Patent Publication Number: US-2023139113-A1

Title: Injection valve, method and system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     In the resource recovery and fluid sequestration industries, injection of fluids is a common necessity. Injection may be for stimulation of a reservoir to produce hydrocarbon fluids or may be to store fluids in a reservoir, such as CO2. In either case, injection fluids are injected under pressure and therefore require a valve that prevents or inhibits flow of the injection fluid in an opposite direction to the injection direction. Injection valve are known but suffer from the degradative effects of injection fluids on functional components of the valves. This and other drawbacks reduce a useful life of injection valves. Longer lived valves would be well received by the arts that employ injection valves. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of an injection valve including a housing, a fluid channel in the housing, and a check valve disposed in the housing and responsive to fluid pressure in the channel to move the check valve in a direction opposite the direction of fluid flow through the channel. 
     A method for injecting fluid into a volume including pressurizing a fluid to be injected, conveying the pressurized fluid to a space about a check valve between a check valve nose and a stem seal; and moving the check valve in a direction opposite a direction of injection fluid flow. 
     A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string disposed within the borehole, and an injection valve disposed within or as a part of the string. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic sectional view of an injection valve as disclosed herein; 
         FIG.  2    is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a view illustrating two alternate sub configurations of the injection valve of  FIG.  1   ; and 
         FIG.  4    is a view of a borehole system including the injection valve disclosed herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , an injection valve  10  is illustrated. The valve  10  comprises a housing  12  having a fluid channel  14  defined therein. The fluid channel  14  is fluidly connected to a box end  16  of the housing and fluidly connected to a valve end  18  of the housing. Housing  12  is configured to receive injection fluid at manifold  20  fed from uphole as illustrated. The manifold  20  supplies fluid to the fluid channel  14 , having an inlet end  13  and an outlet end  15 . In embodiments, there may be one or more channels  14  with two shown. The greater the number of channels (assuming real estate is available) the greater the volume of injection fluid that can pass through the injection valve  10  per unit time. 
     At end  18  of the housing  12 , there is disposed in the housing  12  a check valve  24 . Check valve  24  is disposed in recess  26  of housing  12 . The check valve  24  comprises a valve nose  28  and a stem  30  extending from the nose  28 . A seal  32  extends radially of the stem  30  into sealing contact with the recess  26 . In an embodiment, a weight  34  is disposed on the stem  30  adjacent the nose  28 , the seal  32  is adjacent the weight  34  and a retainer  36 , such as a nut, is disposed on the stem  30  to retain the seal  32  and the weight  34 . In some embodiments, the housing  12  will support a stem alignment configuration  40 , which may be a roller screw, a ball nut, a bushing, a bearing, etc., that provides low friction but helps to stabilize the motion of the check valve  24  during cycling. The stem alignment configuration  40  may also or instead be employed to slow down the opening and/or closing speed of the check valve  24 . This can help reduce flow cutting of the nose or seat upon opening and/or reduce impact of the nose  28  against a seat  42  when closing. The housing  12  supports the seat  42  in a fixed position for the nose  28  to seal against when the check valve is closed. Were the valve  24  to close rapidly, the nose  28  would have to come to an abrupt stop when contacting the seat and possibly have its useful lifetime reduced. With longevity being a premium in all downhole activities, employing the configuration  40  to slow the movement of the nose  28  may be desirable. The seat  42  may be a line seat (see contact line  44 ) such as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  2    or may be a chamfer seat (see chamfer  46 ) as shown in  FIG.  3   , as desired. 
     Reference is made to the arrows  50   a, b, c , and  d . that extend through the injection valve  10 . These illustrate the path of injection fluid flowing through the valve  10 . Since the valve is closed in each of the views, there are no arrows for the injected fluid flow past the open nose  28  but those of skill in the art will understand that once the nose  28  is off seat  42 , flow will move through the gap created at that opening and then can travel in the direction of arrow  52  noted in each of  FIGS.  1 - 3   . 
