valve (TRSV) and a secondary safety valve to be positioned within the TRSV. The secondary safety valve comprises at least a valve body having a valve seat at a downhole end; a piston; a rod coupled with the piston; a control line; a first pressure communication port, communicatively coupling the control line of safety valve with the TRSV control line; a balance line; and a second pressure communication port, communicatively coupling the balance line of the safety valve with the TRSV balance line; wherein the control line is configured to actuate the safety valve between an open position and a closed position in response to an intentional pressure change in the control line.
1 . A safety valve for use in a tubing retrievable safety valve (TRSV) disposed downhole in a wellbore, the safety valve comprising:
a valve body having a valve seat at a downhole end thereof, a piston; a rod coupled with a downhole end of the piston and with a closure mechanism configured to engage the valve seat when the safety valve is in a closed position;
a control line;
a balance line;
a first pressure communication port, to communicatively couple the control balance line of the safety valve with a TRSV balance line; and
a second pressure communication port, to communicatively couple the control line of the safety valve with a TRSV control line, wherein, the control line of the safety valve is directly coupled to the TRSV control line by a first seal and the balance line of the safety valve is directly coupled with the TRSV balance line by a second seal, and the control line of the safety valve is configured to actuate the safety valve between an open position and the closed position in response to an intentional pressure change in the TRSV control line, and the balance line of the safety valve is configured to use hydrostatic pressure through the balance line to compensate for hydrostatic pressure acting on the TRSV control line, with the first seal and the second seal enabling equal pressure throughout the safety valve so there is no pressure differential across the safety valve.
2 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the safety valve is a wireline retrievable safety valve (WLRSV).
3 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the intentional pressure change is initiated by a signal communicated from the surface of the wellbore to release pressure in the control line of the safety valve.
4 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , further comprising a first seal housing to house the first seal and positioned downhole of the first pressure communication port, and a second seal housing to house the second seal and positioned uphole of the second pressure communication port.
5 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein the valve body is a flow housing having a plurality of openings a portion of the valve body to enable increased flow production.
6 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein a first shear plug, after shearing, is used to communicate pressure from the control line of the safety valve to the TRSV control line, and wherein a second shear plug, after shearing, is used to communicate pressure from the balance line of the safety valve to the TRSV balance line.
7 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , wherein a first communication tool is used to communicate pressure from the control line of the safety valve to the TRSV control line, and wherein a second communication tool is used to communicate pressure from the balance line of the safety valve to the TRSV balance line.
8 . The safety valve according to claim 1 , further comprising the closure mechanism as a poppet connected at a downhole end of the rod, the poppet configured to engage the valve seat in a closed position.
9 . The safety valve according to claim 8 , comprising a metal to metal seal between the poppet and the valve seat.
10 . A valve system for use downhole in a wellbore, comprising: a tubing retrievable safety valve (TRSV) disposed downhole in the wellbore, the TRSV
including at least a TRSV balance line and a TRSV control line; and a secondary safety valve to be positioned within the TRSV, the secondary safety valve comprising: a valve body having a valve seat at a downhole end; a piston; a rod coupled with a downhole end of the piston and with a closure mechanism configured to engage the valve seat when the secondary safety valve is in a closed position;
a control line;
a balance line;
a first pressure communication port, to communicatively couple the balance line of the secondary safety valve with the TRSV balance line; and
a second pressure communication port, to communicatively couple the control line of the secondary safety valve with the TRSV control line, wherein, the control line of the secondary safety valve is directly coupled to the TRSV control line by a first seal and the balance line of the secondary safety valve is directly coupled with the TRSV balance line by a second seal, and the control line of the secondary safety valve is configured to actuate the secondary safety valve between an open position and the closed position in response to an intentional pressure change in the TRSV control line, and the balance line of the secondary safety valve is configured to use hydrostatic pressure through the balance line to compensate for hydrostatic pressure acting on the TRSV control line, with the first seal and the second seal enabling equal pressure throughout the secondary safety valve so there is no pressure differential across the secondary safety valve.
11 . The valve system according to claim 10 , wherein the secondary safety valve is a wireline retrievable safety valve (WLRSV).
12 . The valve system according to claim 10 , wherein the intentional pressure change is initiated by a signal communicated from the surface to release pressure in the control line of the TRSV.
13 . The valve system according to claim 10 , wherein the secondary safety valve further comprises a first seal housing to house the first seal and positioned downhole of the first pressure communication port, and a second seal housing to house the second seal and positioned uphole of the second pressure communication port.
14 . The valve system according to claim 10 , wherein the secondary safety valve does not include a flapper.
15 . The valve system according to claim 10 , wherein one of a shear plug, after shearing, or a communication tool is used to communicate pressure from the control line and balance line of the secondary safety valve to the TRSV control line and the TRSV balance line, respectively.
16 . A method for controlling fluid flow downhole in a wellbore, comprising:
positioning a tubing retrievable safety valve (TRSV) disposed downhole in the wellbore, the TRSV including at least: an open bore therethrough; a balance line of the TRSV; and a control line of the TRSV;
installing a control communication port to the control line of the TRSV into the TRSV;
installing a balance communication port to the balance line of the TRSV into the TRSV;
positioning a secondary safety valve into the open bore within the TRSV and positioning the secondary safety valve into a locating profile in an inner diameter of the TRSV, the secondary safety valve comprising:
a valve body having a valve seat at a downhole end;
a piston;
a rod coupled with a downhole end of the piston and with a closure mechanism configured to engage the valve seat when the safety valve is in a closed position;
a control line of the secondary safety valve;
a balance line of the secondary safety valve;
a first pressure communication port, to communicatively couple the balance line of the secondary safety valve to the balance line of the TRSV; and
a second pressure communication port, to communicatively couple the control line of the secondary safety valve to the control line of the TRSV, wherein, the control line of the secondary safety valve is directly coupled to the TRSV control line by a first seal and the balance line of the secondary safety valve is directly coupled with the TRSV balance line by a second seal, and the control line of the secondary safety valve is configured to actuate the secondary safety valve between an open position and the closed position in response to an intentional pressure change in the TRSV control line, and the balance line of the secondary safety valve is configured to use hydrostatic pressure through the balance line to compensate for hydrostatic pressure acting on the TRSV control line, with the first seal and the second seal enabling equal pressure throughout the secondary safety valve so there is no pressure differential across the secondary safety valve.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising connecting the first and second pressure communication ports with the control and balance lines of the TRSV, respectively, and pressuring up the control line and the balance line of the secondary safety valve to maintain hydrostatic equilibrium between control line pressure and balance line pressure.
18 . The method according to claim 16 , further comprising sending a signal from the surface of the wellbore to initiate the intentional pressure change to release the control line of the TRSV and close the secondary safety valve.
19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the secondary safety valve is a wireline retrievable safety valve (WLRSV).
20 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein one of a shear plug, after shearing, or a communication tool is used to communicate pressure from the control line and balance line of the secondary safety valve to the control line and the balance line of the TRSV, respectively.