Innovative All-Electric Tubing Retrievable Downhole Safety Valve

Abstract

In the search for energy, new technologies bring added benefits. These new technologies are driven by the need to be more environmentally conscious, reduce costs, increase reliability, reach farther and deeper, and provide more and better data to more effectively manage wells and equipment. With these new technologies, the industry is making a steady transition toward electrification and digitalization of the well completion. Electrification of completion equipment has occurred at a steady pace for several years, but the pace has quickened as the reliability of equipment has improved and the benefits of additional data have been realized. Within the last few years, the first completions with all-electric Christmas trees (XT) were run. Because all-electric tubing retrievable downhole safety valves were not yet available, these were not true all-electric completions. These first wells required the XTs to be installed with hydraulically operated downhole safety valves, making these mixed-technology completions. Recently, an all-electric tubing retrievable downhole safety valve was developed, qualified, and field tested. The introduction of the all-electric tubing retrievable downhole safety valve will bring the benefits of an all-electric completion to the oil industry. All-electric tubing retrievable downhole safety valves, also known as electric surface-controlled subsurface safety valves (ESCSSV), build upon field proven technology, but offer the added benefits that an electrically operated tool can provide while performing the same critical function as the traditional hydraulic downhole safety valve. This paper describes the development and deployment of the ESCSSV; it includes discussions about the qualification program of the valve and valve systems, integration with the all-electric subsea XT and control system, and installation in the well.