Mechanism for plugging subsea leaks

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for exploiting the crushing power of the ocean, the principle of the lever, and the weight of a deep-sea oil drilling rig to provide a mechanism that is the simplest and most rapidly deployable way possible to plug a subsea leak. This mechanism for plugging subsea leaks has an inflatable plug and a folding reinforcement mechanism that are contained in a streamlining sheath so that they can be inserted into a leaking high-pressure subsea pipe, and a housing that, in a controlled manner, can be crushed by subsea water pressure to force fluid into the inflatable plug to cause it to inflate to plug the leak; and, depending on the pressure in the pipe, there is a weight basket available that can easily add weight to the mechanism, if necessary.

1 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks comprising:
 a) fluid transfer means, the fluid transfer means connected between containment means and inflatable plugging means;   b) containment means, the containment means connected to the fluid transfer means and able to contain fluid means, and, when compressed, able to force the fluid means into the fluid transfer means;   c) inflatable plugging means, the inflatable plugging means connected to the fluid transfer means and when deflated able to be inserted into a subsea orifice from which pollutants are flowing, and when fluid means forced from the fluid transfer means into the inflatable plugging means the inflatable plugging means able to inflate; and,   d) compression means, the compression means connected to the fluid transfer means and providing airtight housing means around the containment means, the housing means shielding the containment means from subsea water pressure, the housing means incorporating leverage means, the leverage means exposed to subsea water pressure, the compression means operable to allow the leverage means to compress the containment means.   
     
     
         2 . A mechanism for plugging subsea wells as defined in  claim 1 , the fluid means being cement, the hardening time for the cement and the estimated time required for the mechanism to plug a subsea leak being calculable such that, if the calculation is correct, the fluid cement that is put into the containment means maintains its fluidity as the mechanism descends to a subsea leak and as the inflatable plugging means is inserted into a subsea orifice and as the cement is forced into and causes said inflation of the inflatable plugging means, the fluid cement able to harden when inside the inflated inflatable plugging means. 
     
     
         3 . A mechanism for plugging subsea wells as defined in  claim 1 , there being barring means that can engage the leverage means to bar the leverage means from compressing the containment means. 
     
     
         4 . A mechanism for plugging subsea wells as defined in  claim 3 , the barring means able to be pulled to disengage the barring means from the leverage means so as to allow the leverage means to compress the containment means. 
     
     
         5 . A mechanism for plugging subsea wells as defined in  claim 4 , there being rolling means that facilitate the pulling of the barring means from out of engagement with the leverage means. 
     
     
         6 . A mechanism for plugging subsea wells as defined in  claim 1 , the mechanism able to be fitted with elevation means, the elevation means able to sit on the sea floor and elevate the mechanism above the sea floor such that the mechanism can be manipulated on the sea floor so as to effect the horizontal insertion of the inflatable plugging means into a subsea orifice. 
     
     
         7 . A mechanism for plugging subsea wells as defined in  claim 1 , there being basket-like weight aggregation means, when the inflatable plugging means inflated to plug the leak, the basket-like weight aggregation means able to prevent the pressure of the leak against the inflated inflatable plugging means from pushing the mechanism away from the leak, the basket-like weight aggregation means able to contain loose weighty objects of different sizes and shapes such that the loose weighty objects of different sizes and shapes can be moved in unison and in a controlled manner, and functioning to connect to the mechanism the aggregate weight of the loose weighty objects of different sizes and shapes to effectively increase the weight of the mechanism such that the mechanism cannot be pushed away from the leak by pressure coming from the leak when the mechanism is positioned at the leak and operated to inflate the inflatable plugging means to plug the leak, the basket-like weight aggregation means able to be connected together with the mechanism such that the inflatable plugging means on the mechanism can be positioned centrally below the basket-like weight aggregation means, and the basket-like weight aggregation means able to abut upon the mechanism if the mechanism is positioned on the sea floor. 
     
     
         8 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks comprising:
 a) fluid transfer means, the fluid transfer means connected between inflatable plugging means and inflation means;   b) inflatable plugging means, the inflatable plugging means connected to the fluid transfer means and when deflated able to be inserted into a subsea orifice from which pollutants are flowing, and when fluid means forced from the fluid transfer means into the inflatable plugging means the inflatable plugging means able to inflate;   c) reinforcement means, the reinforcement means adjacent to the inflatable plugging means, the reinforcement means collapsible and including movable members that can move inward against the inflatable plugging means when the inflatable plugging means deflated, the reinforcement means able to be opened out by the inflation of the inflatable plugging means so as to reinforce the inflated inflatable plugging means; and,   d) inflation means, the inflation means connected to the fluid transfer means and able to force fluid means through the fluid transfer means so as to force fluid means into and cause the inflation of the inflatable plugging means.   
     
     
         9 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks as defined in  claim 8 , there being constraining means, when the reinforcement means collapsed the constraining means able to prevent the unintended opening out of the reinforcement means when the deflated inflatable plugging means and the collapsed reinforcement means are inserted into a subsea orifice from which pollutants are flowing. 
     
     
         10 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks as defined in  claim 9 , the constraining means able to break when the reinforcement means are opened out by the inflation of the inflatable plugging means. 
     
     
         11 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks as defined in  claim 9 , the constraining means being sheath-like means. 
     
     
         12 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks comprising:
 a) fluid transfer means, the fluid transfer means connected between inflatable plugging means and inflation means;   b) inflatable plugging means, the inflatable plugging means connected to the fluid transfer means and when deflated able to be inserted into a subsea orifice from which pollutants are flowing, and when fluid means forced from the fluid transfer means into the inflatable plugging means the inflatable plugging means able to inflate;   c) inflation means, the inflation means connected to the fluid transfer means and able to force fluid means through the fluid transfer means so as to force fluid means into and cause the inflation of the inflatable plugging means;   d) flexible hollow connecting means, the fluid transfer means being cut, with the cut ends of the fluid transfer means being joined together by flexible hollow connecting means, there being clamping means that connect the flexible hollow connecting means to the cut ends of fluid transfer means so that the fluid transfer means can flex at the flexible hollow connecting means;   e) flex prevention means, the flex prevention means fitting over the flexible hollow connecting means and clamping means so as to prevent the flexing of the flexible hollow connecting means; and,   f) release means, the release means operatively connected between the flex prevention means and the inflatable plugging means and able to release the flexible hollow connecting means from the flex prevention means so that the flexible hollow connecting means can flex when the inflatable plugging means is inflated.   
     
     
         13 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks as defined in  claim 12 , the flex prevention means having multiple connectable together sections on which are engagable members that can be engaged by hooking means to secure the flex prevention means on the flexible hollow connecting means and clamping means, the release means being an elongate rod that can disengage the hooking means from the engagable members. 
     
     
         14 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks as defined in  claim 13 , the hooking means being on one end of the elongate rod, with the opposite end of the elongate rod operatively connected to the inflatable plugging means such that the inflation of the deflated inflatable plugging means pushes the elongate rod such that the hooking means on the opposite end of the elongate rod disengages from the engagable members. 
     
     
         15 . A mechanism for plugging subsea leaks as defined in  claim 14 , the end of the elongate rod opposite the hooking means being connected to a movable member that can be pushed when the inflatable plugging means inflates.