GB2482181A

GB2482181A - Preventing and ameliorating leakage from a subsea well in the event of failure

Info

Publication number: GB2482181A
Application number: GB1012359.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Robert Goodall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-07-23
Filing date: 2010-07-23
Publication date: 2012-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-23
Also published as: GB201012359D0; GB2482181B

Abstract

Methods and devices for preventing and ameliorating leakage from a subsea well in the event of failure including: a subsea shut-off valve which includes a failsafe device which closes a wellbore in the event of communication with a control device being broken; the communication linkage preferably including an inherent weakness which will increase the likelihood of failure; a method of preventing pollution/leakage from a subsea oil well by setting up a self destruct sequence in the absence or presence of certain relevant signal in specific relation to the leak; an armoured well head device; pollution marker buoys; a flexible inflatable oil containment device; a method of preventing oil spillage from a subsea oil well by burying the leaking wellhead.

Description

Invention 65.1O

Description

The invention is a means to seal an oil bore hole or hole in the ground where a liquid such a oil is being, or has been released, and which can clear up some of the oil or liquid that has been or is being released, and where in certain situations the invention will use one or more of the features or embodiments of the invention which are not necessarily physically connected to each other to overcome the various aspects of the same problem.

The invention may be considered to have a number of embodiments where the unifying aspect is that they are the means to provide a flexible and encompassing response to for example overcoming a leakage of oil from a bore hole.

The unifying aspects of the invention will be that in different ways, different embodiments of the invention may act in a way that are complementary to each other, and which may be under the coordination and control of the same operator. The embodiments of the invention will seek to tackle the same problem, for example to prevent poution from a leaking oil well, and though not necessarily physicaUy connected with each other, the embodiments will in a sense be connected through the communication and instructions that are relayed through all the means and techniques whereby this can take place, such as by radio, or other methods that exist today or which may be devised in the future, so that the embodiments by working either together, or separately, or in different combinations as desired by the operator, can be used to overcome the same problem which may be the un intended release of oil or another liquid, that poses a threat to the environment or to health, wherever the oil may reside, be it in a bore hole or close to, or in the vicinity of the same bore hole.

The embodiments can therefore be seen as the arms and legs of the same invention whose objectives are the same.

The invention is a means to seal bore holes for oil or gas under water or in other locations where access is difficult to seal them in an emergency or at other times.

The term bore hole is used to signify any hole made by man or nature through which oil or other substances may be escaping or being released intentionally.

This may also be known as an oil well.

The Invention and its embodiments are also shown in a series of drawings which are not to scale.

Various embodiments of the invention can be of different dimensions and shapes and in some embodiments the devices can also include features from other embothments.

The parts of the embodiments shown in the drawings and how they work, and work in relation to other parts or embodiments are described both throughout

this description, such as on pages 45-50.

When the description refers to embodiments this word will represent the phrase, embodiments of the invention'.

In different embodiments similar parts of the apparatus may be constructed to different lengths, proportions and shapes, and out of different materials if desired.

One of the features of one of the embodiments recognises that the device to seal a bore hole on the sea bed may be most vulnerable to being disabled and rendered unable to fulfil its function at the very time it may be required to do this, in that an explosion damaging or destroying for example an oil platform and the resulting falling debris from such a disaster, and various combinations of both may damage the very device that is intended to seal a bore hole in such an eventuality.

The device is therefore designed with simplicity in mind and with a minimum of moving parts to increase its general resilience and ability to resist the shocks, changes in water pressure, explosions, and collapse of heavy debris onto or around the device and general mayhem that would accompany the failure or major incident involving an oil drilling platform or similar apparatus.

The part of the device that actually closes the bore hole is therefore heavily protected by thick layers of armoured plating and other tough materials. This is shown in figure 7.

There are also layers designed to reduce the effect of shock waves and vibrations and similar effects from explosions or the destruction of an oil platform above the bore hole or other events that might lead to oil flowing out of the bore hole. Rubber and similar materials may be included to help soften such shockwaves.

One of the features of the embodiment of the invention on the sea bed as shown in drawings 4, 4b, 4c and 4d is to protect the device from being disabled by a failure or possible destruction of the oil platform above or near to the bore hole.

Should the platform sink and land on top of the device on the sea bed, the device will be designed to withstand the heavy pressures, shock waves and weights that the collapse of an oil platform or similar construction will cause, and potentially also heavy weights of falling debris pressing down on the device seallng the bore hole.

