Dual string automatic gas lift valve

Claim 2

A dual string, gas lift injection valve assembly comprising: body means adapted to engage two strings of conduit; passage means in said body arranged to communicate with the strings of conduit; checkvalve means in said passage means adapted to allow fluid flow through said passage means in one direction only; pressure responsive valve means in said passage means communicating with the conduit strings, said pressure responsive means arranged in said passage means to receive fluid pressure from the conduit strings and to move responsively thereto to open and close said passage means alternatively to each of the conduit strings; and means on said body means for delivering pressurized gas to said passage means.

Claim 3

The gas lift injection valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said body means further comprises dual lower chambers separated by a centrally located wall portion and dual upper chambers communicating with said lower chambers and with said passage means.

Claim 4

The gas lift injection valve assembly of claim 2 wherein said passage means further comprises a generally centrally located upper passage extending from said pressurized gas delivery means into said body means; two branch passages extending from said upper passage each to one of said dual upper chambers; secondary passages extending from said dual upper chambers to said dual lower chambers; and, port means between said lower chambers and the conduiT strings.

Claim 5

The gas lift injection valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said pressure responsive valve means further comprises a dual-element valve member sealingly and slidably mounted in said body means and having pressure responsive areas thereon; and, dual valve seats in said passage means arranged to receive in sealing engagement said valve member, each said valve seat circumscribing said passage means between said body means and the conduit strings.

Claim 6

The gas lift injection valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for delivering pressurized gas comprises a bellows-type, differential pressure operated valve assembly having ports therein communicating with the annulus of the wellbore and further having a valved flow passage between said ports and said passage means.

Claim 7

The gas lift injection valve assembly of claim 1 further comprising two tubular elongated conduit adapters attached one to each side of said valve assembly and arranged to align co-axially with the dual string production tubing in a dual-zone well; each of said conduit adapters having connection means at each end for connection to standard sections of oil well production tubing.

Claim 8

A dual string gas lift valve assembly for use in a wellbore, said assembly comprising: a body member adapted to be engaged with a dual conduit string; gas passage means through said body member communicating from the annulus of the wellbore to the dual conduit string; and valve means in said body member for alternately opening said passage means to one conduit string while simultaneously closing said passage means to the other conduit string; said valve means having pressure responsive areas thereon exposed to pressures in each of the conduit strings; said valve means being slidably and sealingly mounted in said body member and arranged to be moved slidably therein by pressures in the conduit strings.

Claim 9

A dual string gas lift valve assembly for use in a wellbore, said assembly comprising: a body member adapted to be engaged with a dual conduit string; gas passage means through said body member communicating from the annulus of the wellbore to the dual conduit string; and valve means in said body member for alternately opening said passage means to one conduit string while simultaneously closing said passage means to the other conduit string; said valve means having pressure responsive areas thereon exposed to pressures in each of the conduit strings; said valve means being slidably and sealingly mounted in said body member and arranged to be moved slidably therein by pressures in the conduit strings.

Claim 10

The gas lift valve assembly of claim 7 further comprising checkvalve means in said passage means arranged to allow flow into the conduit strings, but prevent flow from the conduit strings.

Claim 11

The gas valve assembly of claim 8 further comprising elongated tubular conduit adapters attached to said valve assembly and arranged to be coaxially aligned with the conduit strings and further having connection means at each end for connection to standard tubing sections.

Claim 12

The gas lift valve assembly of claim 9 further comprising pressure responsive injection gas regulating means connected to said gas lift valve assembly and having fluid communication passages from the annulus of the well to said valve assembly, with pressure responsive valve means in said fluid communication passages in valving relationship therewith.

Claim 13

The gas lift valve assembly of claim 10 wherein said body member further comprises a generally solid body having dual upper chambers containing said checkvalve means and dual lower chambers divided by a generally centrally located wall section; with said valve means in said body member comprising an elongated valve body slidably and sealingly mounted in said wall section; with said gas passage means communicating from said regulating means through said dual upper chambers and said dual lower chambers to dual ports in the wall of said body at said lower chambers, with one said port in each lower chamber, said each port being coaxially aligned with said elongated valve body and arranged to be alternatively closed and opened by said valve body.

Claim 14

A dual string gas injection assembly for use in gas-lift oil wells having dual production strings, said assembly comprising: a body member adapted to be connected between two well conduits and inserted in the wellbore; dual gas flow channels in said body member arranged to communicate one with each of the well conduits; a pressure responsive valve member movable in both of said gas flow channels and arranged to open and close said channels alternatively, said valve member being movable in response to fluid pressurE from the well conduits; and pressurized gas supply means communicating with said flow channels and arranged to provide pressurized gas to said flow channels.

Claim 15

A dual string gas injection assembly for use in gas-lift oil wells having dual production strings, said assembly comprising: a body member adapted to be connected between two well conduits and inserted in the wellbore; dual gas flow channels in said body member arranged to communicate one with each of the well conduits; a pressure responsive valve member movable in both of said gas flow channels and arranged to open and close said channels alternatively, said valve member being movable in response to fluid pressurE from the well conduits; and pressurized gas supply means communicating with said flow channels and arranged to provide pressurized gas to said flow channels.

Claim 16

A pressurized gas injection assembly for use in gas-lift operation in a dual string well; said assembly comprising: a generally solid body member adapted to be placed between two well conduits and having port means therein communicating with the well conduits; dual flow channels in said body member communicating with said port means, each of said channels having an upper chamber and a lower chamber, with said two lower chambers being laterally adjacent and separated by a wall section; checkvalve means in each of said upper chambers arranged to allow flow through said channels to said port means, but prevent flow from said port means through said flow channels; a slidable valve member sealably located in said wall section and arranged to alternately open one of said flow channels to said port means while simultaneously closing said other flow channel to said port means; pressure responsive areas on said valve member arranged to receive fluid pressure from the well conduits; means for connecting said body member to the well conduits; and, a gas injection valve communicating between the well annulus and said flow channels and adapted to respond to pressurized gas in the annulus to open said injection valve to allow gas from the annulus to flow therethrough.

Claim 17

A pressurized gas injection assembly for use in gas-lift operation in a dual string well; said assembly comprising: a generally solid body member adapted to be placed between two well conduits and having port means therein communicating with the well conduits; dual flow channels in said body member communicating with said port means, each of said channels having an upper chamber and a lower chamber, with said two lower chambers being laterally adjacent and separated by a wall section; checkvalve means in each of said upper chambers arranged to allow flow through said channels to said port means, but prevent flow from said port means through said flow channels; a slidable valve member sealably located in said wall section and arranged to alternately open one of said flow channels to said port means while simultaneously closing said other flow channel to said port means; pressure responsive areas on said valve member arranged to receive fluid pressure from the well conduits; means for connecting said body member to the well conduits; and, a gas injection valve communicating between the well annulus and said flow channels and adapted to respond to pressurized gas in the annulus to open said injection valve to allow gas from the annulus to flow therethrough.

Claim 18

The gas injection assembly of claim 13 wherein said connecting means further comprises elongated tubular sections securedly attached to said body member and coaxially aligned with the production strings in the wellbore; said tubular sections having connection means at each end for connection with standard tubing sections.

Claim 19

The gas injection assembly of claim 14 wherein said gas injection valve comprises a tubular cylindrical housing having a central bore passage, port means through the wall thereof, an expandable bellows element securedly attached therein to define an expansion-contraction chamber, and a valve member on said bellows element arranged to open and close said central bore passage.