Subsea oil collector

Abstract

A subsea fluid collector is provided, comprising a container having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a vessel positioning device which is attachable to a submerged vessel leaking oil or other fluids. The container is positioned by the vessel positioning device to receive, through the fluid inlet, a leaking fluid (such as crude oil, gasoline, diesel, or the like) exiting from a fluid leak source on the vessel, and the water residing within the container is displaced as leaking fluid enters the container. The vessel positioning device may be attached or detached from the vessel by divers or remotely using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). In one embodiment, the container may be guided into position above the leak by a guide cable. Once the container is filled by the leaking fluid, it ascends to the surface of the sea for retrieval and removal of the contents.

1 . A subsea fluid collector, comprising: 
 (a) a container having a fluid inlet;    (b) a vessel positioning device connected to said container; and    wherein said container is positioned by said vessel positioning device to receive, through said fluid inlet, a leaking fluid exiting out of a fluid leak source from a submerged vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet includes a closure mechanism adapted to prevent said fluids from escaping said container.  
     
     
         3 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , wherein said container further includes a fluid outlet and an outlet closure device.  
     
     
         4 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , wherein said container has negative buoyancy.  
     
     
         5 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , further including: 
 (a) a buoy residing at or near the surface of the water; and    (b) a guide cable having a first end operatively attached to said buoy, and a second end operatively attached at or near said fluid leak source; and    wherein said container is slidably attached to said guide cable.    
     
     
         6 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , further including: 
 (a) a floating fluid vessel residing at or near the surface of the water;    (b) a cable having a first end operatively attached to said floating fluid vessel, and a second end operatively attached to said container; and    (c) a conduit fluidically connected between said fluid outlet of said container and said floating fluid vessel, adapted to transfer fluids collected within said container into said floating fluid vessel.    
     
     
         7 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 5 , further including locking means for attaching said container to said submerged vessel.  
     
     
         8 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 5 , further including speed control means for controlling the speed at which said container slides along said cable.  
     
     
         9 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , wherein said container includes a fluid outlet, and further including: 
 (a) a first surface vessel residing at or near the surface of the water; and    (b) a cable having a first end operatively attached to said first surface vessel, and a second end operatively attached to said container.    
     
     
         10 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 9 , wherein said first surface vessel includes an offloading port in fluidic communication with said outlet of said container to receive said fluids collected within said container.  
     
     
         11 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 9 , further including a second surface vessel having an offloading port in fluidic communication with said outlet of said container to receive said fluids collected within said container.  
     
     
         12 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 10 , further including surface vessel attachment means for securing said container to said first surface vessel during offloading of said fluids from said container.  
     
     
         13 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 11 , further including surface vessel attachment means for securing said container to said second surface vessel during offloading of said fluids from said container.  
     
     
         14 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 9 , wherein said first surface vessel includes means for reeling and unreeling said cable.  
     
     
         15 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , further including: 
 (a) a floating fluid vessel residing at or near the surface of the water; and    (b) a guide cable having a first end operatively attached to said floating fluid vessel, and a second end operatively attached at or near said fluid leak source; and    wherein said container is slidably attached to said guide cable.    
     
     
         16 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 1 , further including: 
 (a) a floating fluid vessel residing at or near the surface of the water;    (b) a ballast device attached to said container; and    (c) a cable having a first end operatively attached to said floating fluid vessel, and a second end operatively attached to said ballast device.    
     
     
         17 . The subsea fluid collector of  claim 16 , wherein said ballast device is a chain.  
     
     
         18 . A method of collecting fluids below the sea, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a fluid collection container having a positioning device and a fluid inlet;    (b) mounting said container using said positioning device to a submerged vessel having a fluid leak source and positioning said fluid inlet above said leak source;    (c) permitting said leaking fluid to enter said container until said container is filled with said fluid; and    (d) retrieving said container to a location at or near the surface of the sea.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said container further includes a fluid outlet.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further including the step of closing said inlet prior to retrieving said container.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said step of mounting said container to said submerged vessel includes removably attaching said positioning device to said submerged vessel.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said step of retrieving said container from the sea includes detaching said positioning device from said submerged vessel.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said container is slidably attached to a guide cable extending between said submerged vessel and a buoy positioned at or near the surface of the sea.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said container is slidably attached to a guide cable extending between said submerged vessel and a floating fluid vessel at or near the surface of the sea.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said container further includes a fluid conduit operatively attached between said container and a floating fluid vessel at or near the surface of the sea, and further including the step of transferring said fluid collected within said container to said floating fluid vessel via said fluid conduit, prior to retrieving said container.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of retrieving said container comprises allowing said container to float to the surface of the sea.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said container is slidably attached to a cable extending between said submerged vessel and a surface vessel.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said container is attached to a cable extending from a surface vessel.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein prior to retrieving said container, said outlet of said container is connected to a surface vessel for offloading fluids from said container.