Check valve with valve member biased by connectors extending from a valve seat for operation of a subterranean tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10184317-B2
Application number	US-201514930334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

A check valve has a valve member flexibly attached to a seat with resilient members that fold in response to flow above a predetermined value to shut the valve. The flexibly extending members store potential energy that is released to separate the valve member from the seat when the pressure applied against the seated valve member declines to the point that the potential energy stored in the flexible members is able to move the valve member off the seat. The valve assembly including the valve member, the seat and the flexible members can be a common material, or can be all one or more nonmetallic materials or involve composites or other easily drilled materials that are compatible with the operating conditions of pressure differential, temperature and composition of the well fluid. The check valve assembly can be pushed with pressure when closed to operate a subterranean tool.

First claim

We claim:

1. A check valve for a tubular in subterranean treatment use, comprising:
a seat in the tubular having an opening therethrough;
a valve member non-releasably retained in a spaced relation to said opening in said seat when there is no flow and up to a predetermined flow rate in a forward direction, from uphole to downhole, by force delivered from at least one flexible member extending from said seat and located peripherally to said opening;
said at least one flexible member flexing radially toward the tubular to bring said valve member into sealing contact with said seat to close said opening when said predetermined flow rate is exceeded.

2. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said seat, valve member and at least one flexible member are made of one piece.

3. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said seat, valve member and at least one flexible member are made of non-metallic material.

4. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one flexible member comprises a plurality of spaced flexible members positioned to restrain relative rotation between said valve member and said seat.

5. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one flexible member flexes by bending in at least one location between opposed ends thereof, said ends attached to said seat and said valve member respectively.

6. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said valve member having a tapered leading end that at least in part enters said opening when contacting said seat.

7. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said seat further comprises a sealing surface immediately surrounding said opening;
said valve member having a parallel surface to said sealing surface for circumferential contact all-around said sealing surface.

8. The check valve of claim 7 , wherein:
said sealing surface further comprising a composite, single or multiple compound elastomer or a metal.

9. The check valve of claim 3 , wherein:
said non-metallic comprises an elastomer.

10. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
said valve member having a flat leading end that does not enter said opening when contacting said seat.

11. A subterranean formation treatment method, comprising:
providing a seat in a tubular having an opening therethrough;
a valve member non-releasably retained in a spaced relation to said opening in said seat when there is no flow and up to a predetermined flow rate in a forward direction, from uphole to downhole, by force delivered from at least one flexible member extending from said seat and located peripherally to said opening;
said at least one flexible member flexing radially toward the tubular to bring said valve member into sealing contact with said seat to close said opening when said predetermined flow rate is exceeded; and
pressurizing against said at least one flexible member to perform a treatment into a surrounding formation.

12. A subterranean formation treatment method comprising:
operating on a tubular string a check valve assembly that does not substantially move a valve member and restrict flow coming into the string when running in, said valve member permits flow in a forward direction, from uphole to downhole, out of the string up to a predetermined flow rate above which flow rate said valve member engages a seat to prevent flow out of said string;
attaching at least one radially flexible support member between said valve member and said seat and radially flexing said support member toward the tubular string when said valve member contacts said seat;
performing a treatment when said valve member engages said seat.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
non-releasably supporting said valve member from said seat with said at least one flexible support member.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
providing said valve member, seat and support member as a single piece.

15. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
providing said valve member, seat and support member in a single non-metallic material.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising:
making said material an elastomer.

17. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible support members as said at least one flexible support member;
retaining said valve member against relative rotation with respect to said seat;
milling out said valve member with said valve member retained against relative rotation with respect to said seat.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
bending said flexible support members in response to flow to store potential energy as said valve member moves toward said seat in response to flow out of said string;
releasing said potential energy to space said valve member from said seat when pressure on said valve member holding said valve member to said seat declines below a predetermined quantity;
connecting said valve member and said seat at opposed ends of said flexible support members.

19. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
delivering a perforating gun using flow out of said string at or below said predetermined flow rate;
creating openings in said tubular string with said perforating gun for said performing a treatment.

20. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
removing an initial perforating gun from said tubular string if said gun fails to fire;
delivering a redressed said perforating gun or a replacement perforating gun using flow out of said string at or below said predetermined flow rate;
creating openings in said tubular string for said performing a treatment with either said gun.

21. An assembly of a check valve and a subterranean tool for a tubular in subterranean treatment use, comprising:
a seat in the tubular having an opening therethrough;
a valve member non-releasably retained in a spaced relation to said opening in said seat when there is no flow and up to a predetermined flow rate in a forward direction, from uphole to downhole, by force delivered from at least one flexible member extending from said seat and located peripherally to said opening; said at least one flexible member flexing radially toward the tubular to bring said valve member into sealing contact with said seat to close said opening when said predetermined flow rate is exceeded;
said seat movably mounted for selective pressure induced tandem movement with the subterranean tool when said valve member is in contact with said seat.

22. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein:
said seat, valve member and at least one flexible member are made of one piece.

23. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein:
said seat, valve member and at least one flexible member are made of non-metallic material.

24. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein:
said at least one flexible member comprises a plurality of spaced flexible members positioned to restrain relative rotation between said valve member and said seat.

25. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein:
said at least one flexible member flexes by bending in at least one location between opposed ends thereof, said ends attached to said seat and said valve member respectively.

26. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein:
said valve member having a tapered leading end that at least in part enters said opening when contacting said seat.

27. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein:
said seat further comprises a sealing surface immediately surrounding said opening;
said valve member having a para

Assignees

• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Silva Zachary S
• Porter Andre′ J

Classifications

• F16K15/021

  the valve member being a movable body around which the medium flows when the valve is open (F16K15/025 - F16K15/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title

• E21B34/10 Primary

  operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole · CPC title

• F16K15/145

  the closure elements being shaped as a solids of revolution, e.g. cylindrical or conical · CPC title

• E21B33/134

  Bridging plugs · CPC title