The design of the device itself will be such that as much of this pressure is directed downwards as possible to reduce as much as possible the pressure bearing down on it, so that with all the features of the device described in this description the device would continue to fulfil its role in sealing the bore hole.

The embodiment of the invention shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c, 4d and also 7 show the sides of the device sloping outwards to a base where the base of the device is wider than the top of the device. It is hoped that this feature will help direct the force of a weight on the device downwards and thereby to some extent be mitigated and have ess effect that it might otherwise have. The device might be designed in other ways such as in the form of an arch to direct the force downwards and to increase the weight bearing properties of the device.

In figure 7 the top of the device is shown to be smaller than the base, with in one embodiment the angle of the downwards slope of the side of the device exceeding 45 degrees, so that the device imitates one aspect of an arch although combining the weight bearing advantages of a curve with the advantages of a side or face that does not have a curve.

Any way or means to reduce or lessen shockwaves may be built into the device and put into sections such as marked as part 26 in figure 7.

In the embodiments of this invention the materials and parts used may be updated to use new materials and mechanisms that may become available in the future and which can fulfil the same or a similar function or purpose to the parts and operation that are shown in this description and drawings.

The parts of the device that move to close a bore hole are also themselves surrounded by an extra curved structure of very hard materials for extra protection One of the key and distinguishing features of this embodiment of the invention is that communication with the device is needed to prevent the programmed instructions contained within the device, from instructing the device to close a bore hole rather than communication being needed to instruct it to close a bore hole.

This difference is fundamental to this invention.

It is this feature, whereby the invention has to be told not to seal a bore hole rather than the other way around, which taken In conjunction with the other features of the invention, that take into consideration, the high level of stresses that would face any device sealing a bore hole at a time when an oil platform or simar construction has failed or is undergoing a major incident, to the way this invention thffers from other devices that may be designed to close bore holes.

The curved structure of some of the parts of the structure of one of the embodiments of the invention and which is shown in figure 7 is to help the force of for example heavy debris that may and on the device when an o platform fails, to be directed downwards so that a much greater weight can be borne by the device, wfthout the heavy weight causing the device to fail or be disabled.

One of the key distinguishing features of the invention is that the device automaticay carries out its function and blocks an oil welt if an instruction not to do this is not received, perhaps on a regular basis, the frequency of which can be set as desired, and this feature is essential as communication may be lost when an oil platform fails or is damaged or destroyed.

But it is this very problem which might otherwise be a problem that is utilised by this invention by making the cessation of communication from the operator of the oil platform that would arise with an incident with an oil platform become the way that the invention knows that it is to seal a bore hole.

n the embodiments of the invention shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d compressed air or gas is released from part 21 which like al other features of this invention can vary in shape and dimensions in different embodiments and versions of embodiments.

The way part 21 fulfils its part of the operation of the device varies in different embodiments.

n the embodiment shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d this release of compressed air or gas from part 21 will take p'ace if an instruction is not received by the computer, microchip, any form of memory that is set in the device and which has been given programmed instructions before the device is placed in position.

In some variations of the embodiment these instructions how to act if communication is ost with the operator, may be programmed in later when the device is already in position, or may be changed when the device is in position.

The programmed instructions will instruct the device to close the bore hole using part/s 16 if instructions not to do this are not received from the operator of the oil platform or similar construction.

The part/s 16 will be of sufficient size that when across the bore hole, this part of the device will completely obstruct the flow of oil. In some variations of the embodiment the part/i 6 may be designed so that it will obstruct part of the bore hole, allowing some o to continue to flow for example to relieve pressure in the bore hole, and in one variation of the embodiment the part/I 6 wiU be constructed so that the size of the part can be varied to allow differing amounts of oil to be released from the bore hole, to allow for example the release of pressure according to the amount of pressure that other features of the device may measure into the bore hole. One way to achieve this would be to allow the part/s 16 to be inserted to differing amounts into the bore hole. If more of the part/s16 is inserted into the bore hole a greater amount of oil would be obstructed. One variation of the embodiment would allow the extent to which part/si 6 is inserted into the bore hole to be changed as desired, and withdrawn if desired.

The description will mainly concentrate on the variation of the embodiment where part/s 16 is fully inserted into the bore hole and where the part/s 16 is of sufficient size to fully obstruct flow of oil when the partll6 is across the bore hole.

