Patent ID: 9518444
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A valve assembly configured to be coupled to a tubing string, comprising: a housing defining a housing flow path for communicating with the tubing string; a barrier member located in the housing and configurable between a normally-closed position in which the barrier member restricts access through the housing flow path, and an open position in which access is permitted through the housing flow path; and a bypass arrangement reconfigurable between an open state in which the bypass arrangement defines a bypass flow path that communicates with the housing flow path on opposite sides of the barrier member to permit fluid to bypass the barrier member and thereby fill the tubing string, and a closed state in which fluid is prevented from bypassing the barrier member to thereby permit pressurization of the tubing string, wherein the bypass arrangement comprises a variable flow restrictor; and wherein the flow restrictor is defined by a flow restrictor ring slidably mounted between a first position in which the flow restrictor ring co-operates with a first feature of the valve assembly to define a first restriction, and a second position in which the flow restrictor ring co-operates with a second feature of the valve assembly to define a second, greater restriction.