Surface Annulus Safety valves (SAS)

(Not just for gas lifted wells!!)

Alan Brodie Aug 2011

Surface Annulus Safety Valves

wellhead

Not Just For Gas Lifted Wells

Applications
Gas Lifted Wells
To restore integrity in wells with failed DH ASV
As an alternative to DH ASV in new gas lift wells
In conjunction with DH ASV in new gas lift wells
(Belt and braces)

Annulus line

wellhead

Natural flow wells

Annulus
A / B / C Annulus MAASP management
Especially on NNMI
In conjunction with VR P/T sensor plug
Installed in on other wellhead VR profile
Water Injection Wells
With tubing annulus communication
And often just one gate valve on the annulus line
Use with PTC high flow area Monel K500 WI valve
Safelift valve technology
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Chemical Injection or other hydraulic wellhead penetrations

Part of your secondary containment envelope

Pressure
temperature
sensor
Wireless transmission or
hard wire connector
module

VR Profile

Chemical
injection or
control line

Gas Lifted Well Integrity Management

The key safety risks
Volume of pressurised gas in each well annulus:
Typically equivalent of > 1000 industrial gas bottles
Precautions are taken at well sites re gas bottles
Store in safe location
Limit numbers at well site
Not an option for gas lifted wells
Lift gas lines from HP header to annulus
Pass thru area with relatively high risk of dropped objects
Piper Alpha
Disaster exacerbated by wells flowing via gas lift annulus
Other key gas lift safety risk
Lift gas leakage to outer annullii
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Gas Lifted Well Integrity Management

The key safety risk: Options to address the integrity risks

Surface Annulus Safety (SAS) Valves

Set in wellhead VR profile
Eliminates HP gas venting in event of
Lift gas line damage
Annulus valve failure
Production casing leaks
If SAS valves installed on outer annuli too

Down hole Annulus Safety Valves (ASV)

Usually set at
Mud line or
Production tubing SCSSV depth
> 100 HP gas bottles capacity above
No protection in event of
Lift gas line damage
Annulus valve failure
Reliability track record
Full workover to replace

Well Integrity Management

Surface Annulus Safety Valves
Employs PTC SafeLift check valve design
No erosion across metal / metal seal faces
Performance exceeds that delivered by DH ASV
Valves tested to API 6A PSL 3G PR2
Fire tested to API 6FB and API 6FD
Achieving V0 with gas as test medium
Installed and retrieved without workover
Using PTC compact, telescopic, titanium VR lubricator system

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Image used with the permission of J Bellarby

Gas Lifted Well Integrity Management

Reducing the HSE risk (HP lift gas inventory)
Actuator module holds check valve open throughout life
Ties into existing ESD system
Protecting seal faces from chattering and erosion

Modular design facilitates actuator de-tachement

In case of annulus line damage
Leaving check valve intact in wellhead
Over 250 SAS / H SAS / M SAS / M SAS -CIV valves installed
Many in gas lifted wells, previously CI due to failed DH ASV
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Image used with the permission of J Bellarby