10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

Home
HOME
REGIONALREPORTS
HOME

MOREOILPRODUCTIONNEWS

IMPROVINGSUBSURFACESAFETYVALVERELIABILITY:APROBLEM/SOLUTION

DRILLING&COMPLETION
APPROACH

FIELDDEVELOPMENT

Independentsgalvanizemarginal
SUBSEA Tunisianfielddevelopments|

NextArticle|Norwayimprovingtax
conditionsforFPSOleasing

PreviousArticle
GEOSCIENCES
PIPELINES

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalve
reliability:aproblem/solutionapproach

PRODUCTION

RIGS/VESSELS

11/01/1997
DEEPWATER
BUSINESSBRIEFS

Safetyreliabilityrequiresongoingimprovements
DonAldridge
BakerOilTools
Inthissafetyvalvedesign,thelockopensleeveisremovedandinitsplaceisaradialpunch
communicationssystem,providingasmoothID.[16,430bytes]
Conventionally,wirelineconveyedshiftingtoolsseekamatchingprofilewhengoingintothewell
andwilloftenactivatethelockopensleeveandcausethedownholevalvetofail.[7,678bytes]
Surfacecontrolled,subsurfacesafetyvalves(SCSSVs)arebecomingmoreandmorecommonin
onshoreaswellasoffshoreoperationsthroughouttheworldbecauseoftheirabilitytoprotectlives,
theenvironment,andoperators'investmentsifthewellheadbecomesdamaged.TheUSGovernment
nowrequiressafetyvalvesformostGulfofMexicooperations,andothercountries'governmentsare
followingsuit.
Inadditiontobeingnecessarytopreventunwantedflowduringcatastrophicevents,safetyvalve
reliabilitycanleadtolongercompletionlifeandcurbunwantedworkovers,thusreducinglifecycle
costsforwellsandfields.Theimportanceofthisissuewasemphasizedseveralyearsagoinan
independentstudyonSCSSVsafetyandreliability,conductedbytheFoundationforScientificand
IndustrialResearch(SINTEF)attheNorwegianInstituteofTechnology.
Insuggestingthatpurchasingdepartmentslookmoretowardthelifecyclecostforwellsratherthan
focusingstrictlyontrialpurchasingcost,SINTEFaddressedtheimportanceofconsideringSCSSV
reliability,forbothsafetyandproductionregularity.Atthetimeofthereport,thereliabilityofallvalve
classeshadimprovedsignificantlysincethefoundation'spreviousreport.However,opportunitiesfor
furtherimprovementexisted.
http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

1/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

Whyvalvesfail
Whilesomedownholeequipmentremainsstaticthroughoutthelifeofthecompletion,safetyvalves
areroutinelyopened,closed,andtestedtoensurethattheyarereadyandworkingproperlyinthe
eventofacatastrophe.However,thevalvessometimesfailduringnormalproductionoperationsdue
toelastomerfailure,failureofpressfitplugs,orprematureactivationoflockoutfeatures.
Ifavalvefailsduringoneoftheseprocedures,itgenerallynecessitatesanunscheduledworkover
whichinterruptsproductionand,particularlyindeepwaters,canbeveryexpensive.Or,itmayrequire
theinstallationofaninsertsafetyvalvewithrestrictiveinternaldiameters.
Failureofthecontrolfluidcommunicationsystemhasbeenshowntobetheprimarycauseofsafety
valvefailures.Infact,theSINTEFstudyrevealedthatmorethan25%offailuresinconventional,
normallyclosed,tubingretrievablesubsurfacesafetyvalveswerelinkeddirectlytoleakagebetween
thehydrauliccontrollinechamberandthetubingwellbore,throughthewirelineinsertvalve
communicationfeature.Inmostfailures,theleakagewascausedbyprematureorinadvertent
activationofthelockopensleeveintheIDofthevalve.
Anewsafetyvalvedesignedaroundapatentedcontrolfluidcommunicationfeatureprovidesan
uninterruptedcontrolfluidpathtothepistonandpreventsaccidentalactivationoflockopensleeves.

Failureanalysis
Independenttestingandfieldexperienceconfirmthataccidentalactivationofsubsurfacesafety
valvesislinkedtolinearmotionsleevedesignsthatareintegraltomanysafetyvalves.Whenroutine
interventionmethodsareperformedsuchasusingashiftingtooltooperateaslidingsleeveand
bringanewzoneonproductionthewirelineorcoiledtubingthatconveysthetoolmustpassthrough
theIDofthevalve.
Unfortunately,theprofileofthevalve'slinearmotionlockopensleeveisverysimilartothatofother
tubingmountedaccessories,suchasnipplesandslidingsleeves.Thewirelineorcoiledtubing
conveyedtoolsautomaticallyseekamatchingprofilewhentheyaregoinginthewell.Thus,iftheyhit
onanyoftheshouldersorprofilesinthelockopensleeve,theywilllikelyactivateit,causingthe
controlfluidtoleakandthevalvetofail.Thiscallsforexpensive,correctivewellreentryprocedures.

