CA2779968A1 - Oil containment system - Google Patents

Abstract

An oil containment system, an oil separator sock, and a method of containing oil, in which the oil separator sock includes a plurality of cable ties attached between a plurality of segments of the separator sock; in which the separator sock is anchored to a plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead of an oil well at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on a pipeline to affect a seal, in which the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce stress, and in which the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to the inner ring of a compass leveler anchor or anchor attachments located in a pumping well on a pumping barge. The system that may be transported by air, land, or sea for a more rapid deployment.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION
OIL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM

[0001] This application claims priority based on United States Patent Application No.
13/167,319 filed June 23, 2011 and entitled "OIL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM", which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an oil containment system, an oil separator sock, and a method of containing oil, in which the separator sock works within the environment without additional technical support needs, such as heating. The system is simplistic and takes advantage of the basic principle that oil is lighter than water. In particular, the oil containment system is a passive, non-pressurized system that provides a flexible containment conduit for oil escaping from the ocean floor or the floor of any body of water to rise to the surface in a small containment area where it can be pumped onto waiting barges or oil tankers. Subsequently, the oil may then be placed in land based storage tanks where the oil and the water separate via gravity or centrifuged for a more rapid processing.

[0003] There is a general concern as to the pollution caused by oil production at sea, particularly when the oil production takes place in areas that are considered environmentally fragile, such as the Gulf of Mexico, arctic areas, and general fishing areas.
Therefore, efforts have been made by the oil industry and government authorities to determine ways to reduce the outlet of oil during oil production. However, oil containment and separation, especially where oil escapes from an underwater well, has several drawbacks and obstacles.

[0004] For instance, producing wells may contain a mixture of oil, water and various gases that are extracted as a mixture flow through a pipeline. These flows must be received by oil handling systems and separated into constituent or component parts based on phase or density for treatment and subsequent distribution to end users.

[0005] In addition, mixture flow separation from producing wells is not without its difficulties. In particular, many producing wells are positioned at remote locations and in harsh environments, such as on a deep sea floor. In such situations, achieving separate component part flows shortly after the corresponding mixture flow leaves the well requires a separation system to be located where it is not easy to install nor easy to access when system maintenance is needed. Further, most conventional systems that achieve any efficient component separation may be quite bulky and heavy, reducing the desirability of using such separation systems on overseas platforms where weight and space considerations are a high priority.

[0006] Thus, the oil containment system, oil separator sock, and method of containing oil of the present disclosure overcome the drawbacks and obstacles of conventional containment systems in a simplistic and expedited manner.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0007] In accordance with the present disclosure, the oil containment system comprises an oil separator sock comprising a plurality of cable ties attached between a plurality of segments of the separator sock; wherein the separator sock is anchored to a plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead of an oil well at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on a pipeline to affect a seal, wherein the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce stress, and wherein the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to fixed anchor rings located in a pumping well on a pumping barge.

[0008] In another aspect of the disclosure, an oil separator sock comprises a plurality of cable ties; a plurality of segments; and a plurality of anchor pylons, wherein the cable ties are attached between the plurality of segments of the separator sock; wherein the plurality of cable ties are attached between a plurality of segments of the separator sock;
wherein the separator sock is anchored to the plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead of an oil well at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on a pipeline to affect a seal, wherein the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce stress, and wherein the cable ties that are attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to the inner ring of a compass leveler anchor located in a pumping well on a pumping barge.

[0009] In another aspect of the disclosure, a method of containing oil comprises providing a containment conduit for oil escaping from the ocean or any body of water to rise to the surface in a small containment area where it can be pumped onto waiting barges or tankers; transporting the oil to land based storage tanks where the oil and the water separate via gravity or centrifuged for a more rapid processing; drawing the water from the bottom of the tank; wherein the process comprises a separator sock rapidly assembled and deployed for the oil containment, working to depths of one and one-quarter mile or more and as the first response to any pipeline break.

[0010] Still other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only the preferred embodiments, simply by way of illustration of the best mode. As will be realized, the disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011 ] FIG. I is a perspective view of the segments of the separator sock 10 of the invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a plain view of a cable tie 12 of the separator sock of the invention;
[00131 FIG. 2A is a plain view of a self-locking pin 14 of the separator sock of the invention;

[0014] FIG. 2B is a side view of the self-locking pin 14 of the disclosure seated in place demonstrating how the spring loaded wings 16 at the tip of the self-locking pin 14 deploy beyond the pin placement channel to prevent it from withdrawing; thereby securing elements of the separator sock 10;

[0015] FIG. 2C is a side view of the self-locking pin of the disclosure demonstrating how the wings 16 of the self-locking pin 14 fold against the shaft to allow the self-locking pin 14 to be placed into a self-locking pin channel;

