Injection pressure operated gas lift valve and methods of use

[0001] Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claim is identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the present application are hereby incorporated by reference under 37 CFR 1.57. The present application is a National Stage Entry of International Application No. PCT/US2023/064281, filed Mar. 14, 2023, which claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/269,270, filed Mar. 14, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein and should be considered part of this specification.

[0002] Oil and gas wells utilize a borehole drilled into the earth and subsequently completed with equipment to facilitate production of desired fluids from a reservoir. Subterranean fluids, such as oil, gas, and water, are produced from the wellbore. In some cases, the fluid is produced to the surface naturally by downhole formation pressures.

[0003] However, the fluid must often be artificially lifted from wellbores by the introduction of downhole equipment. Various types of artificial lift are available. In a gas lift system, a compressor is located on the surface. The compressor pumps gas down the casing tubing annulus. The gas is then released into the production tubing via gas valves that are strategically placed throughout the production tubing. The gas that is introduced lightens the hydrostatic weight of the fluid in the production tubing, allowing the reservoir pressure to lift the fluid to surface.

[0004] An Injection Pressure Operated (IPO) gas lift valve for use within a tubular according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a dome assembly, a bellows system coupled to the dome assembly, a valve assembly, and a check valve assembly coupled to the valve assembly. The bellows system includes a liquid-filled sealed chamber, a piston positioned within the sealed chamber and dividing the sealed chamber into a dome side and a valve side, a first bellows assembly in fluid communication with the dome assembly and positioned within the dome side of the sealed chamber, and a second bellows assembly positioned within the valve side of the sealed chamber. A volume of a liquid-filled portion of the dome side is constant regardless of the position of the bellows assembly and a volume of a liquid-filled portion of the valve side is constant regardless of the position of the bellows assembly. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the second bellows assembly and operable to shift the IPO gas lift valve between an open position and a closed position and includes a valve stem coupled to the piston and including a seal portion, and a valve seat having an outlet and shaped to receive the seal portion of the valve stem when the IPO gas lift valve is in the closed position.

[0005] A gas lift system for use within a well according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a tubular string disposable within the wellbore and an IPO gas lift valve positioned within the tubular. The IPO gas lift valve includes a dome assembly, a bellows system coupled to the dome assembly, a valve assembly, and a check valve assembly coupled to the valve assembly. The bellows system includes a liquid-filled sealed chamber, a piston positioned within the sealed chamber and dividing the sealed chamber into a dome side and a valve side, a first bellows assembly in fluid communication with the dome assembly and positioned within the dome side of the sealed chamber, and a second bellows assembly positioned within the valve side of the sealed chamber. A volume of a liquid-filled portion of the dome side is constant regardless of the position of the bellows assembly and a volume of a liquid-filled portion of the valve side is constant regardless of the position of the bellows assembly. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the second bellows assembly and operable to shift the IPO gas lift valve between an open position and a closed position and includes a valve stem coupled to the piston and including a seal portion, and a valve seat having an outlet and shaped to receive the seal portion of the valve stem when the IPO gas lift valve is in the closed position.

[0006] An Injection Pressure Operated (IPO) gas lift valve for use within a tubular according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a dome assembly, a bellows system coupled to the dome assembly, a valve assembly, and a check valve assembly coupled to the valve assembly. The bellows system includes a piston dividing the bellows system into a dome side and a valve side, a first bellows assembly positioned within the dome side of bellows system and in fluid communication with the dome assembly, and a second bellows assembly positioned within the valve side of the bellows system. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the second bellows assembly and operable to shift the IPO gas lift valve between an open position and a closed position and includes a housing comprising an upper housing coupled to a lower housing, wherein one or more spacers are positioned between the upper housing and the lower housing, and the one or more spacers sized such that the second bellows assembly is in a fully nested position when the IPO gas lift valve is closed. The valve assembly further includes a valve stem positioned within the housing, coupled to the piston and including a seal portion, and a valve seat having an outlet and shaped to receive the seal portion of the valve stem when the IPO gas lift valve is in the closed position.