In one embodiment of the invention shown in drawings 4, 4b, 4c and 4d the effect of compressed air or gas being released into the sealed chamber marked as 22 will result in an increase in pressure in this chamber. The sealed chamber is marked as 22 in the drawings and as the pressure increases this will push part/s marked as 16 in the drawings over the bore hole thus sealing it. The part/s 16 after they have completed this operation can be seen sealing a bore hole in figure 4b of the drawings.

Within the embodiment of the invention a part marked as 16/s is the part that is pushed over and hence closes the bore hole. This part like other parts of the embodiments of the invention can be of different sizes, and shapes and materials in different embodiments.

In the description when a number of a part is followed by Is this will indicate there may be one or more of these parts in the device described. When other devices or embodiments are described in the description the description may refer to one part in the singular but it is to be understood that in different variations and embodiments of the invention there may be one or more parts or devices as described in a particular location or used in a particular way as may be desired.

In some embodiments the part 16/s is pushed directly by whatever is providing the energy to do this emanating from the part 21 in the device.

Part 21 can be in some embodiments a construction that can store gas or air at pressure, and to have the means when instructed by the programming in the device to release this gas into the sealed chamber 22.

The level of pressure can vary in different embodiments and in some devices the pressure may depend on the depth of sea in which the device is placed. The deeper the sea and hence the depth of the sea bed, the greater the pressure at which the construction in part 21 can be set to store pressurised gas. This would also be necessary to help push part/s 16 across the bore hole and to overcome the pressure of the oil and water in the bore hole. The pressure set for part 21 would need to be higher than the water pressure and pressures in the bore hole to be sealed.

In other embodiments the pressures set may be higher than atmosphere at ground level pressures and in different variations the pressures set can be higher or lower than this atmosphere at ground level pressure and there may be many different variations of the level of pressure in part 21 in different embodiments.

In other embodiments of the invention, part 21 can be an engine or an explosive or other ways that can provide the energy to push a piece of apparatus marked part 16/s from one point to another.

In some embodiments the part 16/s can be accompanied by another part marked as 15 which is the part pushed by the energy emanating from part 21.

Part 15 is the part that is first pushed by the energy from part 21 towards the bore hole, and as this happens, this push or energy is transferred to the part 16 that actually closes the bore hole as it is pushed in place.

The advantage of this may be to help seal in the compressed gas that has being released so that it cannot escape through any tiny gaps between the parts moving towards the bore hole and the lining of the chamber 22, which is described in more detail ater and is shown as part 34 in Figure 4d.

The figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d include a part 15 in the embodiment of the invention that they show, but in other embodiments, the device will have a part 16 but no intermediate part 15.

Part of the length of part 16 remains within the device when the part/s 16 has fully deployed and closed the bore hole, so that part 16 does not fall into the bore hole.

Part 16 will close until it reaches another part 16 and the length of this part of the device can be calculated so that enough of the part remains in the device to prevent it falling into the bore hole.

The part 16/s travel along the inside of a part of the apparatus which in some embodiments may resemble a tube.

The movement can be facilitated by smooth surfaces of both the outside of part 16 that is in contact with the inside of the tube marked in figure 4d as part 34.

The arrows in figure 4d and marked as 35 represent compressed air or gas being released into the sealed chamber 22 whose walls are designed to be able to withstand this increase in pressure.

The only way for this pressure to be released is by the movement of part 16 which is designed so that it is free to move. Part 16 is pushed towards the bore hole by the movement of part 15, whose side adjoins the chamber 22, and where part 15's movement is caused in this embodiment by an increase in pressure in the chamber 22.

When this occurs part/s 16 travels towards the bore hole and crosses nto and across the bore hole itseft and in this way, blocks the bore hole by obstructing it.

Figure 4d shows part of the inside of one of the embodiments of the invention.

The direction of various parts that move when pressure is increased in the chamber marked as 22 as compressed ar or gas is re'eased into it, or in other embodiments when the part 21 is an engine or similar device that can also app'y pressure against part 15 is shown by arrows marked as 36a, 36b and 36c in figure 4d. As part 15 is moved towards the bore hole, it pushed part 16 over the bore hole to close it.