Eliminatingvulnerability
Thepreviouslydescribed,newlydesignedtubingretrievablesafetyvalveremovesthelockopen
sleevefromthevalveandsubstituteslinearlockopenmotionwithapatented,radialpunch
communicationsystem.ThesedesignchangesleavethesafetyvalvewithasmoothID,freeof
sleevesorotherdevicesthatmovelinearlyandcanhangupwirelineorcoiledtubingconveyedtools.
Controlfluidcommunicationtothelockopensleeveisachievedonlybyradialmotionofaonetrip,
jardownwirelinetool.Asaresult,thereisnopossibilityforothertoolstoaccidentallyactivatethe
lockopenfeaturewhilepassingthroughtheIDofthevalve.Intheeventthatifbecomesnecessaryto
puncturethevalve,onlythecylindersubispunctured.Therestofthevalveremainsintact.
Thenewradialpunchdesignhascompiledafieldhistoryandhasdisplayedalevelofdependability
thathasgainedoperatoracceptance.After2300installations,therehavebeennovalvefailuresdue
toprematurelockopen.
http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

2/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

Performanceimprovers
Inadditiontoradialpunchcommunication,othersafelyvalvedesignfeaturecanfurtherenhance
performanceintegrity.

Outerhousingthreadseals:Thesealsusedintheouterhousingsofsafetyvalvesarecritical
tosafetysystemreliability.Failureinthesesealscanleadtoatubingtoannulusleak,and
possiblyaworkover.Metaltometalhousingconnectionscaneliminateexplosive
decompression,chemicalandthermaldegradation,andotherproblemsassociatedwith
elastomericsealingsystems.Atwostepthreaddesigncanfurtherextendthevalve'sservicelife
bydistributingloadingonthethreadmoreefficiently,andprovidingsignificantlygreaterstrength
foragivensectionthicknessthanasinglestepdesign.
Closuremechanism:Astrongclosuremechanismcanprotectthevalveseatfromstress
induceddamagetoensurecontinuouslyreliablesealing.Athick,wedgeshapedflapperclosure
mechanismhasbeenproventobeparticularlyeffectiveforthispurpose.Thewedgedesign
movesthefirstpointofcontactwiththeflowtubeawayfromthehingepintominimizeloading
onthehingeandflapperpin.Aspecialhingedesignvitallyeliminatesflapperpinbending.
Selfequalizingmechanism:Anintegralequalizingmechanismeliminatestheneedto
equalizedifferentialpressureacrosstheflapper.Byventingshutinpressurefrombelowthe
safetyvalvetothetubingabovetheflapper,avalvecanbeequalizedandcanreturnthewellto
productionquicker,safer,andmoreefficientlythanwhenpumpsandfluidsmustbeused.
Particularlyeffectiveisathroughtheflapper,metaltometalselfequalizingsystemthat
eliminatesvalvefailurecausedbyerosionproblemsorbuildupoffluiddebrisinthevalve
annulus.

Slamtesting
Gasslamtestsareanexcellentindicationofthereliabilityofasubsurfacesafetyvalve.Toeffectively
evaluatethevalve,thesetestsmustduplicateorexceedreallifedownholeconditionspresentwhen
thewellisflowing,thecontrollineisbledoff,andthesafetyvalvecloseswiththeflowagainstthe
flapper.Thefollowinglistrepresentssuggestedminimumrequirements:
Twentyslams,ofwhich15are:200ft/sec(41MMscfd)for23/8in.valves200ft/sec(58.5MMscfd)
for27/8in.valves200ft/sec(102.7MMscfd)for3l/2in.valves150ft/sec(146.0MMscfd)for4l/2
in.valves125ft/sec(120.7MMscfd)for51/2in.valvesand80ft/sec(146MMscfd)for7in.valves.
Theseflowratesareashighas10timesthoserequiredbytheAPI.
Continuedtechnologicaladvancements,suchasthosedescribedhere,whichcansubstantially
improvesafetyvalvereliability,willbekeytomeetingthecombinedeconomic,environmental,and
humansafetystandardsthatwilldrive21stCenturyenergydevelopmentandutilization.
References
"ReliabilityofSurfaceControlledSubsurfaceSafelyValvesPhaseIV",FoundationforScientificand
IndustrialResearch,NorwegianInstituteofTechnology,ReportNo.STF75R91038,1992.

