Universal Subsea Oil Containment System and Method

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for containing oil and gas leaking from an underwater wellhead or other man-made structure. The apparatus includes a conduit having an upper end and a lower end with an opening. The conduit is sized for the lower end to be positioned over a plume leaking from the man-made structure and the upper end to be substantially near or at the seawater surface. The apparatus also includes a port for introducing a suitable gas such as nitrogen into the interior of the conduit for displacing seawater from the interior of the conduit. In addition, the apparatus includes a plurality of valves for metering liquid and gas flow within the interior of the conduit. The conduit is positioned over the leaking man-made structure and oil and gas flow upward from the leaking man-made structure through the interior of the conduit.

1 . A system of containing oil and gas leaking from an underwater man-made structure, the system comprising:
 a conduit positioned over a plume leaking from the man-made structure;   the conduit having an upper end located at or substantially near a seawater surface and a lower end positioned over the leaking man-made structure, the lower end having an opening leading to an interior of the conduit;   means for creating a pressure differential between a pressure within the interior of the conduit and a pressure outside the conduit to induce an upward flow of fluids within the interior of the conduit, the interior pressure of the conduit being below the pressure outside the conduit;   means for expelling liquid from the interior of the conduit;   means for releasing gas from the interior of the conduit;   means for introducing a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit for displacing seawater from the interior of the conduit;   a plurality of valves for metering liquid and gas flow within the interior of the conduit;   whereby liquid and gas flow upward from the leaking man-made structure through the interior of the conduit and are removed from the interior of the conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the upper end of the conduit includes a containment tank. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the containment tank includes a Gas/Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone (GLCC). 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 3  wherein the containment tank includes a port for injecting monoethylene glycol (MEG), methanol or other chemical into the interior of the containment tank. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the means for creating a pressure differential includes means for pumping any liquid located in the containment tank out of the containment tank. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the means for releasing gas is a gas release tube coupled to the containment tank. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 6  wherein the gas release tube releases gas above the seawater surface. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 2  wherein the means for expelling liquid from the interior of the conduit includes:
 a liquid ejection tube coupled to the containment tank for expelling the liquid from the interior of the conduit; and 
 a pump for pumping the liquid from the interior of the conduit. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of valves includes an upper valve located near the upper end of the conduit and a lower valve located at the lower end of the conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the means for introducing a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit is a port for injecting the suitable gas from outside the conduit into the interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the conduit is constructed of two or more sections coupled together. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11  wherein each section includes at least one valve for metering liquid and gas within the interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the lower end includes an induction bell for gathering leaking hydrocarbons from the man-made structure. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein the induction bell includes a port for injecting a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the conduit includes a double wall providing thermal insulation to the conduit. 
     
     
         16 . A method of containing oil and gas leaking from an underwater man-made structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 closing one or more valves within an interior of a conduit;   injecting a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit;   positioning a conduit over a plume leaking from the man-made structure, the conduit having an upper end located at or substantially near the seawater surface and a lower end having an opening leading to an interior of the conduit;   opening one or more valves to meter liquid and gas through the interior of the conduit;   pumping liquid from an upper portion of the interior of the conduit to reduce an interior pressure of the conduit below a pressure outside the conduit to induce an upward flow of fluids within the interior of the conduit; and   expelling gas located within the interior of the conduit through a gas release tube coupled to an interior of the conduit.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein:
 the step of closing one or more valves includes closing all valves for configuring the conduit in a closed configuration; and 
 the step of injecting a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit includes injecting a gas as the conduit is submerged into the seawater. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein:
 the step of closing one or more valves includes leaving at least one valve open for configuring the conduit in an open configuration; and 
 the step of injecting a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit includes injecting a gas after the conduit is submerged to displace the seawater from the interior of the conduit. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the upper portion of the conduit includes a containment tank and the step of pumping liquid from an upper portion includes pumping liquid located within the containment tank out of the conduit. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the step of injecting a suitable gas includes injecting nitrogen into the interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising the step of injecting a suitable gas into an interior of an induction bell, the induction bell being located at the lower end of the conduit. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  further comprising the step of injecting mono-ethylene glycol (MEG), methanol, other chemical into a cavity surrounding the induction bell. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for containing oil and gas leaking from an underwater man-made structure, the apparatus comprising:
 a conduit having an upper end and a lower end with an opening, the conduit being sized for the lower end to be positioned over a plume leaking from the man-made structure and the upper end to be substantially near or at a seawater surface;   a containment tank located in the upper portion of the interior of the conduit;   a first tube for pumping liquid located within the containment tank out of the interior of the conduit, thereby creating a pressure differential between a pressure within the interior of the conduit and a pressure outside the conduit to induce an upward flow of fluids, within the interior of the conduit, the interior pressure of the conduit being below the pressure outside the conduit;   a second tube for releasing gas from the interior of the conduit;   a port for introducing a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit for displacing seawater from the interior of the conduit;   a plurality of valves for metering liquid and gas flow within the interior of the conduit;   whereby the conduit is positioned over the leaking man-made structure and liquid and gas flow upward from the leaking man-made structure through the interior of the conduit.   
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23  wherein:
 the lower end includes an induction bell for gathering leaking hydrocarbons from the man-made structure; and 
 the induction bell includes a port for injecting a suitable gas into the interior of the conduit. 
 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 23  wherein the conduit includes a double wall providing thermal insulation to the conduit.