[0007] A gas lift system for use within a well according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a tubular string disposable within the wellbore and an IPO gas lift valve positioned within the tubular. The IPO gas lift valve includes a dome assembly, a bellows system coupled to the dome assembly, a valve assembly, and a check valve assembly coupled to the valve assembly. The bellows system includes a piston dividing the bellows system into a dome side and a valve side, a first bellows assembly positioned within the dome side of bellows system and in fluid communication with the dome assembly, and a second bellows assembly positioned within the valve side of the bellows system. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the second bellows assembly and operable to shift the IPO gas lift valve between an open position and a closed position and includes a housing comprising an upper housing coupled to a lower housing, wherein one or more spacers are positioned between the upper housing and the lower housing, and the one or more spacers sized such that the second bellows assembly is in a fully nested position when the IPO gas lift valve is closed. The valve assembly further includes a valve stem positioned within the housing, coupled to the piston and including a seal portion, and a valve seat having an outlet and shaped to receive the seal portion of the valve stem when the IPO gas lift valve is in the closed position.

[0008] A method for producing formation fluids from a formation according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes biasing an IPO gas lift valve in a closed position via pressurized gas within a dome assembly of the IPO gas lift valve. The dome assembly in fluid communication with a first bellows assembly of a bellows system of the IPO gas lift valve. The first bellows assembly is positioned within a dome side of a liquid-filled sealed chamber of the bellows system. The volume of a liquid-filled portion of the dome side is constant regardless of the position of the first bellows assembly. The method also includes positioning a tubular string comprising the IPO gas lift valve within a wellbore extending through the formation. The method further includes injecting gas into the well to pressurize a second bellows assembly of the bellows system and open the IPO gas lift valve. The second bellows assembly is positioned within a valve side of a liquid filled sealed chamber, the valve side separated from the dome side via a piston. The volume of a liquid-filled portion of the valve side is constant regardless of the position of the second bellows assembly.

[0009] A method for producing formation fluids from a formation according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes biasing an IPO gas lift valve in a closed position via pressurized gas within a dome assembly of the IPO gas lift valve. The dome assembly in fluid communication with a first bellows assembly of a bellows system of the IPO gas lift valve. The first bellows assembly is positioned within a dome side the bellows system. The method further includes positioning a second bellows assembly of the bellows system in a fully nested position when the IPO gas lift valve is in the closed position via spacers positioned between an upper housing of a valve assembly of the IPO gas lift valve and a lower housing of the valve assembly of the IPO gas lift valve. The second bellows assembly is positioned within a valve side of the bellows system. The valve side is separated from the dome side via a piston. The method also includes positioning a tubular string comprising the IPO gas lift valve within a wellbore extending through the formation. The method further includes injecting gas into the well to pressurize the second bellows assembly and open the IPO gas lift valve.

[0010] However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.

[0016] In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.

[0017] In the specification and appended claims: the terms “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” “connecting,” “couple,” “coupled,” “coupled with,” and “coupling” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via another element.” As used herein, the terms “up” and “down,” “upper” and “lower,” “upwardly” and “downwardly,” “upstream” and “downstream,” “uphole” and “downhole,” “above” and “below,” and other like terms indicating relative positions above or below a given point or element are used in this description to more clearly describe some embodiments of the disclosure.

[0018] Gas Lift utilizes energy from pressurized natural gas that is injected into the production tubing through the casing annulus and regulated through a gas lift valve to accomplish artificial lifting of production fluids. Injected gas reduces fluid density in the wellbore. This lightens the hydrostatic column and decreases the flowing bottom hole pressure (FBHP). As a result of this drop in back pressure/load on formation, drawdown from the reservoir increases as produced fluids are lifted.

[0019] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example gas lift system 100. The gas lift system 100 includes a compressor located at the well surface. In use, the compressor pumps gas down the annulus between the casing 102 and the tubing 104, as indicated by arrow 106. The gas is then released into the tubing 104 via one or more gas valves 108 that are strategically placed throughout the tubing 104. The gas lessens the hydrostatic weight of the fluid in the tubing 104, allowing the reservoir pressure to lift the fluid to the surface, as indicated by arrow 110.

