Patent ID: 8162060
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: E21B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A retrievable gas-lift valve apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a) a tubular valve body assembly, said valve body assembly configured to be oriented vertically in a well, said valve body assembly comprised of an upper check valve housing, a valve seat housing positioned below said check valve housing, a bellows housing positioned below said check valve housing, said bellows housing having inlet ports positioned for communication with the inlet ports of a gas-lift valve mandrel, and a valve core housing positioned below said bellows housing; b) a vertically retracting check spring mounted within said check valve housing, said check spring biased against a check valve dart, said spring to position said check valve dart away from a lower check valve pad in a static state, said check valve pad defining an opening to create a port through said check valve housing; c) an injection gas valve seat mounted within said valve seat housing, said injection gas valve seat having an upper end and a lower end, said valve seat housing defining a vertically extending injection gas port; d) A bellows assembly mounted within said bellows housing to extend vertically below said lower end of said valve seat housing, said bellows assembly comprised of a hollow dome, said dome having an upper end and a lower end, said dome having a port at its lower end adapted to receive a hollow bellows rod, said hollow bellows rod extending downward vertically from said lower end of said dome through said valve core housing, said valve core housing having an upper end and a lower end and a vertically extending through-bore to slidably receive said hollow bellows rod, a plug at the base of said valve core housing through-bore, and a bellows adaptor having an injection gas valve ball, said bellows adaptor being mounted to said upper end of said dome; and e) a tubular bellows extending downward vertically from said lower end of said dome, said tubular bellows having an upper end and a lower end, said bellows being pressurized to a desired level, said lower end of said bellows being mounted on said valve core housing whereby said upper end of said bellows will compress and expand in response to external pressures whereby downward movement of said bellows will move said dome and said attached bellows adaptor downward within said bellows housing to move said valve ball away from said lower end of said valve seat housing and thereby allow injection gas to move upward through said valve seat port and said check valve seat and through said check valve housing.