Submergible oil well sealing device with valves and method for installing a submergible oil well sealing device and resuming oil production

Abstract

An oil well sealing device that is submergible for sealing under water oil wells and a method for sealing underwater oil wells in such a fashion that oil production can be resumed are described. The device comprises a housing having at least one lower opening at a lower end of the housing and at least one upper opening at an upper end of the housing; a pump sucking oil through the lower opening into the housing and pushing the oil through the upper opening out of the housing; a connector allowing the lower end of the housing to be fixed to an oil well tube at an oil wellhead; and at least one valve at the lower end of the housing that is closable after the lower end of the housing has been installed to the oil well tube.

1 . An oil well sealing device that is submergible for sealing under water oil wells, comprising:
 a housing having at least one lower opening at a lower end of the housing and at least one upper opening at an upper end of the housing;   a pump sucking oil through the lower opening into the housing and pushing the oil through the upper opening out of the housing;   a connector allowing the lower end of the housing to be fixed to an oil well tube at an oil wellhead; and   at least one valve at the lower end of the housing that is closable after the lower end of the housing has been installed to the oil well tube.   
     
     
         2 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one valve is a mechanical valve that is operated remotely. 
     
     
         3 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the mechanical valve is adapted to be operated by a remotely operated underwater vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the mechanical valve is connected to an electric motor in a torque transmitting manner and the electric motor is powered by an electric power cable leading to a location above the water surface. 
     
     
         5 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the oil valve is a hydraulic valve comprising a hydraulic piston that is connected to a hydraulic pressure fluid conduct leading to a location above the water surface. 
     
     
         6 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least two valves are provided at the lower end of the housing;   at least one of these two valves is a mechanical valve; and   at least another one of these two valves is a hydraulic valve.   
     
     
         7 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an elongated tube, the lower opening is the entire open cross section of the tube, and the upper opening is a radial opening in the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 7 , wherein the pump comprises an auger that rotates within the tubular housing. 
     
     
         9 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 8 , wherein the auger is rotated by a motor that has a reversible rotational direction. 
     
     
         10 . The oil well sealing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the device is adapted to be connected to a spigot joint that is attachable in a sealed fashion to the oil well. 
     
     
         11 . A method for installing a submergible oil well sealing device and resuming oil production, comprising:
 sucking oil from an underwater oil well at a lower end of the oil well sealing device into said device;   pushing the sucked-in oil at an upper end of the device through at least one opening out of said device;   installing the lower end of the device to the oil well;   closing a valve at the lower end of the device;   separating a lower end part of a housing of the oil well comprising the valve from the remaining upper part of the oil well sealing device;   installing an oil pipe to an upper end of the lower part of the oil well sealing device; and   opening the valve for resuming oil production.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising opening and closing the valve by applying torque to the valve by a remotely operated underwater vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , comprising opening and closing the valve by applying torque to the valve by an electric motor that is powered by an electric power cable supplying electric power from a location above the water surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising opening and closing the valve by applying hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic piston through a hose from above the water surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , comprising opening and closing at least two valves at the lower end of the housing, wherein at least one of these two valves is a mechanical valve and subjected to torque by a remotely operated underwater vehicle; and at least another one of these two valves is a hydraulic valve and subjected to hydraulic pressure through a hose from above the water surface.