     In operation, the injection valve  10  is unusual in that the check valve  24  opens by being driven in an opposite direction to that of the injection fluid. In  FIG.  1   , for example, the injection fluid is moving downwardly of the Figure but in order to move the nose  28  off seat  42 , the check valve  24  must move upwardly of the figure. The injection fluid at  50   d  flows into a space  54  that is bounded by nose  28 , seat  42 , housing  12  and seal  32 . Adding pressure to this space  54  with the injection fluid causes the nose  28  to pull back away from the seat  42 , moving in an opposite direction to the direction of fluid injection and open an injection fluid pathway that results in fluid flow along arrow  52 . Importantly, it is noted that only the portions of check valve  24  that bound the space  54  are subject to contact with the injection fluid while other portions of the check valve on the opposite side of seal  32  are spared any deleterious activity the injection fluid poses. 
     One common intended use for the disclosed injection valve  10  is in vertical boreholes. In a vertical position, the check valve  24  is opened as stated and closed based upon the weight  34  acting in concert with gravity. For situations where the injection valve  10  is intended to be used in a highly deviated or horizontal well, it may be beneficial to add a biaser  58  (illustrated in  FIG.  3   ) to act against the impetus to open the check valve  24  by biasing the check valve  24  to the closed position. The biaser  58  may be a coil spring as illustrated or may be any other spring member such as an elastic material, a compressed gas, etc. A biaser  58  will automatically urge the valve  24  to a closed position upon it being opened by the injection fluid pressurizing space  54 . The check valve  24  will remain in the open position so long as the pressure in space  54  exceeds a spring force of the biaser  58 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , a borehole system  60  is illustrated. System  60  comprises a borehole  62  in a subsurface formation  64 . A string  66  is disposed in the borehole  62 . An injection valve  10  as disclosed herein is disposed within or as a part of the string  66 . 
     Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure: 
     Embodiment 1: An injection valve including a housing, a fluid channel in the housing, and a check valve disposed in the housing and responsive to fluid pressure in the channel to move the check valve in a direction opposite the direction of fluid flow through the channel. 
     Embodiment 2: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the check valve includes a valve nose, a valve stem extending from the valve nose, a stem seal extending radially outwardly of the valve stem to the housing and creating a seal therewith, the seal being spaced from the valve nose. 
     Embodiment 3: The valve as in any prior embodiment further including a weight disposed on the check valve. 
     Embodiment 4: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the channel includes an inlet end and an outlet end, the outlet end being disposed between the valve nose and the stem seal. 
     Embodiment 5: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the housing further supports a stem alignment configuration. 
     Embodiment 6: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the stem alignment configuration is a bearing or bushing. 
     Embodiment 7: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the stem alignment configuration is a roller screw. 
     Embodiment 8: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the stem alignment configuration is a ball nut. 
     Embodiment 9: The valve as in any prior embodiment further including a seat against which the check valve seals. 
     Embodiment 10: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the seat is a line seat. 
     Embodiment 11: The valve as in any prior embodiment wherein the seat is a chamfer seat. 
     Embodiment 12: The valve as in any prior embodiment further including a biaser configured to bias the check valve to a closed position. 
     Embodiment 13: A method for injecting fluid into a volume including pressurizing a fluid to be injected, conveying the pressurized fluid to a space about a check valve between a check valve nose and a stem seal; and moving the check valve in a direction opposite a direction of injection fluid flow. 
     Embodiment 14: The method as in any prior embodiment further comprising biasing the check valve to a closed position with a weight. 
     Embodiment 15: The method as in any prior embodiment further comprising biasing the check valve to a closed position with a biaser. 
     Embodiment 16: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the biasing is automatic via spring. 
     Embodiment 17: A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string disposed within the borehole, and an injection valve as in any prior embodiment disposed within or as a part of the string. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The terms “about”, “substantially” and “generally” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, “about” and/or “substantially” and/or “generally” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value. 
     The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.