[0020] Deeper the injection point of gas in the well results in a greater drawdown and a higher the production rate. However, to achieve this, several gas lift stations are required to unload the well from the surface to the injection point. This is accomplished through unloading valves in each of the gas lift stations and an injection/operating valve in the bottom most station.

[0021] Gas lift valves assist in unloading of the well and in continuous or intermittent injection of gas into produced reservoir fluids. Unloading gas lift valves can be broadly classified as Injection Pressure Operated (IPO) valves that are primarily sensitive to annulus pressure and Production Pressure Operated (PPO) valves that that are primarily sensitive to tubing pressure.

[0022] Turning now to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an IPO gas lift valve 208 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The IPO gas lift valve 208 includes a dome assembly 200 and a bellows system 202 that are charged with nitrogen or another suitable gas to a pressure that is determined based on the depth of the installation of the IPO gas lift valve and other well conditions. The IPO gas lift valve further includes a check valve assembly 206 or similar mechanism positioned to prevent flow from the tubing 204 to the annulus 210 through the IPO gas lift valve 208 and two seal stacks 211 positioned to a seal between the IPO gas lift valve 208 and the tubular 204 and isolate an injection inlet port 214. The pressure within the dome assembly 200 and the bellows system 202 biases the valve assembly 212 coupled to the bellows system 202 to a closed position, as shown in FIG. 2. When gas is injected into the well and enters the IPO gas lift valve 208 through the injection inlet port 214, the combined pressure of the injected gas and the pressure of the fluid within the tubing 204 acts to open the IPO gas lift valve 208 and allow the injected the gas to enter the tubing 204.

[0023] In a well with IPO gas lift valves 208 installed in the gas lift stations, as the well is unloaded from the top, with the corresponding fluid columns getting lighter as it approaches the surface, thus decreasing the pressure within the tubing 204. Accordingly, the IPO gas lift valves 208 close from top to bottom of the well as the tubing pressure decreases. The bottom-most gas lift station in the well may include an operating valve, also known as an orifice valve. The operating valve is intended to be positioned at the deepest gas injection point in the well. Similar to the IPO gas lift valve, an operating valve includes a check valve assembly 206 to prevent flow from the tubing 204 into the annulus 210. However, the operating valve does not have the bellow section or dome assembly to bias the valve closed, as the operating valve does not perform the function of unloading.

[0024] Turning now to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an IPO gas lift valve 308 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to the IPO gas lift valve 208 discussed above with respect to FIG. 2, the IPO gas lift valve 308 includes a dome assembly 300, a bellows system 302, a valve assembly 312 coupled to the bellows system 302 to open and close the IPO gas lift valve 308, and a check valve assembly 306 positioned downstream of the valve assembly 312 to prevent flow from the tubing to the annulus surrounding the tubing through the IPO gas lift valve 308.

[0025] In one or more embodiments, the bellows system 302 is coupled to the dome assembly 300 and includes a sealed chamber 304. A piston 310 is disposed within the sealed chamber 304, dividing the sealed chamber 304 into a dome side 303 and a valve side 305. The piston 310 is coupled to the valve assembly 312 and a bellows assembly is disposed within each side 303, 305 of the sealed chamber. Each of the sides 303, 305 of the sealed chamber 304 is filled with a liquid, such as, but not limited to, hydraulic fluid, that surrounds the respective bellows assembly 314. In one or more embodiments, the liquid is flowed into each side 303, 305 of the sealed chamber 304 via flow paths 311 formed in the piston 310.

[0026] Each of the bellows assemblies 314 includes a first bellows 316 coupled to and sealed against the piston 310 and a second bellows 318 coupled to and sealed against the first bellows 316 at a first end and coupled to and sealed against a cap 320, 322, at a second end. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the first bellows 316 has a smaller diameter than the second bellows 318; however, the invention is not thereby limited. In other embodiments, the first bellows 316 may have a larger diameter than the second bellows 318.

