E - Fixed Constructions – 21 – B
Patent
E - Fixed Constructions
21
B
166/41
E21B 34/12 (2006.01) E21B 29/08 (2006.01) E21B 34/04 (2006.01) F16K 3/02 (2006.01) F16K 5/06 (2006.01) F16K 11/065 (2006.01) F16K 11/087 (2006.01) E21B 34/00 (2006.01)
Patent
CA 1223520
ABSTRACT A safety valve adapted for placement above a wellhead is disclosed. The valve has a housing having coaxial upper and lower vertical housing passages, the diameter of the upper and lower passages being sufficiently large to pass a tubing hanger with tubing for landing in the wellhead. The valve also has a control element means disposed between said upper and lower vertical housing passages for preventing or allowing fluid flow through a passage smaller than the lower vertical housing passage and for providing full diametrical access via the upper housing passage to the lower housing passage. In a ball control element embodiment of the invention, a rotatable ball is disposed between upper and lower passages and lateral outlets in the housing. The ball has a removable insert such that in one position of the ball, the insert can be removed to provide full bore access in line with the well. The housing may be incorporated with the tubing head or may be attached to the top of the tubing head. During insertion of or workover of tubing, a blowout preventer may be attached to the top of the valve housing. The ball may be rotated for closing off the flow path from the well below. A Christmas tree may be installed after the blowout preventer is removed. Diverter valves may be connected to the lateral outlets. "T" shaped passages in the ball insert may be aligned with the lateral outlets and the tubing to divert well fluid when desired via the diverter valves. The valve may be used as a master valve of a Christmas tree with a control valve attached to the lateral outlet. In a gate control element embodiment of the invention, a gate valve is provided in which the gate has a removable insert so that in one position of the valve, the insert can be removed (or inserted) via an upper -92- vertical passage of the valve to provide full-bore access via an attached blowout preventer stack to the well head below. In another embodiment of the invention a gate valve is provided having at least two vertical passages through the gate. The first is large enough to provide full-bore access via an upper passage in the housing of the valve. The second is of a smaller diameter to provide vertical communication with tubing disposed in a lower vertical passage and in an upper vertical passage. Either of the gate control element embodiments may be used in a lateral production tree where the gate is provided with an "L" or "T" shaped passage in another lateral portion of the gate and lateral outlets are provided in the valve housing. This abstract of the disclosure is neither intended to define the scope of the invention, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to limit the invention in any way.
440471
Hydril Company
Smart & Biggar
LandOfFree
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