What type of valves are used in fracking? 2

[Gorman3]

I'm trying to get a better understanding of the valve market for this type of drilling and recovery. Initially I assumed it would be alot of the same valves used in SAGD or steam injection but obviously there's no steam. Also curious what are the main materials and API trims for that service?

thanks for the help. I'm behind the times in this case.

 

[tr1ntx]

Fracking is not drilling, it is stimulation. It is done after the drilling is complete.

Plug valves, gate valves, and dart-style check valves are 3 kinds that are used on the pumping equipment. I think there is another types of check valve (non-return valve) that is used on some of the equipment, but I can't think of the term. On the frack fluid blending equipment, which connects to the suction side of the pumping equipment, there are butterfly valves and maybe some swing check valves.

 

[jbeckhou]

Fracking is the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at high pressure in order to fracture shale rock to release natural gas inside.

Typical the valves are slab gate, non rising stem, 4130 body and bonnet with either carbon steel/stainless steel trim.

Petrotrim Services

http://www.petrotrim.com

 

[Gorman3]

What material grades are the gates, checks and plugs for the pumping equipment?

 

[tr1ntx]

Gorman, there is not one answer for that.

Generally, 4130 and 4140, but some manufacturers try to make a "better" product. The prevailing consensus among end-users seems to be that the economics favor cheaper, "throw-away" components over more-engineered, higher-end products. They all have rebuild shops, or use contractors, to overhaul valves until the body is eroded too far. Attempts at erosion prevention have apparently seemed to be uneconomical.

Notice I said "seemed" and not "proven". I don't know any factual numbers, and that industry is notorious for "Bubba engineering" with some Cooter-boy redneck being the decision maker and opting for a choice simply because it's easier for him, he doesn't know how to properly evaluate the options and will not exert the effort of trying to learn, and by golly, he's the boss and he will be the one to say what will be done.

 

[Gorman3]

Thanks. I am very familiar with "Bubba Engineering" and now I have a term for it.

"We need 5x more expensive trunnions instead of these gates cuz it's less work operating them. Err I mean cuz these gates is always broke"

 

[tr1ntx]

Also, rupture disc pressure relief valves and another style of pressure release that I have forgotten between the time I thought of it today and now when I am at the computer.

 

[tr1ntx]

Gorman,

This morning or yesterday, I heard the term again for the other type of relief valve, but of course have lost it completely by now. It may be one of those "Bubba" terms or a company-specific lingo.

It is a "pop off" type valve with Belleville springs providing the resistance. 4340 body and (I think) an 8620 ball as the sealing surface.

The dart checks are 4340 body and 8620 dart. Plug valves are 4130 bodies and 4140 plugs (or vice versa). This is for several of the "run of the mill" market brands that are the most common. I know Halliburton has some proprietary stuff and I think FMC claims to have superiorly engineered designs, above the common "run of the mill" brands. If not FMC, it might be SPM.