Back pressure valve with double barrier sealing

• US 8,539,976 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2011
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Doyle Wayne Jr. Rodgers, James Otis Miller
• Original Assignee: Doyle Wayne Jr. Rodgers
• Inventors: Miller, James Otis, Rodgers, Doyle Wayne Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Macade
• Application Number:
  US13/233,106
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 137/512, 137/512.3, 137/513, 137/543.23
• US Class Current: 137/512
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/02 in well heads
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/066 with a plurality of valve members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7838 Plural
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7939 Head between spring and guide

Abstract

A back pressure valve for providing a double barrier to flow for use with a tubing hanger within a well bore, wherein the back pressure valve can have a first body piece threadably engaged and sealed with a second body piece. A first piston can engage a first surface for sealing bottom pressure to provide a first barrier to flow. A second piston can engage a second surface for redundantly sealing bottom pressure to provide a second barrier to flow. The back pressure valve can have one-way and two-way back pressure valve assemblies. The two-way back pressure valve assembly can include a bidirectional piston having a double sealing face for engaging sealing surfaces and sealing bottom pressure from the well bore while allowing testing without stopping a flow of fluid.

Claims

1. A back pressure valve for providing a double barrier to flow for use within a tubing hanger within a well bore, the back pressure valve comprising:

a. a cylindrical two-piece body with a bore hole therethrough, wherein the cylindrical two-piece body comprises a first body piece engaged with a second body piece, and wherein the cylindrical two-piece body comprises a body sealing surface for sealing between the first body piece and the second body piece;

b. a first pressure piston disposed within the bore hole, wherein the first pressure piston is configured to sealingly engage a first sealing surface in the second body piece, and wherein the first pressure piston with the first sealing surface seals bottom pressure from the well bore, providing a first barrier to flow;

c. a first moving stem engaged with a first compression spring, wherein the first moving stem has a first stem first end engaged with the first pressure piston for holding the first pressure piston in a first position relative to the cylindrical two-piece body, and wherein the first moving stem is configured to align the first pressure piston with the second body piece, and wherein the first moving stem has a first stem second end disposed through a centralizer alignment hole;

d. a second pressure piston disposed within the bore hole, wherein the second pressure piston is configured to sealing engage a second sealing surface in the first body piece, and wherein the second pressure piston with the second sealing surface seals bottom pressure from the well bore, providing a second barrier to flow;

e. a second moving stem engaged with a second compression spring, wherein the second moving stem has a second stem first end engaged with the second pressure piston for holding the second pressure piston within the bore hole and in alignment with the second sealing surface;

f. a guide plate disposed within the bore hole and engaged between the first body piece and the second body piece for receiving a second stem second end and centralizing the second moving stem in the cylindrical two-piece body, wherein the guide plate comprises a plurality of flow passageways; and

g. a plurality of stabilizer legs, wherein each stabilizer leg of the plurality of stabilizer legs is connected to the second body piece at one end and to the centralizer alignment hole opposite the second body piece, and wherein the first moving stem is engaged within the centralizer alignment hole.

2. The back pressure valve of claim 1, wherein the guide plate comprises from four flow passageways to eight flow passageways.

3. The back pressure valve of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of running threads disposed on an inner surface of the first body piece.

4. The back pressure valve of claim 1, further comprising at least one detent notch formed in the first body piece for receiving a running tool.

5. The back pressure valve of claim 1, further comprising outer threads disposed on an outer surface of the second body piece for connecting the cylindrical two-piece body to the tubing hanger.

6. The back pressure valve of claim 1, further comprising a groove on an outer surface of the second body piece for receiving a seal.

7. The back pressure valve of claim 1, wherein the first moving stem comprises a first stem alignment flange engaged with the first pressure piston, and wherein the second moving stem comprises a second stem alignment flange engaged with the second pressure piston.

8. The back pressure valve of claim 1, further comprising:

a. a first counter bore spring seat disposed on the plurality of stabilizer legs for receiving the first compression spring; and

b. a second counter bore spring seat disposed in the guide plate for receiving the second compression spring.

9. The back pressure valve of claim 1, wherein the first body piece is threaded to the second body piece.

10. The back pressure valve of claim 1, further comprising a drilled or tapped hole configured to receive a set screw for preventing rotation of the first body piece relative to the second body piece.