[0027] The bellows 316, 318 of the bellows assembly 314 are sized such that the volume of liquid-filled portion of the respective side 303, 305 of the sealed chamber 304 is constant. Said another way, the volume of the respective side 303, 305 of the sealed chamber 304 that is not occupied by a bellows assembly 314 does not change regardless of the position of the bellows assembly 314 within the side 303, 305. The constant volume of the liquid-filled portion respective side 303, 305 of the sealed chamber 304 reduces or prevents a pressure differential from occurring across the respective bellows assemblies 314 as they expand and contract due to internal pressure.

[0028] In the closed position, shown in FIG. 3, the pressurized gas within the dome assembly 300 enters the dome side bellows assembly 314 via flow paths 326 in the dome cap 320 and expands the bellows assembly 314 to bias the valve assembly 312 into the closed position where a seal portion 315 of the valve stem 313 contacts the valve seat 317 to block an outlet 321 of the valve assembly and prevent flow through the IPO gas lift valve 308. When gas is injected into the well, the gas flows through one or more injection inlet ports 324 of the valve assembly 312 and into the valve side bellows assembly 314 via a flow path 326 in the valve cap 322.

[0029] Once the force on the valve assembly side of the piston 310 due to the injected gas pressure and the tubing pressure increases above the force due to the pressure within the dome assembly 300, the piston 310 shifts towards the dome assembly 300. The movement of the piston 310 shifts the valve stem 313 away from the valve seat 317 and opens the IPO gas lift valve 308. When the force decreases below the force due to the pressure within the dome assembly 300, the seal portion 315 of the valve stem 313 seals against the valve seat 317 to close the IPO gas lift valve 308.

[0030] Turning now to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an IPO gas lift valve 408 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Similar to the IPO gas lift valves 208, 308 discussed above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3, the IPO gas lift valve 408 includes a dome assembly 400, a bellows system 402, a valve assembly 412 coupled to the bellows system 402 to open and close the IPO gas lift valve 408, and a check valve assembly 406 positioned downstream of the valve assembly 412 to prevent flow from the tubing to the annulus surrounding the tubing through the IPO gas lift valve 408.

[0031] Similar to IPO gas lift valves 208, 308 described above, the dome assembly side bellows 414 is in fluid communication with the dome assembly and the valve side bellows assembly 414 is in fluid communication with the injection inlet port 413 of the valve assembly 412 to shift the IPO gas lift valve 408 between the open position and the closed position via a valve stem 410 of the valve assembly 412 that is coupled to a piston 409 of the bellows assembly. However, unlike the IPO gas lift valve 308 described above, the bellows assemblies 414 are not enclosed within a fluid-filled chamber. Due to this, the valve side bellows assembly 414 is subject to differential pressure while the IPO gas lift valve 408 is in the closed position. This differential pressure can reduce the longevity of the valve side bellows assembly 414 if the bellows assembly 414 is in a partially expanded position when the IPO gas lift valve 408 is in the closed position, i.e., the valve stem 410 is contacting the valve seat 416, instead of the fully nested position shown in FIG. 4.

[0032] To ensure the valve side bellows assembly 414 is fully nested when the valve stem 410 is contacting the valve seat 416, the valve assembly 412 includes a split housing 404 having an upper housing 418 coupled to a lower housing 420 such that one or more spacers 422 can be positioned between the upper housing 418 and the lower housing 41. The spacers 422 allow for adjustment of the axial length of the housing 404 to position the valve side bellows assembly 414 in the fully nested position when the valve stem seal 410 is contacting the seat 416.

[0033] As used herein, a range that includes the term between is intended to include the upper and lower limits of the range; e.g., between 50 and 150 includes both 50 and 150. Additionally, the term “approximately” includes all values within 5% of the target value; e.g., approximately 100 includes all values from 95 to 105, including 95 and 105. Further, approximately between includes all values within 5% of the target value for both the upper and lower limits; e.g., approximately between 50 and 150 includes all values from 47.5 to 157.5, including 47.5 and 157.5.

[0034] Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.