Copyright1997Oil&GasJournal.AllRightsReserved.
http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

3/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

MoreOffshoreIssueArticles
OffshoreArticlesArchives

Independentsgalvanizemarginal

NextArticle|Norwayimprovingtax

Tunisianfielddevelopments|

conditionsforFPSOleasing

PreviousArticle

RELATEDARTICLES

SPSOverlayprovidessideimpactprotectiononthreeFPSOs
Dec17,2014

SPSOverlayhasprovidedsideimpactprotectionforthreeFPSOs.TheworkwascarriedoutatEnseadado
ParaguauSAShipyards(EEP)inBrazilandattheCOSCO(Dalian)ShipyardinChina.

EnicompletesproductiontestonwelloffshoreCongo
Dec15,2014

EnihascompletedtheproductiontestontheMinsalaMarine1NFW,locatedintheMarineXIIblockoffshore
Congo.

BlueOceansetsdeepwatersubseainterventionrecord
Dec15,2014

BlueOceanTechnologieshassetanotherrecordfordeepwatersubseainterventions.BlueOceans
Interchangeableriserlessinterventionsystem(IRIS)recentlyintervenedonadeepwaterproductionwe...

LiuhuagasfieldgoesonstreamoffshoreChina
Dec15,2014

CNOOChasstartedproductionfromtheLiuhua342gasfieldintheeasternSouthChinaSea,wherewater
depthsrangefrom8501,250m(2,7894,101ft).

NorthSeaHuntingtonstilloutofaction
Dec15,2014

NorecosaysproductionfromtheE.ONRuhrgasoperatedHuntingtonfieldintheUKcentralNorthSea
remainsshutin,duetoanincidentthataroseduringrestartoftheCATSriserplatform.

http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

4/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

TRENDINGNEWS

Offshorephotooftheday
MexicorevisesrulesforsecondphaseofRoundOneauction
Aug7,2015

MexicosoilregulatorhasunveiledmoreattractiverulesforthesecondphaseofthecountrysRoundOneoil
auction,accordingtoareportintheLatinAmericanHeraldTribune.

HorizonGeosciencesaddsnewvessel
Aug7,2015

HorizonGeoscienceshasaddedtheKommandorStuartvesseltoits
fleet.

BechtelreceivesFEEDcontractforPortDelfinFLNGvessel
Aug7,2015

DelfinLNGhaschosenBechteltoprovidefrontendengineeringanddesignforwhatwouldbethefirstUS
basedFLNGvesseltogoontheproposeddeepwaterport50mi(80km)offshoreCameronParish,
Louisiana.

Phase1MexicoSPANfasttrackdataavailablefromIONGeophysical
Aug7,2015

IONGeophysicalhasavailablethefasttrackprestacktimemigrateddatafromPhase1ofitsMexicoSPAN
program.

OFFSHORETOPICS
Drilling&Completion
FieldDevelopment
Subsea
Geosciences
Pipelines
Production
Rigs/Vessels
Deepwater
BusinessBriefs

REGIONALREPORTS

http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

5/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

Africa
Asia
Australia&NewZealand
Canada
LatinAmerica
MiddleEast
NorthSea&Europe
Russia
US&GulfofMexico

Offshore
DigitalMagazine

LookInside

CurrentIssue

LATESTEVENTSLIDESHOWS

OffshoreTop5Projects2013

Topsides,Platforms&Hulls2014AdvisoryBoard

Topsides,Platforms&HullsOpeningPlenarySession

UPCOMINGEVENTS

OffshoreWestAfricaConference&Exhibition
http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

6/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

http://www.offshorewestafrica.com/index.html
Tue,Jan20,2015Thu,Jan22,2015

OffshoreMiddleEastConference&Exhibition
http://www.offshoremiddleeast.com/index.html
Mon,Jan26,2015Wed,Jan28,2015

Topsides,Platforms&Hulls
http://www.topsidesevent.com/index.html
Tue,Feb3,2015Thu,Feb5,2015
MOREEVENTS

OIL&GASJOBS

SearchMoreJobListings>>

UTILITY

TOPICS

Home

Events

RegionalReports

Pipelines

AboutUs

OTC

Drilling&Completion

Production

Advertise

RSS

FieldDevelopment

Rigs/Vessels

ContactUs

CompanyNews

Subsea

Deepwater

Subscribe

SpecialReports

Geosciences

BusinessBriefs

Copy right 20072015 P ennWell Corporat ion, Tuls a, OK . A ll Right s Res erv ed. Terms and Condit ions | P riv ac y
P olic y
http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

7/8

10/08/2015

Improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliability:aproblem/solutionapproachOffshore

http://www.offshoremag.com/articles/print/volume57/issue11/news/generalinterest/improvingsubsurfacesafetyvalvereliabilityaproblemsolutiona

8/8