What qualities are required for a valve grease to be effective?

Using an effective valve lubricant can save an operator ￡1000’s in reduced NPT and valve repairs, but what qualities are required to make a grease effective?

Let’s consider a typical 3 1/16’’ x 5,000 psi gate valve on a Christmas tree, manufactured by an API certified company and tested to specifications set out in API-6A. The latest revision of this specification was published in 2018. g

When fitted to the well, the valve becomes a barrier and depending on the regulatory environment and as part of the preventative maintenance process, it is likely that the valve will require periodic pressure testing, lubrication, and function testing to verify barrier status. ??

The lubricant must possess several essential qualities to ensure successful maintenance and compliance. These key qualities are -:

1.??????Provide an integral lubricating film between the gate and seat, and minimise friction and wear

2.??????Adhere to the component surfaces

3.??????Must not break down under applied loads

4.??????Provide lubrication to the thread surfaces of the stem, if a manually actuated valve

5.??????Be retained in the cavity preventing ingress of abrasive solids

6.??????NOT be dissolved by produced or injected fluids

7.??????Provide corrosion protection to the internal valve components

RS Clare’s Valve Lubricant 601 offers all of these capabilities, and if the valve is damaged the grease should be capable of providing more benefits, like 601’s enhanced sealing abilities.

Valve lubricants are not required to meet any standards as set out by ASTM, API, ISO or NORSOK, yet without the correctly specified products and meeting all of the above criteria, a successful preventative maintenance programme, may be difficult to achieve, expose workers to even great risks, not provide conformance to well integrity standards, and when delayed production is considered should bring into question the real value of the grease and the crucial role it must play.

What grease do you use and how effective is it?