Importance

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Abstract

A valve supporting tubular assembly capable of being mounted on a geothermal well head, with the tubular assembly of such structure that an internal plug that supports resilient packers and has circumferentially extending teeth defined thereon may be removably locked in a first position to seal the interior of the tubular assembly above the outlets to the valves, the plug may also be moved longitudinally in the tubular assembly to scrape solids deposited on the interior surface thereof by geothermal fluids, and the plug may also be moved to a second position to pack off the interior of the tubular assembly below the valve outlets to permit the valves to be moved or maintenance work performed thereon without shutting down the geothermal well. In addition, the plug is provided with means to equalize the pressure above and below the plug in the tubular assembly to permit the plug and components situated thereabove to be removed from the tubular assembly. A gate valve is situated above the valve supporting assembly and is normally open, with the gate valve supporting a hydraulic cylinder that serves to longitudinally move an actuator connected to the plug. Visual means are provided to indicate the position of the plug in the valve supporting assembly. The gate valve defines a confined space above the valve member when the latter is in a closed position in which the plug may be disposed. With the gate valve member in a closed position, the plug, actuator and hydraulic cylinder may be removed from the valve supporting tubular assembly for maintenance purposes without shutting down the well.

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First Claim