Indexing injection valve, method, and system

Abstract

An indexing injection valve including a housing having a port therein, a valve member moveable within the housing, an indexer connected to the valve member, the indexer having positions where the valve member is locked open and locked closed, wherein when the valve member is in the closed position pressure uphole of the valve is fixed. A method for managing a fluid sequestration system including injecting fluid in a liquid state into a formation, maintaining pressure above a gas transition pressure, and closing an injection valve while still maintaining pressure of the injected fluid uphole of the injection valve above the gas transition pressure of the fluid. A system including the injection valve further including a barrier valve configured to receive the injection valve and automatically close upon retrieval of the injection valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An indexing injection valve comprising:
 a housing having a port therein;   a valve member moveable within the housing;   an indexer operatively connected to the valve member, the indexer having positions where the valve member is locked open and locked closed, wherein when the valve member is in the closed position pressure uphole of the valve is fixed.   
     
     
         2 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the indexer is a J-slot. 
     
     
         3 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the indexer further includes a pilot piston requiring a differential pressure thereacross to actuate the indexer. 
     
     
         4 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the indexer includes a spring. 
     
     
         5 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the indexer is responsive to excess pressure events to both open and close the valve member. 
     
     
         6 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the pressure events are at a pressure greater than a gas transition temperature of a liquid being injected through the valve. 
     
     
         7 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the valve member opens or closes a fluid pathway between an annular space about the housing and a space downhole of the valve. 
     
     
         8 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the valve includes no internal flow path extending uphole of the valve. 
     
     
         9 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  further including an anchor to anchor the valve in a tubing string. 
     
     
         10 . The valve as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the valve member includes a seal that is sealed to the housing such that a pressure chamber is created between the pilot piston and the seal. 
     
     
         11 . The valve as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the pressure chamber is an atmospheric pressure chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The valve as claimed in  claim 1  further including a restriction downhole of the valve. 
     
     
         13 . A method for managing a fluid sequestration system comprising:
 injecting fluid in a liquid state into a formation;   maintaining pressure above a gas transition pressure for the injected fluid; and   closing an injection valve while still maintaining pressure of the injected fluid uphole of the injection valve above the gas transition pressure of the fluid.   
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13  further including installing the valve as claimed in  claim 1  into a borehole accessing the formation. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  further including landing the injection valve in a barrier valve that is open when the injection valve is present and closed when the injection valve is removed. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  further including anchoring the injection valve in a nipple. 
     
     
         17 . A system including the injection valve as claimed in  claim 1  where the system further includes a barrier valve configured to receive the injection valve and automatically close upon retrieval of the injection valve. 
     
     
         18 . The system as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the barrier valve is a ball valve. 
     
     
         19 . A borehole system comprising:
 a borehole in a subsurface formation; and   an injection valve as claimed in  claim 1  disposed in the borehole.