[0016] FIG. 2D illustrates a view of the self-locking pin 14 of the disclosure placed in the pin channels of one end of a cable tie 12 of the separator sock 10;

[0017] FIG. 2E is a plain view of an articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12 of the disclosure in its erected form, with "C" marking the placement of channels in the upper and lower ends of the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12; with the lower channels of the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12 utilized to secure the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12 to the non-articulating portion 22 of the cable tie 12 utilizing a rivet 24 and the upper channels of the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12 receive a self-locking pin 25 to secure the articulating portion 20 and the non-articulating 22 portion of the cable tie 12 around the connector ring of the disclosure (FIG. 3E);

[0018] FIG. 2F is a plain view of the articulating 20 and the non-articulating portions 22 of the cable tie 12 locked in place around the connector ring 26 of the disclosure utilizing a self-locking pin 14 at the top of the articulating portion and a rivet 24 at the bottom of the articulating portion 22;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a front view of one of six connector guards 30 welded to and distributed evenly around the circumference of the tubing 32, made of, for example, aluminum such as four inch thick aluminum, supporting the containment exterior of the separator sock; the connector rings face the interior of the separator sock 10 when placed on the upper tubing frame and face the exterior of the separator sock 10 when placed on the lower tubing ring of the separator sock 10;

[0020] FIG. 3A is a side view of the connector guard 30 of the disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 3B is a top view of the connector guard 30 of the disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 3C is a top view of the connector guard 30 and the connector ring 34 with the connector guard 30 attached to the tubing 32, e.g. aluminum in a contiguous circumference, circumscribing approximately a thirty foot diameter circle with the connector guard 30 and the connector ring 34 being placed around the tubing before the circumference is closed and the connector guard 30 being welded in place and the connector ring 34 being unattached around the tubing;

[0023] FIG. 3D is a side view of the connector guard 30 of the disclosure welded onto a circular tubing support 32 such as four inch aluminum and with a connector ring positioned inside the connector guard;

[0024] FIG. 3E is a plain view of the connector ring 34 of the disclosure which is oval in shape with inside dimensions for instance being sixteen inches by four and one-half inches to allow some movement of the joint to prevent stress;

[0025] FIG. 4 is a plain view of the eyelet connector 40 of the disclosure consisting of two articulating half-circles connected at 180 degrees on one end by a rivet 42 and on the other by a self-locking pin 44;

[0026] FIG. 4A is a plain view of the eyelet connector 40 of the disclosure with one end opened which would be closed and locked into place utilizing a self-locking pin and would be placed through the eyelet ring 36 and the connector ring 34 on the top of the containment exterior of the separator sock 10 which inserts into and overlaps at least about five feet with the superior segment of the separator sock 10 with the eyelet ring, an oval with interior dimensions such as about one and one-eighth inch by about four inches, welded to a solid bar (not shown) such as a one inch aluminum solid bar, that is configured in a closed circle one with an outside diameter of about fifteen feet to about thirty feet and is located inside and at least about five feet from the bottom of each segment and when connected to the upper tube ring 32 of the inferior segment utilizing an eyelet connector placed through the eyelet ring 40 and the connector ring 34 of the inferior segment, keeps the upper portion of the inferior segment erect;

[0027] FIG. 4B is a plain view of the eyelet ring 36 of the disclosure attached to a solid bar such as a metal bar, for instance a one inch aluminum solid bar (illustrated at 90 degrees to actual orientation);

[0028] FIG. 4C is a plain view of the eyelet connector 40 of the invention, seen edgewise secured at the articulating joint with a rivet and the other end with a self-locking pin;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a plain view of a wellhead 50 with representative segments (about 528 would be necessary to reach a depth of one mile) and pylon anchors 52 of the disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a section of pumping barge 54 of the disclosure and the placement position of the pumping stations (P), cable wenches (W) containing cables that are threaded through a pulley (not shown) on each of the six anchor pylons 52 at the wellhead 50 and attached to the connector rings 36 of the bottom of the first segment, pull the segments into place over the leaking wellhead 50 and capture the escaping oil, the location of a crane to lift the segments from a barge or a transport ship or a flotation device and position them in the pumping well on the barge which is a cylindrical void extending from the deck to the bottom of the barge allowing the segments to be assembled on the deck using only self locking pins 14 and pass through the pumping well, pulled by the cables attached to the cable wenches which are threaded through pulleys on pylons 52 at the wellhead 50 and pulled into place over the leaking wellhead 50, and a wheelhouse-bunkhouse shelter on deck (not shown) to house the navigation equipment and housing for the crew that would tend the barge;

