Patent GB-1534423-A (GB)
Title: Subsurface well apparatus having flexing means and method of using same
IPC: E21B34/10
Filed: 1976-05-21
Abstract: 1534423 Wells &c HYDRIL CO 21 May 1976 [23 May 1975] 21049/76 Heading E1F A remotely controlled subsurface safety valve V is capable of being flexed so that it can be passed through a curved flow line by TFL techniques. As described the valve V is installed in a housing (not shown) in the well tubing, the housing having an operating member which can be moved in response to signals from the surface. The valve V is rotary ball type valve (Figs. 2A, 2B, 8) and includes a ball 40 which is pivoted by pins 34j and holes 40d in a cage 34. The ball 40 and cage 34 are slidably mounted in a slotted tubular member 50 having eccentric pins 50ii, 51jj which engage slots 40f in the ball 40, the ball 40 being rotated between its open and closed positions by relative movement of the cage 34 and member 50. The cage 34 is connected to an upper mandrel assembly F (Fig. 2A) including a seal 36, a ball and socket joint 22 and a tube 20 carrying locking dogs 26 which can be moved outwardly by downward movement of a sleeve 28. The tubular member 50 is connected to a lower mandrel assembly O (Fig. 2B) including a ball and socket joint 52 and a tube 60 carrying locking dogs 62 which can be moved outwardly by upward movement of a sieve 64. In use the dogs 26 are locked into a recess in the housing to fix the upper mandrel F and the dogs 62 are locked into a recess in the operating member so that movement of the operating member causes the valve to open and close. The joints 22, 52 allow the valve V to flex as it is passed down the flow line and well tubing. The valve V is installed using the running tool RT shown in Figs. 9A, B, C. The running tool RT is inserted into the valve V and is locked to the upper mandrel F by dogs 78 and to the lower mandrel O by dogs 108. The valve V is also locked in its open position by dogs 96. The running tool has ball and socket joints 86a and 98 which are located concentric with the joints 22, 52 so that the valve V and tool RT can flex together. The tool RT is attached to a TFL locomotive (not shown) and is pumped downwardly through the flow line and well tubing until a shoulder 60i (Fig. 2B) on the valve engages a seat (not shown) in the housing. Further downward movement of the TFL locomotive then shears pins 76 so that a tubular member 72 moves the sleeve 28 downwardly to lock the dogs 26 into the recess in the housing. The circulation is then reversed to move the tool RT upwardly. This causes collet 110b (Fig. 9C) to engage sleeve 64 and move it upwardly to lock the dogs 62 into the recess in the operating member. Further upward movement then causes pins 112 to shear to release the collet 110 into recess 102c and to retract dogs 78, 96, 108 to release the tool RT from the valve V. The valve V can be removed from the housing by the retrieving tool PT shown in Figs. 10A, B, C. The tool PT is fixed to a TFL locomotive (not shown) and is pumped down the flow line and well tubing to enter the valve V. A head 144b at the end of the tool PT moves the sleeve 64 downwardly to retract the dogs 62 and dogs 150 carried by a spring loaded sleeve 152 on the tool PT engage the sleeve 28. Circulation is then reversed so that the dogs 150 move the sleeve 28 upwardly to retract the dogs 26 and thus free the valve V from the housing. The tool PT then carries the valve V back to the surface. Ball and socket joints 134a and 142a on the tool PT are concentric with the joints 22, 52 on the valve so that the tool PT and valve V can flex together as they pass through the curve in the flow line.