Stuck Subsurface Flapper Valve

Evaluative Case Study

After routine well maintenance, production flow rates may indicate that there is still a restriction in the well. One common possibility is that a subsurface flapper valve has become stuck in a partially open position.

A quick run with the VR90 X-ray imaging tool can check the state of the valve without wasting any time on well clean-up or preparation.

The 2D image (bottom right), obtained at Visuray’s test facilities show that the flapper valve is not fully open. In addition, measurements made from the VR90 data indicate the angle of the flapper and its position within the well.