[0031 ] FIG. 7 is a plain view of the compass leveler 56 of the disclosure that would be placed inside the pumping well and attached to the upper segment allowing the top of the separator sock 10 where the escaping oil would be concentrated to remain relatively level;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a plain view of the pumping station of the disclosure which has a tip (T) which swivels 360 degrees along with an attachment (S) which also swivels 360 degrees, when operated jointly they allow the pumping station to be rotated out of the pumping well allowing for storage on the deck and for the assembly of the segments in the pumping well, the pumping station being long enough for the tip to be positioned near the center of the pumping well so that the movement of the separator sock related to wave action does not allow the tip (T) of the pumping station to contact the skin of the separator sock possibly causing a tear allowing oil to escape, a swivel (S) that may be locked into position to keep the tip (T) near the center of the pumping well, a valve which attaches via a flexible conduit to a pump on a vessel that will receive the oil and sea water;

[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of three assembled segments of the disclosure with a cutaway view exposing the inside of the segments illustrating the over lapping of the segments, (A) locates the external joints assembled with cable ties attached to connector rings, (B) locates internal joints connecting the cable ring to an eyelet located on the one inch aluminum circular rod using an eyelet connector;

[0034] FIG. lOA is a plain view of an external joint connection (A) identifying the elements of the joint of the disclosure; and [0035] FIG. I OB is a plain view of an internal joint connection (B) identifying the elements of the joint of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0036] A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. The separator sock is like tapered drinking cups stacked on top of each other with the large end down and the bottoms missing, extending from the well head 50 to the surface of the ocean. The water rises to the level of the ocean surface inside the separator sock 10 with the upper most water being displaced by oil captured by the separator sock:
oil being less dense than water. This oil is then pumped off of the surface of the water inside the upper most segment of the separator sock onto tankers or barges which deposit the oil-water mixture into holding tanks where it separates by gravity or is separated with centrifuges, with the oil being shipped to refineries.

[0037] In the oil containment system of the disclosure the separator sock was designed to be as simple to assemble as possible, assembled without tools, rapidly assembled and deployed to work at depths extending to one and one-quarter mile or more and be a first response to any pipeline break.

[0038] The first response to any leak in which safety measures do not plug the pipeline would be to cut the pipeline above the wellhead leaving enough pipe, if possible, to attach a valve. On the other hand, the separator sock 10 of the disclosure is anchored to a plurality of anchor pylons 52 around the well head 50, as shown in FIG. 5, at a height that allows the escaping oil to enter the separator sock and allows submersibles to work on the pipeline to affect a seal. The separator sock is supported and held into place by cable ties 12 (FIG. 2) that attach between segments of the separator sock 10. Each segment (FIG. 1) has flexibility on the cable ties 12 to reduce stress.

[0039] The cable ties 12 (FIG. 2) attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from the anchor pylons 52 at the wellhead10 to the inner ring of the compass leveler anchor (FIG. 7) or fixed anchor rings (not shown) located in the pumping barge (FIG. 6).
As shown in FIG. 1, each segment is about twenty feet to about eighty feet long and more typically about thirty feet with an inside diameter stitched onto the surface of the segment skin at least about five (5) feet from the bottom of the segment. The tubing 32 will tend to float reducing the stress on the cables. Readily available schedule-40 tubing may not be adequate for pressures at a depth of about one mile.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the upper tubing ring inserts into the segment (FIG. 1) immediately above it and is attached to a solid ring such as a one inch aluminum ring, about a thirty (30) feet outside diameter minus two times the skin thickness, stitched to the inside of the segment at least about five (5) feet from the bottom of the segment and directly behind the tubing ring with about a thirty (30) foot inside diameter that is stitched to the surface of the segment skin at least about five (5) feet from the bottom of the segment. In another preferred embodiment, the solid bar such as a one inch solid aluminum has a plurality of eyelets (FIG. 4B) of solid aluminum that are oval in shape, about one-half inch in diameter thickness and an inside dimension of typically about one and one-eighth inches by about three inches. They are placed on the about one inch solid aluminum ring before it is welded shut and the eyelets are typically spaced at about sixty degree intervals and welded to the one inch solid aluminum ring with the longer axis parallel to the skin of the segment (FIG. I OB). This allows for the use of an eyelet connector 48 (FIG. 4) to tie the upper part of the lower segment to the one inch solid aluminum thirty (30) foot ring.

