Toe flap valve for internal corrosion prevention in ccus injection well tubing

Abstract

An apparatus and method for internal corrosion prevention is used for carbon capture utilization and storage injection well tubing. The method is directed to control flow in an injection well tubing and preventing internal corrosion of the injection well tubing. The method comprises steps of injecting CO2 stream into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir from an injection well; and using a flap valve at a bottom end of an injection well tubing that operates by responding to elevated injection pressures; and automatically closing upon injection cessation, effectively preventing a flow-back of formulation fluids into the injection well tubing.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of preventing internal corrosion in carbon capture utilization and storage injection well tubing and storing CO 2  in a hydrocarbon reservoir having at least one injection well, comprising:
 importing a CO 2  stream to an injection facility wherein the imported CO 2  is either in a liquid state or a supercritical state;   injecting the CO 2  stream into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir from said injection well;   using a flap valve at a bottom end of an injection well tubing that operates by responding to elevated injection pressures and automatically closes upon injection cessation, effectively preventing a flow-back of fluids into the injection well tubing;   continuing injecting the CO 2  stream into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir; and   pushing the flap valve open through the pressure of the liquid CO 2  stream into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flap valve is configured to achieve gas tight seal, and keep the sealing performance with large temperature cycle from −80° C. to 150° C. in short period of time (1-20 mins) during the carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) operation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flap valve is made from at least one of specific alloys comprising Ni alloy (625, C-276), Ti alloy, Super Austenitic Stainless, to address environmental cracking at extremely low temperatures. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising a valve seat to hold pressure exerted on an outer surface of the flap valve in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said flapper hinge comprises a hinge pin formed on said flap valve. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising a torsion spring means being loaded in torsion as the flap valve rotates from the closed to the open position to exert a restoring force for rotating the valve flapper to the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the torsion spring means has one end connecting and biasing on the outer surface of the flap valve, while the other end connects and biases on the outer surface of the injection well tubing. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the torsion spring means has both ends connecting and biasing on the outer surface of the injection well tubing. 
     
     
         9 . A method for controlling flow in an injection well tubing and preventing internal corrosion of the injection well tubing, comprising:
 injecting CO 2  stream into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir from an injection well; and   using a flap valve at a bottom end of an injection well tubing that operates by responding to elevated injection pressures; and   automatically closing upon injection cessation, effectively preventing a flow-back of fluids into the injection well tubing, wherein the flap valve is configured to achieve gas tight seal, and keep the sealing performance with large temperature cycle from −80° C. to 150° C. in short period of time (1-20 mins).   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprises steps of
 continuing injecting the CO 2  stream into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir; and   pushing the flap valve open through the pressure of the liquid CO 2  stream into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the flap valve having a torsion spring means with one end connecting and biasing on an outer surface of the flap valve, while the other end connects and biases on the outer surface of the injection well tubing. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the flap valve comprises a valve seat to hold pressure exerted on an outer surface of the flap valve in the closed position, wherein area that the valve seat covers is substantially the same as the area of the inner diameter of injection well tubing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said flapper hinge comprises a hinge pin formed on said flap valve. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the torsion spring means is secured to the hinge pin. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the torsion spring means is loaded in torsion as the flap valve rotates from the closed position to the open position to exert a restoring force for rotating the valve flapper to the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring, rotation of said flap valve about an axis of rotation to open said flap valve loading said springs in torsion. 
     
     
         17 . A method of preventing internal corrosion in carbon capture utilization and storage injection well tubing and storing CO 2  in a hydrocarbon reservoir having at least one injection well, comprising:
 injecting the CO 2  stream into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir from said injection well;   using a flap valve in contact with the tubing to create a tight seal when the injection pressure is below a certain threshold, wherein the flap valve is configured to achieve gas tight seal, and keep the sealing performance with large temperature cycle from −80° C. to 150° C. in short period of time (1-20 mins), wherein the flap valve comprises:
 torsion spring means comprising a coil spring, rotation of said flap valve about an axis of rotation to open said flap loading said spring means in torsion, a valve flapper rotatable between open and closed positions for controlling the flow in the fluid transmission conduit, wherein the flap valve's operation neither constrains the injection flow rate nor induces the Joule-Thomson effect. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said torsion spring means comprise coil springs, rotation of said valve flapper about said axis of rotation to open said flap loading said springs in torsion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the torsion spring means has one end that connects and biases on an outer surface of the flap valve, while the other end connects and biases on the outer surface of the injection well tubing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the torsion spring means has both ends connects and biases on the outer surface of the injection well tubing.