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US-20260125966-A1 - FLOW CONTROL VALVE EMPLOYING AN ELECTRIC ACTUATOR AND METAL-TO-METAL SEAL

US20260125966A1US 20260125966 A1US20260125966 A1US 20260125966A1US-20260125966-A1

Abstract

A flow control valve, a method and a well system. The flow control valve, in one aspect, includes a sliding sleeve disposed in a central bore of a housing, the sliding sleeve configured to move between a first state covering one or more flow trim ports and engaging a metal-to-metal seal and second state disengaging from the metal-to-metal seal and exposing at least a portion of the one or more flow trim ports. In accordance with one aspect, the flow control valve further includes an electric actuator coupled with the sliding sleeve, the electric actuator configured to move the sliding sleeve between the first state and the second state.

Inventors

  • Jonathon N. Joubran
  • Sanjay Kanwarlal
  • Samuel Amora Alves Neto
  • Jefferson Koloda dos Santos

Assignees

  • HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251104

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A flow control valve, comprising: a housing including a central bore extending axially there through, the central bore configured to convey subsurface fluids there through; an opening located in a sidewall of the housing; a flow trim coupled with the housing and covering the opening, the flow trim including one or more flow trim ports configured to allow the subsurface fluids to pass between the housing and a subterranean formation surrounding the housing; a sliding sleeve disposed in the central bore of the housing, the sliding sleeve configured to move between a first state covering the one or more flow trim ports and engaging a metal-to-metal seal and second state disengaging from the metal-to-metal seal and exposing at least a portion of the one or more flow trim ports; and an electric actuator coupled with the sliding sleeve, the electric actuator configured to move the sliding sleeve between the first state and the second state.
  2. 2 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metal-to-metal seal is an interference fit metal-to-metal seal.
  3. 3 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 2 , wherein an interior radial surface of the interference fit metal-to-metal seal includes one or more seal nubs configured to engage with the sliding sleeve when the sliding sleeve is in the first state.
  4. 4 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 1 , wherein a size or position of the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 1.5 KSI pressure differential between an outside of the housing and the central bore as the sliding sleeve moves past a nearest most flow trim port to the metal-to-metal seal.
  5. 5 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 4 , wherein the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 2.0 KSI pressure differential.
  6. 6 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 4 , wherein the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 2.5 KSI pressure differential.
  7. 7 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 4 , wherein the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 3.0 KSI pressure differential.
  8. 8 . The flow control valve a recited in claim 4 , wherein the size or position of the one or more flow trim ports are configured to improve turbulence properties created as the subsurface fluids pass through the nearest most flow trim port to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least the 1.5 KSI pressure differential.
  9. 9 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 4 , wherein the nearest most flow trim port is a distance (d) of at least 60 mm from the metal-to-metal seal.
  10. 10 . The flow control valve as recited in claim 1 , further including a decoupling mechanism positioned between the sliding sleeve and the electric actuator, the decoupling mechanism configured to allow the sliding sleeve to move between the first state and the second state apart from an electric operation of the electric actuator.
  11. 11 . A method, comprising: positioning a downhole tool within a wellbore extending through one or more subterranean formations, the downhole tool having a flow control valve, including: a housing including a central bore extending axially there through, the central bore configured to convey subsurface fluids there through; an opening located in a sidewall of the housing; a flow trim coupled with the housing and covering the opening, the flow trim including one or more flow trim ports configured to allow the subsurface fluids to pass between the housing and a subterranean formation surrounding the housing; a sliding sleeve disposed in the central bore of the housing, the sliding sleeve configured to move between a first state covering the one or more flow trim ports and engaging a metal-to-metal seal and second state disengaging from the metal-to-metal seal and exposing at least a portion of the one or more flow trim ports; and an electric actuator coupled with the sliding sleeve, the electric actuator configured to move the sliding sleeve between the first state and the second state; and actuating the sliding sleeve between the first state and the second state.
  12. 12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the metal-to-metal seal is an interference fit metal-to-metal seal.
  13. 13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein an interior radial surface of the interference fit metal-to-metal seal includes one or more seal nubs configured to engage with the sliding sleeve when the sliding sleeve is in the first state.
  14. 14 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein a size or position of the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 1.5 KSI pressure differential between an outside of the housing and the central bore as the sliding sleeve moves past a nearest most flow trim port to the metal-to-metal seal.
  15. 15 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 2.0 KSI pressure differential.
  16. 16 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 2.5 KSI pressure differential.
  17. 17 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the one or more flow trim ports are configured to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least a 3.0 KSI pressure differential.
  18. 18 . The method a recited in claim 14 , wherein the size or position of the one or more flow trim ports are configured to improve turbulence properties created as the subsurface fluids pass through the nearest most flow trim port to prevent the metal-to-metal seal from eroding while providing at least the 1.5 KSI pressure differential.
  19. 19 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the nearest most flow trim port is a distance (d) of at least 60 mm from the metal-to-metal seal.
  20. 20 . The method as recited in claim 11 , further including a decoupling mechanism positioned between the sliding sleeve and the electric actuator, the decoupling mechanism configured to allow the sliding sleeve to move between the first state and the second state apart from an electric operation of the electric actuator.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/716,557, filed on November 5, 2024, entitled “ELECTRIC INTERVAL CONTROL VALVE WITH METAL TO METAL SEALING,” commonly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND The oil and gas services industry uses various types of downhole well devices or tools in well systems. For example, well systems typically include one or more downhole flow control valves, such as one or more interval control valves (ICVs). The one or more downhole flow control valves may be used to control the fluid flow to and from one or more wellbore zones of the well system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a well system designed, manufactured, and/or operated according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure; FIGS. 2A through 2G illustrate various different views of a flow control valve designed, manufactured, and/or operated according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure; FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective, partial cutaway view of one embodiment of a bi-directional over-running clutch, according to some embodiments; FIGS. 4A through 4C illustrate front views of one embodiment of a bi-directional over-running clutch shown in three positions, according to some embodiments; FIG. 5A through 5E illustrate perspective views of components of a bi-directional over-running clutch, according to some embodiments; FIG. 6 illustrates a side section view of an electrical downhole backdrivable (EDB) actuator, according to some embodiments; FIG. 7 illustrates a side section view of another embodiment of an EDB actuator; FIGS. 8A through 8B illustrate system diagrams illustrating different systems employing an EDB actuator and a clutch, according to some embodiments; and FIG. 9 illustrates a system diagram illustrating another system employing an EDB actuator and a clutch, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings and descriptions that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawn figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the disclosure may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of certain elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present disclosure may be implemented in embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure, and is not intended to limit the disclosure to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed herein may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. Unless otherwise specified, use of the terms “connect,” “engage,” “couple,” “attach,” or any other like term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, use of the terms “up,” “upper,” “upward,” “uphole,” “upstream,” or other like terms shall be construed as generally toward the surface of the subterranean formation; likewise, use of the terms “down,” “lower,” “downward,” “downhole,” “downstream,” or other like terms shall be construed as generally toward the bottom, terminal end of a well, regardless of the wellbore orientation. Use of any one or more of the foregoing terms shall not be construed as denoting positions along a perfectly vertical axis. Additionally, unless otherwise specified, use of the term “subterranean formation” shall be construed as encompassing both areas below exposed earth and areas below earth covered by water such as ocean or fresh water. Various values and/or ranges are explicitly disclosed in certain embodiments herein. However, values/ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. Similarly, values/ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any other lower limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. In the same way, values/ranges from any upper limit may be combined with any other upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. Additionally, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range are specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set f