®

PB
Wireline-Retrievable
Subsurface
Safety Valve

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Subsurface
Safety Valve
®

• Wireline-Retrievable

• Nitrogen pressure Operated

• 3-Ply Monel Bellows

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Valve Mechanics
®

• Valve opens and held open with the pressure

in the tubing

• Valve closes automatically with snap action

when the tubing pressure at the depth of the
PB valve drops below the preset pressure
in the Dome.

• Seat has two sealing areas

- bonded area that provides a resilient seal
- metal-to-metal seal to contain high pressure

• Valve is designed to fail in the closed position

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Valve Mechanics Continued
®

• Dual bellows communicate with each other and

are filled with Glycol, the bellows system is
protected with a bellows protection system.

• Pressurized dome with the bellows protection

system allows for closing pressure of 50 PSI
to 10,000 PSI.

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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 PB Subsurface
Safety Valve Operation
®

Disk is held in locked-open position

Locking sleeve retains locking balls in groove

Valve remains open until sleeve is shifted

Tubing pressure falls below the dome pressure

Bellow expand upward

Pushes locking sleeve upward

Compresses spring and unlocks balls

Disk snaps up to seat
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Subsurface
Safety Valve Operation
®

Once closed, well pressure builds below

the seat causing the bellow to compress

Bellows pulls sleeve down and compresses

the spring

Differential holds disk on seat

Spring resets disk when pressures are

equalized

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Subsurface Safety Valve
®

TUBING MAX MIN MIN TUBING SEAT MIN PART NUMBER

SIZE VALVE NIPPLE I.D. AROUND I.D. FLOW
O.D. I.D. VALVE AREA
2-3/8” 1.750 1.875 1.845 0.875 0.601 281005-000-000
2-7/8” 2.250 2.312 2.358 1.250 1.227 281010-000-000
3-1/2” 2.500 2.750 2.878 1.625 2.074 281015-000-000
4-1/2” 3.000 3.812 3.606 2.000 3.141 281020-000-000

5” 3.718 4.312 4.625 2.718 5.802 281025-000-000

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
 HP-PB Valves
100-10,000 psi
®

TUBING MAX MIN MIN TUBING SEAT MIN PART NUMBER

SIZE VALVE NIPPLE I.D. AROUND I.D. FLOW
O.D. I.D. VALVE AREA
2-1/16” 1.406 1.500 1.454 .625 .307 77540-000-000
2-3/8” 1.625 1.710 1.845 .875 .601 281056-000-000
2-7/8” 2.250 2.312 2.358 1.250 1.227 281061-000-000
3-1/2” 2.500 2.562 2.878 1.625 2.074 281065-000-000

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Yield and Collapse Ratings
®

Internal Yield Collapse

Pressure (psi) Pressure (psi)
Valve Size LP Dome HP Dome LP Dome HP Dome
1.406 8,250 33,000 6,270 25,080
1.750 4,950 27,460 4,010 21,430
2.250 4,950 27,460 4,010 21,430
2.500 4,950 27,460 4,010 21,430
3.000 5,950 23,800 4,725 18,900
3.718 5,950 23,800 4,725 18,900
5.000 5,950 23,800 4,725 18,900

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Safety Valve
Operational Data
®

Standard Service

50 to 5000 PSI

Temperature to 200 degree F.

High Pressure Service

100 to 10,000 PSI

Temperature to 400 degree F.*

*Uses special seals for the disk

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Design Considerations
®

Desired closing pressure is determine by

several methods

Direct measurement

Extrapolation of existing well conditions

System analysis (Nodal Analysis)

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Direct Measurement Method
®

A pressure and temperature recording device is

place in the well at the same depth at which the
PB valve is to be installed

The well is produced at a normal production rate until

pressure and temperature have stabilized

The well should then be produced for the desired

conditions at which the PB valve is to close

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Extrapolation of Existing
Well Conditions Method
®

For this method,

the pressure and temperature
at the safety valve depth
are determined by extrapolation
from existing well conditions
at the surface

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Extrapolation of Existing
Well Conditions Method
®

Minimum data required:

Flow rate under normal conditions

Production composition
(water cut, GLR, oil API gravity, gas specific gravity)

Flowing tubing pressure under normal conditions

Tubing Size

Safety valve depth

Temperature at safety valve

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Extrapolation of Existing
Well Conditions Method
®