Part 15 may be constructed of materials that are effective at sealing in the compressed gas in the chamber 21, and part 16 may be constructed of materials that are most effective at withstanding the stresses and possib'e impacts of parts of an oil rig that might strike the device. The qualities of materials needed for both purposes may not be found in the same material or design so that both parts can be constructed of the most effective materials for the purpose they fulfil if are constructed separately of each other.

The arrow marked as 36a shows the direction or path that part 15 travels when pressure is applied against it as a result of the actions of part 21. The arrow marked as 36b shows the direction that the part 16/s moves as part 15 pushes against it, and the arrows 36c show the eventual path that part 16 wil' take as it moves over the open bore hole and closes it by blocking it.

n some embodiments small wheels may be used to help facilitate the movement of parts intended to move such as part/si 5 and part/s 16, and grease, or oil or a similar substance may be used to help reduce friction by lubricating the points between the two parts at which they are intended to move.

Combinations of wheels, lubricants and other methods of helping parts within an apparatus to move, may be used in different embodiments. The apparatus wiU be designed to protect the device from oil or water entering the apparatus. The exterior of the apparatus may be sealed to prevent this, and some of these seals would break when the part 16/s is pushed across the bore hole to seal it.

Part 16 is pushed by either an increase in gas or air pressure after part 21 releases air or gas into the sealed chamber 22 or by an engine or similar device activated in a similar way. This is by default if signals or instructions from the operator to over ride programmed instructions in the device to close the bore hole are not received for whatever reason.

In some embodiments of the invention Part 16 may be fired into position by a smaU explosion which is caused by smaU explosive charges which perform the role of part 21, and parts of part 16 can be designed so that they securely fit together when the part 16/s have being fired at each other and into position.

In other embodiments compressed air or gas can carry out this function and the high gas pressure which cannot escape as it is sealed into the chamber marked as part 22 wiH continue to hold part 16 in position over the bore hole. Part 15 in the embodiments shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d would be designed to help stop the compressed gas leaking out.

In time the compressed gas might leak out but the pressure in the chamber 22 and would be replaced by the water and oil at similar pressures to those found in the depth of water in which the device has being placed. All things considered with pressure similar in the chamber 22 to other areas in and around the bore hole, the part/i 6s would only be forced open if considerable additional pressure was applied from where part/s 16 met over the bore hole shown in figure 4b, and this pressure was applied to the sides and at right angles to the point at which the part/I 6 met. The pressure would then need to be applied sufficient to push the part/I 6 back into the device. If the pressure was applied at other than a right angle the part/I 6 and in some embodiments part/s 15 would jam in the device.

This might occur if pressure acting against the part/s 16 came from factors around the bore hole such as falling debris from a bore hole, rather than intentional efforts by the oil company or operator to re open the bore hole.

In some variations of the embodiment the part 16/s would have indentations in the surface area of the section of part/i 6 which is across the bore hole, which would allow the end of a levering device to be inserted which can be used divers or machines to lever open the part/s 16 and force the parts back into the device if it is desired to reopen the bore hole.

For these reasons once the device has sealed the bore hole, it would be unlikely that anything other than deliberate pressure at the right level and angle would push the part!i6 apart and unseal the bore hole. Such a scenario might only occur for example through the efforts of people working for the oil company, who might wish to unseal the bore hole, In some embodiments in parts of the embodiments where there are spaces these areas may be pressurised, so that the device can withstand high water pressures when the device is placed on the sea bed. This would mean that such areas would be less likely to be areas of weakness for the structure should the device come under the sort of pressures and heavy weights that might occur if for example an oil platform collapsed onto the device, or explosions occurred in the water caused by an incident on a oil platform or similar apparatus that might increase or cause a spike in the level of water pressures around the embodiment at the moment the explosion took place, or of for example a terrorist incident or similar event was taking place.

Variations of the Embodiment of the invention may a'so be built where the device on the sea bed seals the bore hole when it is activated by an explosion, or series of explosions near to or in the vicinity of the device as described in the preceding paragraph where features within the embodiment would detect such explosions and this would have the means to trigger the programming within the device to seal the bore hole.

