Wellhead assembly valve systems and methods

1. An apparatus comprising:

a pressure-containing component of a wellhead assembly, the pressure-containing component including a hollow body, a bore within the hollow body, and an access passage that is in the hollow body and is in fluid communication with the bore, the access passage having an inner end at the bore and an outer end opposite the inner end; and

a valve coupled to the pressure-containing component, wherein the valve includes a sealing element that is positioned along the access passage and is selectively moveable between a closed position to block fluid flow through the access passage and an open position to allow fluid flow through the access passage, and wherein the valve is arranged such that, during operation, the sealing element is moved between the closed position and the open position without actuating the sealing element through the outer end of the access passage, and wherein the sealing element includes a gate installed in the hollow body along the access passage, and wherein the gate is a hinged gate configured to swing between the closed position and the open position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve is a hydraulically actuated valve.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a seat installed along the access passage, wherein the seat seals against the gate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the gate includes an aperture and is arranged such that the aperture is aligned with the seat and the access passage when the gate is in the open position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the access passage includes a threaded surface between the inner end of the access passage and the gate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , comprising a plug installed in the access passage via the threaded surface of the access passage and a mating threaded surface of the plug.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the access passage is an annulus access passage of a wellhead.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising an automatic valve shut-off assembly including a vent shuttle installed in the pressure-containing component of the wellhead assembly, wherein the vent shuttle is moveable from a pressure-retaining position to a pressure-venting position to allow hydraulic pressure to vent from the hydraulic actuator and cause the hinged gate to move to the closed position.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a hollow body of a wellhead or of a tree, the hollow body including a bore, an access passage extending outwardly through a side of the hollow body from the bore toward an exterior of the hollow body, and a cavity intersecting the access passage; and

a valve integrated into the hollow body so as to control flow, between the exterior of the hollow body and the bore, through the access passage, wherein the valve includes a gate that is installed in the cavity of the hollow body and is arranged to move between an open position allowing flow through the access passage and a closed position blocking flow through the access passage.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising a mechanical actuator coupled to drive the gate between the closed position and the open position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the mechanical actuator includes at least one of a drive gear or a motor.

12. A method comprising:

providing a valve including a sealing element moveable between an open position and a closed position; and

integrating the valve into a body of a pressure-containing component of a wellhead assembly, the pressure-containing component including: the body, a bore within the body, and an access passage that is in the body and is in fluid communication with the bore, the access passage having an inner end at the bore and an outer end opposite the inner end;

wherein integrating the valve into the body of the pressure-containing component includes positioning the sealing element along the access passage such that the sealing element is selectively moveable between the closed position to block fluid flow through the access passage and the open position to allow fluid flow through the access passage and such that the valve does not protrude outwardly from the access passage of the pressure-containing component.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein integrating the valve into the body of the pressure-containing component includes inserting the valve into the access passage from the bore.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sealing element is a gate, the body of the pressure-containing component is a multi-piece body having a first body portion and a second body portion, and integrating the valve into the body of the pressure-containing component includes installing the gate in a cavity between the first body portion and the second body portion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein installing the gate in the cavity between the inner body and the outer body includes fastening the outer body to the inner body to enclose the gate in the cavity.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein integrating the valve into the body of the pressure-containing component includes connecting a motor to drive movement of the gate between the open position and the closed position.

17. The method of claim 14 , comprising fastening an external valve or flange to the first body portion so as to enclose the second body portion with a gasket received between the first body portion and the external valve or flange.

18. The method of claim 12 , comprising measuring at least one of temperature or pressure of a fluid in the pressure-containing component.

19. The method of claim 12 , comprising installing a sealing plug in the access passage through the valve such that both the sealing plug and the sealing element of the valve are within the body of the pressure-containing component.