Choke gate valve systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12276356-B2
Application number	US-202217817467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2022
Priority date	Aug 4, 2021
Publication date	Apr 15, 2025
Grant date	Apr 15, 2025

Abstract

A choke gate valve includes a housing that defines a fluid bore and a gate that includes a throttling orifice. The gate is configured to move within the housing between a throttle position in which the gate extends across the fluid bore to position the throttling orifice in the fluid bore to throttle a fluid flow through the fluid bore and an open position in which the gate does not block the fluid bore to enable a full level of the fluid flow through the fluid bore. The choke gate valve may be used as part of a choke gate valve system to transition between first fracturing operations for a first well and second fracturing operations for a second well without shut off of a pump.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A choke gate valve system comprising:
a fluid line fluidly coupling a pump to a first tree and a second tree, wherein the first tree is coupled to a first well of a fracturing system and the second tree is coupled to a second well of the fracturing system, and wherein the pump is configured to deliver a fluid flow from a fluid source to the first well via the first tree and from the fluid source to the second well via the second tree;
a first gate valve positioned along the fluid line between the pump and the first tree;
a first choke gate valve positioned along the fluid line between the pump and the first tree, and in line with the first gate valve;
a second gate valve positioned along the fluid line between the pump and the second tree; and
a second choke gate valve positioned along the fluid line and the second tree and in line with the second gate valve.

2. The choke gate valve system of claim 1 , wherein the first gate valve is configured to adjust between a respective closed position to shut off the fluid flow across the first gate valve and a respective open position to enable the fluid flow across the first gate valve, and the first choke gate valve is configured to adjust between a respective throttle position to throttle the fluid flow across the first choke gate valve and a respective open position to enable a respective full level of the fluid flow across the first choke gate valve.

3. The choke gate valve system of claim 1 , wherein the first choke gate valve is downstream of the first gate valve, such that the first choke gate valve is configured to be positioned between the first gate valve and the first tree.

4. The choke gate valve system of claim 1 , wherein the second gate valve is configured to adjust between a respective closed position to shut off the fluid flow across the second gate valve and a respective open position to enable the fluid flow across the second gate valve, and the second choke gate valve is configured to adjust between a respective throttle position to throttle the fluid flow across the second choke gate valve and a respective open position to enable a respective full level of the fluid flow across the second choke gate valve.

5. The choke gate valve system of claim 1 , comprising a controller configured to control the pump, the first gate valve, the first choke gate valve, the second gate valve, and the second choke gate valve in a coordinated manner to transition from a first fracturing operation through the first tree and a second fracturing operation through the second tree without shut off of the pump.

6. The choke gate valve system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to:
provide respective instructions to reduce a pump rate of the pump and provide respective instructions to move the first choke gate valve to a respective throttle position to throttle the fluid flow across the first choke gate valve;
subsequently provide respective instructions to move the second gate valve to a respective open position to enable the fluid flow across the second gate valve; and
subsequently provide respective instructions to increase the pump rate of the pump and provide respective instructions to move the first gate valve to a respective closed position to shut off the fluid flow across the first gate valve.

7. The choke gate valve system of claim 1 , the first choke gate valve comprising:
a housing that defines a fluid bore, wherein the fluid flow flows through the fluid bore; and
a gate comprising:
a gate body comprising a first opening and a second opening;
an insert disposed in the first opening, the insert defining a choke bean that extends from a first side of the insert to a second side of the insert; and
a liner disposed in the choke bean,
wherein the gate is configured to move within the housing between a throttle position in which the gate extends across the fluid bore to position the choke bean in the fluid bore to throttle the fluid flow through the fluid bore and an open position in which the second opening is positioned in the fluid bore to allow a full level of the fluid flow through the fluid bore.

8. A method of operating a choke gate valve system, the method comprising:
pumping a fluid flow from a fluid source through a fluid line and through a first gate valve in an open position to a first well during a first fracturing operation;
pumping the fluid flow from the fluid source through the fluid line and through a throttling element during a transition from the first fracturing operation for the first well to a second fracturing operation for a second well; and
pumping the fluid flow from the fluid source through the fluid line and through a second gate valve in an open position to the second well during the second fracturing operation.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising pumping the fluid flow at a first flow rate during the first fracturing operation for the first well, and pumping the fluid flow at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate during the transition from the first fracturing operation for the first well to the second fracturing operation for the second well.

10. The method of claim 8 , comprising continuously pumping the fluid flow to carry out at least an end portion of the first fracturing operation for the first well, the transition from the first fracturing operation for the first well to the second fracturing operation for the second well, and at least a beginning portion of the second fracturing operation for the second well.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the throttling element comprises a choke gate valve.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising controlling the choke gate valve to move from the open configuration to a throttle configuration to throttle the fluid flow across the choke gate valve during the transition.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the choke gate valve comprises:
a housing that defines a fluid bore, wherein the fluid flow flows through the fluid bore; and
a gate comprising:
a gate body comprising a first opening and a second opening;
an insert disposed in the first opening, the insert defining a choke bean that extends from a first side of the insert to a second side of the insert; and
a liner disposed in the choke bean,
wherein the gate is configured to move within the housing between a throttle position in which the gate extends across the fluid bore to position the choke bean in the fluid bore to throttle the fluid flow through the fluid bore and an open position in which the second opening is positioned in the fluid bore to allow a full level of the fluid flow through the fluid bore.

14. The choke gate valve system of claim 7 , wherein the liner is a tungsten carbide liner.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Elliott Declan
• Martino Jerry
• Dogar Muneeb
• Beaton Kyle

Classifications

• F16K3/0209 Primary

  the valve having a particular passage, e.g. provided with a filter, throttle or safety device · CPC title

• F16K2200/401

  arranged on the closure member · CPC title

• F16K3/314

  Forms or constructions of slides; Attachment of the slide to the spindle · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• F16K47/04 Primary

  for decreasing pressure {or noise level}, the throttle being incorporated in the closure member · CPC title