GAS BREAKER
THE MECHANICAL TRAVELING
VALVE THAT ENDS GAS
LOCK PROBLEMS
Petrovalve Gas Breaker High Temperature Production
The Petrovalve Gas Breaker eliminates The Petrovalve Gas Breaker is designed
gas/steam-lock problems common in many for use as the traveling valve in thermal
thermal and non-thermal well pumping and non-thermal well pumping
operations. situations. The Petrovalve Gas Breaker
is also very useful in natural gas wells
The Petrovalve Gas Breaker was producing fluids, as it facilitates the
developed to combat this problem. As an pumping of gasified fluids on a
extension of the Petrovalve Plus, the Gas continuous basis.
Breaker (used in the traveling valve
position) mechanically opens at the end of
each pump cycle if the pump is gas locked.
This allows the gas to migrate out of the
Deep Well Applications
pump into the tubing, leaving the pump
barrel filled with fluid. New oil can then Deep well applications present no
enter the pump on the up stroke. The problem for the Petrovalve Gas Breaker.
automatic opening is accomplished when The valve is designed to accommodate
the extended bottom stem on the traveling rod stretch through the extended bottom
valve contacts the trip sub (modified barrel shaft. This makes the system easy to
connector). install and simple to operate.
Deviated and Horizontal Wells
Field installations confirm that the efficiency
of pumps incorporating the conventional
valve system drop as the angle of the pump
from vertical position increases. Efficiency
levels at angles greater than 35o are
extremely low. Under such conditions, the
hydrostatic weight of the fluid in the well
bore between the horizontal and the vertical
positions restricts the pay zone’s ability to
produce fluid.
The Petrovalve system is designed to allow
high efficiency pumping in any position.
Our guided valves work as effectively
horizontally as they do vertically by keeping
the seating surfaces aligned at all times.
Use of the Petrovalve Gas Breaker reduces
valve failures and service costs.
GUIDE
TOP
CAGE
CAGE
DAMPER SPRING
(IF REQD.)
PLUNGER
SEAT
FL
OW GUIDE
GAS BREAKER TRAVELING
VALVE ASSEMBLY
SEAT PLUG BOTTOM
1.25” to 2.75’’ Gas Breaker
(Long or Short) Installation Additional Notes Materials – Sphere/Seat
Procedures
1. Assemble Gas Breaker units at 440C Stainless Steel
1. Install guide fully against the top the bench. TC Tungsten Carbide
profile in the cage (guides are 2. Pump valve spacing per API NC Nickel Carbide
reversible). “Recommended Practice 11AR”. Ti Titanium
2. Install Gas Breaker plunger with 3. Gas Breaker recommends API S.L. Silicon Nitrate
flat side of hemisphere and “Torque Make Up Specifications”. Ceramic Ceramic
damper spring (if reqd.) facing
top guide.
3. Install seat against the profile in
the bottom of cage (seats are
reversible).
4. Install bottom guide against seat.
5. Tighten seat plug onto cage.
Installation Procedure for
the Petrovalve Standing
Valve and Gas Breaker PLUNGER
Traveling Valve
STEP 1:
A) Assemble Petrovalve standing
valve per Petrovalve standing
valve assembly. GAS BREAKER
TRAVELING
B) Install assembled Petrovalve VALVE
standing valve complete with trip
sub onto barrel.
STEP 2:
A) Assemble Gas Breaker traveling
valve as shown in Gas Breaker
traveling valve assembly.
B) Attach Gas Breaker traveling BARREL
valve onto plunger and insert
fully into pump until traveling
valve meets trip sub. (Leave at
least 3” to 4” of rod above valve
rod guide.)
TRIP SUB
STEP 3:
A) With Gas Breaker traveling valve
against trip sub, cut valve rod
1/2” above the highest point of
valve rod guide.
PETROVALVE
STANDING
B) Thread 5/8” of valve rod and VALVE
attach supplied rod bushing.
The Gas Breaker traveling valve
automatically opens at the end of
each cycle if the pump is gas locked,
allowing trapped gas to escape from
the pump. Maintaining a liquid filled
Stainless steel housings
pump is essential to achieve efficient available upon request
operations. The Gas Breaker for standard sizes.
performs best when installed with a
Petrovalve in the standing valve
position.
VALVE ROD
Petrovalve Gas Breaker BUSHING
Suggested Field
Operating Procedures VALVE ROD
GUIDE
1. Space out the pump and maintain
6 to 8 inches off tap. Start up and
monitor operation during the initial
24 hours or until recovery of kill
and load fluids.
HOLD DOWN
2. To ensure the Petrovalve Gas ASSEMBLY
Breaker becomes operational,
adjust the rod string spacing until
a very slight tap is felt on the polish
rod at surface.
BARREL
3. Pick up rod string 1/2 inch and
resume pumping. At this point
there should not be a tap felt at
surface on the polish rod.
4. Monitor pumping to ensure that no PLUNGER
pump tap is occurring.
NOTE: If a slight tap can still be felt at
surface on the polish rod, raise rod
string an additional 1/2 inch.
We recommend a Petrovalve
representative be on hand for initial
customer pump assembly and
installation. Petrovalve will work BARREL CONNECTOR
TRIP SUB
closely with customers’ pump shop
and rig crews. STANDING VALVE
STRAINER BUSHING