A flowing pressure traverse is constructed from

the surface to the safety valve for normal
conditions, based on the input data

A closing pressure is then chosen between

the two conditions

To avoid nuisance closures, the closure pressure

should be at least 50 psi less than the normal
flowing pressure at valve depth

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Extrapolation of Existing
Well Conditions Method
®

If a condition exits in which it is not practical to

flow the well at emergency closing conditions, then
several lesser rates or pressure may be recorded and
extrapolated to desired conditions

The extrapolated pressure is then corrected for test

rack conditions, and the valve is set accordingly

Because the PB is simple to set, it may be desirable

to take a test to the field and test the valve in the well.
Minor pressure adjustments may be made on
location in the test rack
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Extrapolation of Existing
Well Conditions Method
®

The PB Valve senses pressure on the upstream

side of the valve.

When using the direct measuring and extrapolation

methods of design analysis, you must account for
the pressure drop across the valve.

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Extrapolation of Existing
Well Conditions Method
®

Temperature at the safety valve may be calculated

from the average surface temperature and
geothermal gradient based on normal conditions
(production)

The temperature at closure will be slightly higher,

however the production rate at closure will be
greater than the normal

This extrapolated closing pressure is then

corrected for test rack conditions, and the
valve is then set accordingly

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Nodal Analysis Method
®

For this method,

the pressure at valve depth
is determined by
system analysis
using the Nodal approach

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Nodal Analysis Method
®

Minimum data required:

Tubing Size

Separator Pressure

Depth or mid perforations

PI or IPR (Inflow Permance Relationship) Curves

Flowline Size and Length

Watercut and GLR

Oil API gravity, gas-specific and water-specific gravity

Safety valve depth
ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS
© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Nodal Analysis Method
®

With this method,

the at-depth pressure
as well as
the expected production rate
can be determined

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Calculations for
Pressure Settings
®

Safety valve settings are established through

the use of the API 14B computer program or
NODAL analysis, and are consistent with the
recommended practices outlined in API RP 14B

Flow rates of desired production rates are

investigated for closure conditions

Operator determined closure settings must

be identified

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Test Rack Setting
®

With test stand, the PB Valve can be field tested

to check and set the closing pressure setting

The valve seat housing attaches to the head section

of the test stand and is placed in the test fixture

The test stand can be adapted to various valve

sizes by interchanging the upper head and
lower foot sections of the stand.

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
PB Subsurface Safety Valve
®

Once the desired closing pressure and temperature at

safety valve depth are established, another computer
program determines the equivalent pressure at which
the valve can be functionally tested under shop
conditions.

The computer program makes use of the Z factor

correlation’s, which are accurate to at least 1% over
the operating range of the valve

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Test Procedure
®

After the test stand has been assembled with

the safety valve, pressure is applied above the
valve disk until the valve opens.

The travel indicator of the test stand is pushed

against the valve disk and the pressure is slowly
released until the disk snaps shut. This can be
detected by a sudden movement of the travel
indicator.

The observed test stand pressure at which

movement takes place is the closing pressure
setting at test rack conditions.

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Test Stand Results
®

The following valve characteristics can be

determined with the test stand

Opening Pressure

Closing Pressure

Operating Speed
(difference between opeing and closing)

Closing Seal Integrity

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Running Procedure
®

No special running or pulling tools are required

for installation or removal of the PB valve.

If the valve is closed at the time of removal, the

pressure above and below the valve must be
equalized

Can be adapted to any wireline lock

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

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Troubleshooting
®

PROBLEM PROBABLE CAUSE SOLUTION

Will not hold pressure below seat. Disk flow cut. Retrieve and return.

Soft seal cut. Retrieve and return.

PB shows no indication of closing. Disk assembly sanded up. Retrieve and return.

Closure setting set too low. Retrieve and reset.

PB closes too high or too low. Improper dome charge. Retrieve and reset.

PB shows no indication of opening. Dome charge setting too high. Retrieve and reset.

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.
Maintenance
®

Routine maintenance of the PB should be

restricted to the seat, disk, and disk
locking mechanism

The McMurry-Macco repair kit, available for

all PB Safety Valves, includes these parts and
the necessary O-ring seals for complete or
partial overhaul of the valve portion

ARTIFICIAL LIFT SYSTEMS

© Weatherford. All rights reserved.