Full bore electric flow control valve system

Abstract

A technique facilitates flow control downhole via at least one flow control valve. According to an example, a flow control valve has an internal piston. Additionally, an electrically powered actuator is mounted externally to the flow control valve and connected to the internal piston via a linkage. The electrically powered actuator is responsive to electrical inputs to shift the internal piston to desired flow positions of the flow control valve.

1 . A method of operating a flow control valve, comprising:
 powering up a pump system configured to pump hydraulic control fluid from a reservoir;   activating a selected solenoid operated valve (SOV) in a manifold comprising hydraulic circuitry linking the pump system with an electro-hydraulic actuator mounted externally to the flow control valve;   flowing hydraulic control fluid from the reservoir, through the manifold, and into a chamber of the electro-hydraulic actuator such that a piston of the electro-hydraulic actuator moves in an open or a close direction; and   moving a piston of the flow control valve by movement of the piston of the electro-hydraulic actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SOV is a 2-way, 2-position, normally open valve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator is held in place along an outer surface of a housing of the flow control valve with one or more clamps or protectors. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SOV acts as a directional switch. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing mechanical intervention on the electro-hydraulic actuator by using a shifting tool to mechanically move the piston of the electro-hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control valve comprises a housing, wherein the piston is moveably disposed within the housing; and
 the electro-hydraulic actuator is connected to the piston via a linkage, the electro-hydraulic actuator responding to electrical inputs to shift the internal piston to flow positions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator is held in place along an outer surface of the housing of the flow control valve with one or more clamps or protectors. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator is disposed in a groove formed in an outer surface of the housing of the flow control valve. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein an outer surface of the housing comprises one or more grooves formed therein. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more grooves comprises a first groove housing the electro-hydraulic actuator and a second groove housing electronics or one or more sensors. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator comprises an electro-mechanical actuator (EMA). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator comprises an electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a manifold and a pump system comprising a motor and a pump, the manifold comprising hydraulic circuitry linking the pump system to the electro-hydraulic actuator, and the pump system configured to pump hydraulic control fluid from a reservoir through the manifold to the electro-hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , the manifold comprising at least one solenoid operated valve (SOV). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein mechanical intervention for mechanically shifting the flow control valve is configured to be performed while the electro-hydraulic actuator is connected to the internal piston. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the flow control valve is mounted along a well tubing, the flow control valve having a flow area equivalent to an internal cross-sectional area of the well tubing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the linkage is configured to be disconnected to enable mechanical intervention for mechanically shifting the flow control valve. 
     
     
         18 . A flow control valve comprising:
 a housing;   a piston movably disposed within the housing to adjust flow through the flow control valve;   at least one groove formed in an outer surface of the housing, wherein the at least one groove comprises a first groove housing an electro-hydraulic actuator and a second groove housing electronics; and   a solenoid operated valve (SOV) in a manifold, the manifold comprising hydraulic circuitry and a linkage coupling the electro-hydraulic actuator to the piston such that movement of the electro-hydraulic actuator causes movement of the piston.   
     
     
         19 . The flow control valve of  claim 18 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator is held in place along the outer surface of the housing of the flow control valve with one or more clamps or protectors. 
     
     
         20 . The flow control valve of  claim 18 , wherein the electro-hydraulic actuator comprises an electro-hydraulic actuator comprising an internal piston, wherein movement of the internal piston of the electro-hydraulic actuator causes movement of the piston of the flow control valve to adjust flow through the flow control valve.