GB2141672A

GB2141672A - Floating barrier

Info

Publication number: GB2141672A
Application number: GB08328361A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Bennion
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-05-13
Filing date: 1983-10-24
Publication date: 1985-01-03
Also published as: GB2141672B; GB8328361D0

Abstract

A boom is provided for controlling waterbound polluting petroleum, the boom comprising a plurality of elongate members 101 interconnected in line and substantially parallel with one another so as to allow limited axial movement of the members relative to one another. The members are adapted to float in a substantially upright attitude. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to mineral recovery The present invention relates to apparatus for use in recovering minerals in liquid or gaseous form, such as petroleum and natural gas, from undersea boreholes.

Accordingly the present invention provides a boom for use in controlling waterbound pollutants such as petroleum, the boom comprising a plurality of elongate members interconnected in line and substantially parallel with one another so as to allow limited axial movement of the members relative to one another, and wherein said members are adapted to float in a substantially upright attitude.

Preferably, each said member slightly abuts each adjacent member to restrict the passage of pollutants between the members.

The present invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a member of a boom according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the member of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the boom in use.

Referring to the drawings a boom 100 for use in containing spillage of, for example petroleum, comprises a plurality of elongate members 101 which are arranged substantially parallel to one another and joined together to allow relative axial movement of the members. These members may be made of any suitable lightweight material, such as wood or plastics material, and are arranged to float in a substantially vertical attitude. This may be accomplished by providing floats secured to one end of a member at regular intervals along the boom. The floats should be arranged to support a portion of each member 101 above the surface of the sea. For example, with members which are 1 2 feet in length approximately 1 foot 6 inches is arranged to float above the surface.

In use, the boom is towed behind, for example, a tug 104, which circles a source 106 of a petroleum spillage in such a manner as to form the boom 100 into a spiral. In the absence of any inhibiting force the spiral initially formed by the boom 100 would be expected to collapse in on itself. However, the sea provides a considerable resistance to lateral movement of the boom 100 and therefore provided that a controlled course is steered by the tug 104 the spiral form of the boom 100 can be maintained with the consequence that as the tug 104 circles the source 106 the petroleum spillage 105 is swept into the spiral. Once all of the spillage has been collected the two ends of the boom 100 can be connected together to contain the spillage until such time as it can be pumped into storage tanks or chemically broken down.

Typically 7/8 of the boom is below sea level.

To enable a boom of any desired length to be assembled in situ it is necessary to provide a simple and effective way of interconnert;nS the members 101. One such method is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. As can be seen each member 101 is of substantially rectangular cross-section, although any suitable cross-sectional shape may be used, with the wider surfaces forming an upper surface 108 and a lower surface 11 0. A respective slot 11 2 is cut in the upper surface 108 adjacent each end of the member 101.

The slots extend fully across the width of the member 101 and are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the member 101 towards one another. Each slot is formed in two parts, the first part extending substantially vertically into the member 101 through approximately half the thickness of the member and the second part extending longitudinally of the member 101. In the latter respect the "upper" portion (as seen in Fig. 4) of this second part of the slot extends towards the left hand end of the member while the "lower" portion extends towards the right hand end of the member 101 to provide a through passage 114 extending substantially at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the member 101 as can be seen in Figs. 3 and 4.A rope or cable which is dropped into the first part of the slot 11 2 will automatically take up position in the passage 114 when the rope or cable is drawn taut. This enables the members 101 to be attached successively to parallel ropes or cables 102 as the latter are paid out from a vessel such as the vessel 1 04.

To ensure that the members 101 float in a substantially upright attitude one end of selected members may be weighted while the opposite end is provided with a float or floats.

The floats can be in the form of pontoons which are attached to struts or brackets or the like extending laterally of the members 101.

In addition, stability can be provided by means of suitable fins mounted on respective sides of selected members 101. Such fins are conveniently designed to harness wave movement and assist in forward movement of the boom. Movement of the vessel 104 may be controlled to "draw" a stationary tanker into the boom. The tanker then takes in the spillage and then exists through the boom spiral mouth.

