HAVE FLAPPER-STYLE WRSSSV’S HAD THEIR DAY?

At Wellvene, our innovative?solutions usually come?from asking one simple?question – why?

Take our V0 Expansion Landing Nipple Profile Plug (WellVeX?). This game-changing tool was born from challenging the long-held industry assumption that if you require a well barrier to be V0-gas-rated or have a bi-directional seal, you must run a mono-bore bridge plug instead of a lock mandrel.?

By asking “why?” we rethought the lock mandrel packing stack approach and created the V0-rated WellVeX. This technology has been used in over 100 applications, including tubing hanger isolations for x-mas tree changeouts, isolating annulus and production tubing bores, and even hanging injection valves and storm chokes over the long-term in some high-producing wells.??

So, when evaluating the wireline retrievable sub-surface safety valve (WRSSSV) portion of our remediation packages, we took a step back once again and asked ourselves some questions:

ò Why do tubing retrievable sub surface safety valves (TRSSSV) generally fail?

ò Why do flow tubes on flapper-style safety valves stop performing as they should?

ò Why are flapper-style valves so susceptible to scale issues?

ò Why do we generally lock open a TRSSSV and install a WRSSSV, which is ultimately the same, smaller technology with similar failure modes?

ò Why do we carry large stock levels of WRSSSVs to match all the tubing sizes in our well stock?

Once we consider these questions, the solution becomes clear,

THE FLOWGARD? WRSSSV

This WRSSSV moves away from the conventional flapper-style safety valve in favour of a power ball closing mechanism, which is utilised across our entire GARD??safety flow equipment range. This mechanism allows us to remove the need for a flow tube on the ID of the valve and replace it with an enclosed power spring, keeping all the critical moving parts out of the flow path and separated from any scale build-up areas. In addition, the innovative closing system is up to 300 times stronger than the old flapper-style valve, allowing us to create a gas bubble seal without relying on the well pressure below to assist with closing or keeping the integrity of the valve.

Operation of the FlowGARD? from surface is the same as the old flapper-style, with the utilisation of the existing landing nipples and control lines. However, the FlowGARD? has a much more responsive feel, with a self-equalising feature and a smooth open/close effect. In addition, it allows for easy removal and replacement of packing stacks and can be function-tested “on deck”. Therefore, retrieval?of a FlowGARD? due to failed packing seals on the lock, damaged seal bores in the well, or for deeper well access intervention requirements does not require switching to backup safety valves and burning through offshore inventory.?

In fact, the FlowGARD? requires much less inventory to be held in support?of ongoing operations due to valve selection being based on well flow?rates rather than the physical size of the tubing. For example, suppose you have a well stock of 20 wells with four distinct upper completion sizes but a maximum flow rate of less than 12,500 bbls per day. In that case, we can use the FlowGARD? with 2.72” OD across all wells, significantly reducing the number of contingency valves you need compared to running the old-style flapper valve.

Developed by the global leaders in WRSSSV design, Tejas, the FlowGARD? is the culmination of over 30 years of experience in the Safety Valve space, being experts in both Wireline Retrievable and Tubing Retrievable Valves.