Emergency disconnect isolation valve

Abstract

An isolation valve system, method, and apparatus are provided that can isolate a wellbore and prevent fluids from exiting the well and prevent seawater from entering the well. The system can be a two-part design in some embodiments where a shear sub is selectively interconnected to a body via shearing screws. A sufficient force on the shear sub destroys the shearing screws and the shear sub is removed from the body. This movement rotates an actuator on the body, which in turn rotates a valve in the body to provide the isolating function during routine operation of a wellbore or during an emergency.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for disconnection in a drilling operation, comprising:
 a body having an interior volume and an outer surface, the body having a seal positioned in the interior volume and a valve positioned in the seal, the valve is rotatable between an open position and a closed position, the body having an actuator disposed on the outer surface of the body, and the actuator is interconnected the valve;   a shear sub at least partially covering the outer surface of the body, the shear sub having a slot and the actuator of the body is positionable in the slot; and   a shearing mechanism selectively interconnects the shear sub to the body and selectively disconnects the shear sub from the body when the shear sub is subjected to a predetermined shear force, wherein when the shear sub selectively disconnects from the body, the shear sub rotates the actuator as the actuator is removed from the slot of the shear sub to rotate the valve from the open position to the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a protrusion of the actuator that extends from an axis of rotation of the actuator; and   a catch of the shear sub that extends into the slot of the shear sub, wherein the catch drives the protrusion around the axis of rotation to rotate the actuator, which rotates the valve from the open position to the closed position when the shear sub is selectively disconnected from the body.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shearing mechanism is a plurality of shear screws arrayed about a longitudinal axis of the body and the shear sub. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tab disposed on the outer surface of the body and positioned proximate to the actuator, wherein the tab is deflected when the shear sub is selectively interconnected to the body, and the tab is extended when the shear sub is selectively disconnected from the body to prevent rotation of the actuator and rotation of the valve from the closed position.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shear sub rotates the actuator approximately 90 degrees about an axis of rotation to rotate the valve from the open position to the closed position when the shear sub is selectively disconnected from the body. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a guide slot on an outer surface of the body;   a reentry sub having a guide feature that is positionable in the guide slot, and the reentry sub comprises a reentry slot; and   wherein after the shear sub disconnects from the body, the reentry sub is configured to selectively interconnect to the body, and the actuator is positionable in the reentry slot, and wherein the guide feature in the guide slot orients the reentry sub and the reentry slot to rotate the actuator and rotate the valve from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the guide slot comprises four orientation zones:
 a first orientation zone allows the rotation of the reentry sub relative to the body to align the reentry sub and the body in a first angular orientation;   a second orientation zone allows the reentry sub to progressively cover the body along a longitudinal length of the body;   a third orientation zone allows further rotation of the reentry sub relative to the body to align the reentry sub and the body in a second angular orientation; and   a fourth orientation zone allows the reentry sub to further progressively cover the body along the longitudinal length of the body.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a shear ring positioned in a channel on an inner surface of the reentry sub; and   a channel disposed on the outer surface of the body, wherein the reentry sub is positioned over the body and the shear ring is positioned in the channel of the body to selectively interconnect the reentry sub and the body.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second actuator disposed on the outer surface of the body, and the second actuator is interconnected to the valve; and   a second slot of the shear sub, and the second actuator of the body is positionable in the second slot, wherein when the shear sub is selectively disconnected from the body, the shear sub rotates the second actuator as the second actuator is removed from the second slot to rotate the valve from the open position to the closed position.   
     
     
         10 . A method for operating an emergency disconnect isolation valve, comprising:
 providing a body having an interior volume, a valve positioned in the interior volume, and an actuator on an outer surface of the body, wherein the actuator is operably interconnected to the valve;   positioning a shear sub over at least part of the outer surface of the body, and positioning the actuator in a slot of the shear sub;   selectively interconnecting the shear sub to the body with a shear mechanism that is configured to shear apart when the shear sub is subjected to a predetermined shear force;   applying the predetermined shear force to the shear sub so that the shear mechanism shears apart and the shear sub disconnects from the body along a longitudinal axis of the body; and   rotating, by a catch of the shear sub, the actuator as the shear sub disconnects from the body to rotate the valve of the body from an open position to a closed position.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a tab on the outer surface of the body and positioning the tab proximate to the actuator;   deflecting the tab by a portion of the shear sub when the shear sub is selectively interconnected to the body; and   extending the tab when the shear sub is selectively disconnected from the body to prevent rotation of the actuator and rotation of the valve from the closed position.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a protrusion of the actuator that extends from an axis of rotation of the actuator; and   contacting the protrusion of the actuator with the catch of the shear sub to rotate the actuator and rotate the valve.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a guide slot on the outer surface of the body, and providing a guide feature on an inner surface of a reentry sub;   positioning the guide feature in a first orientation zone of the guide slot and rotating the reentry sub to a first angular orientation with respect to the body;   extending the guide feature in a second orientation zone of the guide slot to cover a portion of the body with the reentry sub along a longitudinal length of the body; and   positioning the guide feature in a third orientation zone of the guide slot and rotating the reentry sub to a second angular orientation with respect to the body so that the catch of the reentry sub rotates the actuator and rotates the valve from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing a channel on the inner surface of the reentry sub and a shear ring in the channel;   extending the guide feature in a fourth orientation zone of the guide slot to cover a further portion of the body with the reentry sub along the longitudinal length of the body to set the shear ring in a channel on the outer surface of the body to selectively interconnect the reentry sub and the body.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 re-deflecting the tab by a portion of a reentry sub when the reentry sub covers a portion of the body along a longitudinal length of the body.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 providing a reentry sub, and positioning the reentry sub over the body;   contacting a leading edge of the reentry sub with a receiving edge of the body;   supplying a fluid through an interior volume of the reentry sub to register a pressure increase and confirm a seal between the reentry sub and the body.   
     
     
         17 . An isolation system for a borehole operation, comprising:
 an isolation valve having an element positioned between a first end and a second end of the isolation valve, wherein the element is rotatable between an open position and a closed position;   a first enclosed volume proximate to the first end of the isolation valve;   a second enclosed volume proximate to the second end of the isolation valve, wherein the element segregates the first enclosed volume and the second enclosed volume when the element is in the closed position, and a shaft of the element extends to a side surface of the isolation valve;   an actuator having an element recess configured to operatively interconnect to the shaft of the element, wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the element between the open position and the closed position; and   a first alignment feature and a second alignment feature positioned on the side surface of the isolation valve, wherein the first alignment feature and the second feature combine to align the actuator and the isolation valve and to align the shaft and the element recess.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a drive recess of the actuator that is configured to receive the distal end of a rotatable tool, and a gearbox disposed between the drive recess and the element recess of the actuator.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the gearbox is configured to rotate the element recess with a greater torque than the drive recess. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a first bleeding valve positioned on the isolation valve and operatively interconnected to the first enclosed volume to control the pressure within the first enclosed volume; and   a second bleeding valve positioned on the isolation valve and operatively interconnected to the second enclosed volume to control the pressure within the second enclosed volume.