Weatherford in Four-Year Deal with Petrobras

Weatherford International has secured its largest-ever contract for deep-set safety valves with Petróleo Brasileiro, more commonly known as Petrobras.

Under terms of the deal, Weatherford will deliver 24 Optimax deep-set safety valves in the next four years.

The Optimax deep-set safety valve protects against catastrophic loss of well control by providing fail-safe closures at pressure up to 10,000 psi (68 MPa) and are rated for setting depths as deep as 12,000 ft (3,658 m).

“The Weatherford Optimax deep-set safety valve is a victory in innovative thinking,” said Mark Hopmann, president of Completions for Weatherford. “Conventional deep-set valves typically require nitrogen-charged chambers to compensate for the high hydrostatic pressure of the control line. The Optimax deep-set safety valve overcomes this challenge with a design that utilizes highly reliable, field-proven technology.”

An integral part of the completion string, the Optimax deep-set safety valve is controlled by a primary hydraulic control line. Application of control-line pressure keeps the valve in the open position. When pressure is bled off, the valve closes to protect property, personnel, and the environment. A secondary upward-facing piston, plus heavy-duty power springs, enable fail-safe closure while keeping the hold-open pressure to a minimum.