[0041 ] The connector on the cable tie 12 (FIG. 2F) is typically an articulating stainless steel connector that rotates around a rivet on one end and is secured at the other end with a stainless steel self-locking pin 14 (FIG. 2B-2C). The self-locking pin 14 (FIG. 2B-2C) has leaves that are riveted to the tip of the pin and a stainless steel spring that is located in a hole in the shaft of the pin and extends each of two leaves once the pin is passed through a cylindrical hole in the eyelet.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, there is a crane on the deck of the pumping barge (FIG.
6) for lifting stored segments from the deck of a second barge and positioning them in the pumping well for assembly. In another preferred embodiment, the pumping barge (FIG. 8) is designed as a catamaran for stability and has four GPS guided thrusters, one on each corner to keep the pumping barge in place over the separator sock.

[0043] The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of." The terms "a", "an" and "the" as used herein are understood to encompass the plural as well as the singular, unless indicated otherwise.

[0044] The foregoing description illustrates and describes the disclosure.
Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only the preferred embodiments but, as mentioned above, it is to be understood that it is capable to use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the invention concepts as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings and/or the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. The embodiments described herein above are further intended to explain best modes known by applicant and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure in such, or other, embodiments and with the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses thereof.
Accordingly, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Also, it is intended to the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments.

[0045] All publications and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference, and for any and all purposes, as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. In the event of an inconsistency between the present disclosure and any publications or patent application incorporated herein by reference, the present disclosure controls.

Claims (20)

1. An oil containment system comprising:

a separator sock for containing escaping oil from a defective wellhead underwater comprising a plurality of cables ties attached between a plurality of segments of the separator sock, wherein the separator sock is anchored to a plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on the pipeline to affect a seal, wherein the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce stress, and wherein the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to fixed anchor rings located in a pumping well on a pumping barge.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from the anchor pylons at the wellhead to the inner ring of a compass leveler anchor located in the pumping well on the pumping barge.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein each segment is about twenty to about eighty feet in diameter and about fifteen feet to about thirty feet high, at least about five feet of which inserts into the bottom of the segment immediately above it.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the separator sock has a diameter sufficient to capture the oil-water mixture at the wellhead and prevent the separator sock from becoming pressurized by lowering the pressure in the interior of the separator sock during the pumping operation tending to collapse the segments.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the uppermost segment holds approximately twenty-eight thousand gallons.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein oil is pumped out of the uppermost segment anchored in the pumping well of the pumping barge.

7. The system according to claim 1, where in the separator sock allows oil and water to escape out of the of opening ("gills") at the bottom of each segment if the interior the segment becomes pressurized by rough water.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein each segment is made with a skin of heavy sail cloth material or Kevlar, coated with a sealant to prevent the oil from penetrating the skin or has a skin that is impenetrable by sea water and oil.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein each segment has aluminum tubing stitched to the inside of the segment skin at the top of the segment and another aluminum tubing ring stitched onto the outside surface of the segment skin at least about five feet from the bottom of the segment.

10. An oil separator sock comprising:

a plurality of cable ties; a plurality of segments; and a plurality of anchor pylons, wherein the cable ties are attached between a plurality of segments of the separator sock, wherein the separator sock is anchored to a plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead of an oil well at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on the pipeline to affect a seal, wherein the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce stress, and wherein the cable ties that are attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to anchor attachments located in a pumping well on a pumping barge.

11. The oil separator sock according to claim 10, wherein the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from the anchor pylons at the wellhead to the inner ring of a compass leveler anchor located in the pumping well on the pumping barge.

12. The oil separator sock according to claim 10, wherein each segment is about twenty to about eighty feet in diameter and about fifteen feet to about thirty feet high, at least about five feet of which inserts into the bottom of the segment immediately above it.

13. The oil separator sock according to claim 10, wherein the separator sock has a twenty to eighty foot diameter which prevents the separator sock from becoming pressurized by lowering the pressure in the interior of the separator sock during the pumping operation tending to collapse the segments.

14. The oil separator sock according to claim 10, wherein the upper most segment holds approximately twenty-eight thousand gallons.

15. The oil separator sock according to claim 14, wherein oil is rapidly pumped out of the uppermost segment anchored in the pumping well of a pumping barge.

16. A method of containing oil which comprises:

providing a containment conduit for oil escaping from the ocean or any body of water to rise to the surface in a small containment area where it can be pumped onto waiting transport vessels, placing the oil in land based storage tanks where the oil and the water separate via gravity or centrifuged for a more rapid processing, drawing the water from the bottom of the tank, wherein the process comprises a separator sock rapidly assembled and deployed for the oil containment, working at depths of one and one-quarter mile or more and as the first response to any pipeline break resulting in an oil spill.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the separator sock is anchored to a plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead of an oil well at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on a pipeline to affect a seal.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce stress.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to anchor attachments located in the pumping well on a pumping barge.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the uppermost segment holds approximately twenty-eight thousand gallons.