SwRI upgrades facilities to expand subsurface safety valve testing to new application

(Press-News.org) SAN ANTONIO — March 3, 2026 — To meet increasing demands for carbon capture and storage (CCS) services, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has completed updates to its subsurface safety valve (SSSV) facilities to accommodate testing for CCS applications.

CCS mitigates carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by capturing CO2 from industrial or energy-related sources and transporting and storing the greenhouse gas safely underground to prevent release into the atmosphere. SSSVs are used in traditional oil and gas operations to serve as a safety shut-off mechanism in the event of an emergency. Oilfield operators and oil and gas equipment manufacturers also plan to use SSSVs to protect CCS wells.

“SwRI has been an industry leader in subsurface safety valve testing since 1975,” said SwRI Research Engineer Nicole Lemon. “CCS applications present unique challenges for these valves because of the extremely cold temperatures that may occur in the case of a CO2 release or leak. Until recently, industry lacked standardized procedures for evaluating subsurface safety valve performance in those environments.”

Recently, SwRI performed testing for manufacturers that were involved in a joint industry project (JIP) to standardize testing procedures for validating valves for use in CCS environments. These efforts, combined with the rising demand for CCS-related testing, prompted SwRI to upgrade its testing capabilities to enhance safety, improve efficiency, and reduce costs for clients. The upgrades were originally completed in August 2024.

Concurrently, SwRI participated in an American Petroleum Institute (API) task group, contributing to the development of Annex P: Requirements for CCS Environments, part of the API 14A, 13th Edition Addendum 1, which was released in December 2025. The findings from the JIP contributed to the development of this annex.

SwRI redesigned its facilities to streamline testing setup, reducing labor costs by making workflows more repeatable. Modifications include an ergonomically improved enclosure as well as a new plug-and-play lid design tailored specifically to easily add thermal ducting for the blast-rated pit where the valve testing at extreme temperatures is conducted.

“Once fully assembled, the entire setup is simply dropped into the test pit as a single insert, like a prepackaged unit, eliminating the need for intricate maneuvers over the pit. The result is a safer, more efficient, and consistent testing process,” said SwRI Principal Engineer Christopher Jowers. “These changes add to the existing benefits of SwRI testing, including a high-quality nitrogen source, a highly reliable and time-tested leakage measurement system, and an experienced staff with decades of expertise.”

The facility cools the SSSVs using a duct system that passively flows air around the safety valve that has been cooled by an environmental control unit supplied with liquid nitrogen. This method allows the operator to reliably reach the extreme cold temperatures required to simulate CCS conditions while avoiding common challenges such as icing.

SwRI is currently pursuing additional testing opportunities, such as cooled gas slam tests that simulate the worst-case dynamic scenarios in CCS environments.

“SwRI combines decades of experience with cutting-edge infrastructure to deliver consistent, high-quality results,” Lemon said. “These upgrades enhance our efficiency and reaffirm our position as a leader in safety valve testing, ensuring we remain competitive while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.”

For more information, visit https://www.swri.org/markets/energy-environment/fluids-engineering/flow-component-testing/safety-valve-testing.

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