1. A boom for use in controlling waterbound pollutants such as petroleum, comprising a plurality of elongate members interconnected in line and substantially parallel with one another so as to allow limited axial movement of the members relative to one another, and wherein said members are adapted to float in a substantially upright attitude.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to mineral recovery The present invention relates to apparatus for use in recovering minerals in liquid or gaseous form, such as petroleum and natural gas, from undersea boreholes. Accordingly the present invention provides a boom for use in controlling waterbound pollutants such as petroleum, the boom comprising a plurality of elongate members interconnected in line and substantially parallel with one another so as to allow limited axial movement of the members relative to one another, and wherein said members are adapted to float in a substantially upright attitude. Preferably, each said member slightly abuts each adjacent member to restrict the passage of pollutants between the members. The present invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a member of a boom according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the member of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the boom in use. Referring to the drawings a boom 100 for use in containing spillage of, for example petroleum, comprises a plurality of elongate members 101 which are arranged substantially parallel to one another and joined together to allow relative axial movement of the members. These members may be made of any suitable lightweight material, such as wood or plastics material, and are arranged to float in a substantially vertical attitude. This may be accomplished by providing floats secured to one end of a member at regular intervals along the boom. The floats should be arranged to support a portion of each member 101 above the surface of the sea. For example, with members which are 1 2 feet in length approximately 1 foot 6 inches is arranged to float above the surface. In use, the boom is towed behind, for example, a tug 104, which circles a source 106 of a petroleum spillage in such a manner as to form the boom 100 into a spiral. In the absence of any inhibiting force the spiral initially formed by the boom 100 would be expected to collapse in on itself. However, the sea provides a considerable resistance to lateral movement of the boom 100 and therefore provided that a controlled course is steered by the tug 104 the spiral form of the boom 100 can be maintained with the consequence that as the tug 104 circles the source 106 the petroleum spillage 105 is swept into the spiral. Once all of the spillage has been collected the two ends of the boom 100 can be connected together to contain the spillage until such time as it can be pumped into storage tanks or chemically broken down. Typically 7/8 of the boom is below sea level. To enable a boom of any desired length to be assembled in situ it is necessary to provide a simple and effective way of interconnert;nS the members 101. One such method is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. As can be seen each member 101 is of substantially rectangular cross-section, although any suitable cross-sectional shape may be used, with the wider surfaces forming an upper surface 108 and a lower surface 11 0. A respective slot 11 2 is cut in the upper surface 108 adjacent each end of the member 101. The slots extend fully across the width of the member 101 and are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the member 101 towards one another. Each slot is formed in two parts, the first part extending substantially vertically into the member 101 through approximately half the thickness of the member and the second part extending longitudinally of the member 101. In the latter respect the "upper" portion (as seen in Fig. 4) of this second part of the slot extends towards the left hand end of the member while the "lower" portion extends towards the right hand end of the member 101 to provide a through passage 114 extending substantially at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the member 101 as can be seen in Figs. 3 and 4.A rope or cable which is dropped into the first part of the slot 11 2 will automatically take up position in the passage 114 when the rope or cable is drawn taut. This enables the members 101 to be attached successively to parallel ropes or cables 102 as the latter are paid out from a vessel such as the vessel 1 04. To ensure that the members 101 float in a substantially upright attitude one end of selected members may be weighted while the opposite end is provided with a float or floats. The floats can be in the form of pontoons which are attached to struts or brackets or the like extending laterally of the members 101. In addition, stability can be provided by means of suitable fins mounted on respective sides of selected members 101. Such fins are conveniently designed to harness wave movement and assist in forward movement of the boom. Movement of the vessel 104 may be controlled to "draw" a stationary tanker into the boom. The tanker then takes in the spillage and then exists through the boom spiral mouth. CLAIMS

2. A boom as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said member slidably abuts each adjacent member to restrict the passage of pollutants between the members.

3. A boom as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein preselected ones of said members each has a float at one end thereof.

4. A boom as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein each boom has a respective slot formed adjacent each end thereof and extending the full width of the member for receiving an interconnecting cable means, each said slot having a first outer position opening into the surface of the member and extending at a preselected acute angle to the member axis and a second inner portion extending substantially at right angles to the member axis.

5. A method of controlling waterborne pollutants using a boom as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A boom stationary as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

1. A boom for use in controlling waterborne pollutants such as petroleum, comprising a plurality of elongate members interconnected in line by connecting means and substantially parallel with one another so as to allow limited axial movement of the members relative to one another, wherein said members are adapted to float in a substantially upright attitude and each said member slidably abuts each adjacent member when the connecting means is drawn taut to restrict the passage of pollutants between the members.

2. A boom as claimed in claim 1 wherein preselected ones of said members has a float at one end thereof.

3. A boom as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each member has a respective slot formed adjacent each end thereof and extending the full width of the member for receiving a connecting cable means, each said slot having a first outer position opening into the surface of the member and extending at a preselected acute angle to the member axis and a second inner portion extending substantially at right angles to the member axis.

4. A boom substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.