GB2255013A

GB2255013A - Oil well fire extinguisher

Info

Publication number: GB2255013A
Application number: GB9108740A
Authority: GB
Inventors: * Godard Thaddee; * Holewski George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-04-24
Filing date: 1991-04-24
Publication date: 1992-10-28
Also published as: GB9108740D0

Abstract

The extinguishing chamber has a multi-chambered body 1 which is attached to the manoeuvering arms 2 which positions the extinguishing chamber over the flaming oil pipe. As the extinguisher is being manoeuvered into position water from an external source is pumped into the chamber, via the extension arm pipework 4. When ready nitrogen gas from tanks stored on the equipment trolley 3 is pumped into the chamber. The combined action of the cooling water and the nitrogen gas, extinguishes the fire. When this is achieved the gas is turned off but the water is left on to carry on cooling the pipe to prevent reignition. <IMAGE>

Description

TECHNICAL DATA FOR THE EXTINGUISHING OF OIL WELL FIRES.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THE OPERATION: 1) Extinguishing Chamber 2) Manoeuvrering Arms 3) Equipment Trolley 4) Extension Arm DISCRIPTION OF THE EQUIPMENT 1) The Extinguishing Chamber The principle is the same as for a combustion chamber except in reverse.

In a combustion chamber you have a fuel and Oxygen (air) mixture to produce a fire.If you take away either one of the main elements from producing the fire ,it will go out.this is the basic principle of the Extinguishing Chamber.

In the case of an Oil Well fire,the the flame occurs at the end of the well pipe.The purpose of our process is to stop Oxygen (Air) reaching the Well head flame ,thus putting out the fire.

The body of the Extinguishing Chamber should be a 400mm internal diameter pipe,with 20mm thick walls by 2m in length.At the top endof the chamber will be a water distribution system serving two specific roles, a) to cool the outside of the of the chamber and b) to creat a curtain of water to stop the reignition of the fire.

The main extinguishing elements of the chamber are a series of nozzels at the top and at the bottom which would flood the chamber with Nitrogen gas.

If the Well Head pipe is long then a pneumatic sealing collar would be fitted to the bottom of the chamber,and when lowered over the pipe the seal would be closed and stop the ingress of air into the bottom of the chamber.

2) The Manoeuvrering Arms The Manoeuvsering Arms would be attached to the Extinguishing Chamber and the Equipment Trolley.They would allow you to position the Extinguishing Chamber over the flaming Well Head up to a height of 5m.

The principle of the arms work on the Pentograph method thus keeping the chamber perpendicular at all times.The arms at the Equipment Trolley end would be fixed to a turntable giving up to 15 of side to side movement.All the services needed to extinguish the fire are carried along the manoeuvrering arms i.e.

the Nitrogen Gas and water pipes.

3) The Equipement Trolley The Equipement Trolley would house the Nitrogen gas containers and the air compressor for the pneumatic sealing collar,as well as being the anchor point for the manoeuvrering arms.The trolley would have two wheels to make it easier to manoeuver the kit in to place.The trolley would be covered with insulating material to protect the on-board equipement.All the operations would be carried out by remote control.

4) The Extension Arm The Extension Arm would be lOm long to stop the operating staff from getting to close to the fire.Along this Extension Arm the water supply pipe would be attached.

METHOD TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.

PHASE ONE :- PREPARATION OF THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN.

Using existing technology and methods,you remove all the surrounding steel debris from around the flaming well head,and you trim off the main oil pipe of any flanges with a thermal lance.

PHASE TWO :- THE EXTINGUISHING.

The idea is to cut off the supply of Oxygen to the fire.In this respect ,with the cooling system turned on,you lower the Extinguishing Chamber over the well head until you touch the ground.To increase the sealing effect,you would pour around the base quick drying cement.When all is in position you flood the Chamber with the Nitrogen Gas,thus forcing out all of the Oxygen,at the same time choking the fire.The combination of the top set of Nitrogen nozzels and the curtain of water,reignition of the fire would be impossible.

The principle of putting out the fire on a long pipe is similar in that there would be a stop mounted inside the Chamber to stop it from dropping down to far,and the bottom seal would be achieved by the pneumatic seal mounted on the bottom of the Chamber.The actual Extinguishing process would be the same.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1) An Oil Well Extinguisher comprising of an Extinguishing Chamber , Manoeuvering Arms working on the pantograph system to position the Chamber , the Equipement Trolley with the tanks of Nitrogen Gas and all the ancillery equipement and the Extension Arm.

2) An Oil Well Extinguisher as claimed in Claim 1 wherein water is pumped into the Chamber to cool the Chamber and the Oil Well pipe.

3) An Oil Well Extinguisher as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the Ancillery equipement being a high pressure water pump to feed water into the Extinguishing Chamber.

4) An Oil Well Extinguisher as claimed in any previous Claims wherein the Ancillery equipement being all the electrical controls for the pumps and the Manoeuvering Arms.

5) An Oil Well Extinguisher substantially as described herein with references to Fifures 1 - 2 of the accompanying drawings.