Some embodiments of the invention may work when one embodiment or feature of the invention works with another embodiment or feature to achieve the desired result to stop or reduce pollution from a bore hole where the oil is still in the bore hole, or where the oil may be close to the bore hole, or where it may have already being released.

n some embodiments of the invention the device has a squat design to maximise contact with the seabed to help prevent it being moved or flipped out of position by an explosion or by falling debris, though even if the device shifted in position the device might still be able to fufi its purpose if part of the device still ends up resting over the borehole.

n some variations of the embodiment the features and mechanisms required for the device of the operation would be accommodated in a structure that extenuated the horizontal dimensions at the expense of the vertical dimensions in order to maximise the hold that the underside of the device would have with the sea bed.

Parts of the underside of the device may in some embodiments be designed to increase the ability of the device to adhere to, and have contact with the sea bed.

These may include various devices and features that can intrude to varying depths into the sea bed, which would be of different proportions and lengths and these features would help hold the device in position. In a variation of the embodiment these features may be retractable on receiving an instruction to do this from the operator and such devices would have the means and programming necessary for this to take p'ace. Such features might be retracted if it was desired that the device over the bore hole was removed from this position.

The device, in some embodiments may only be lifted out of position in a vertical upwards direction, and it is likely that an oil platform faUing onto the device at speed would tend to either flip the device over, or move it to one side but be much less likely to push the device in precisely the opposite direction to which the col'apsing oil platform is heading.

The platform will be heading in a downwards direction, therefore the device will be designed to resist movements to the sides by various attachments such as hooks and similar devices that would tend to snag or sink into the sea bed.

The device would be positioned by being placed onto the sea bed. Therefore the hooks and other devices can be designed with that in mind. As the device settles on the sea bed, the hooks and other devices for holding the device in position would sink or be pushed into the sea bed. The way to remove the device would be to pull it out in the reverse of the direction and path that it has taken when it was placed in position.

It is unlikely that the device could be pushed out of position in this upwards direction as the collapsing oil rig or similar construction would tend to obstruct this path as it collapsed downwards.

The borehole is also attached to the sea bed by rods marked as 25 in figure 4c that are fired into the rocks of the seabed by an explosive device or in some embodiments may be manually fixed in position by divers or maintenance workers. There may be different numbers of rods marked as 25 in different embodiments of the invention.

This embodiment is shown in figure 4c of the drawings.

The first embodiment of the invention is shown in figure 1 of the drawings. An explosive device is lowered by a variety of means to the sea floor. In some embodiments it may already be fixed in position before drilling for oil commences in case it is needed to quickly close the bore hole. The device would be kept safe as key features needed for a detonation would be kept separately and added when the device was needed to be detonated. The advantage of this variation of the embodiment might be that most of this device would be already in position and time would not be lost moving it to an area where a bore hole needed to be sealed. The key components might be easy to transport and install if the device was needed.

The explosive is then detonated and the shock waves will cause some or all of the bore hole to collapse or the sides of the bore hole to crumble sufficient to seal in the oil. In other parts of the description the word collapse or a variation of this word will mean the collapse or crumbling of the bore hole, or break up of the structure caused by the explosions or from the actions of other embodiments.

Figure 2 shows the detonation of the explosive. The shock waves are shown by curved lines marked as 6.

The collapsing borehole I caused by the shockwaves 6 is shown by a curved line marked as 5. The direction of the shockwaves 6 is shown by an arrow 7.

In some embodiments the explosive device will be designed to embed itself in the seabed to different depths before detonation to increase the strength of the shockwaves passing through the ground caused by the explosions relative to the amount of explosives that have been used. There may be a need to carry out a series of explosions in this way, either simultaneously in different places on the sea bed or one after the other to collapse the bore hole.

A variation of the embodiment of the invention would be a device that produces shockwaves that wou'd create shockwaves that would collapse all or part of a bore hole to seal in the oil, and in some other embodiments might be an explosive device where the intention is to increase the pressure of water in and around a bore hole to collapse part or all of a bore hole, or in some situations to further compact debris or material on or around a bore hole that may be releasing oil so that this flow of oil may be reduced or stopped altogether.

By compacting the material that is found around the bore hole, and which may include debris from an oil platform or similar construction that has collapsed, this would make it more difficult for the oil to escape from the bore hole.

The explosion from such an embodiment of the invention may also help block the bore hole with rocks and other debris it dislodges as it explodes and which settles in and around the borehole, and also by increasing the water pressure in the vicinity of the bore hole, this will also help break down the sides and structure of the bore hole helping prevent the flow of oil through it.

Torpedoes fired at the seabed might in certain situations be enough to cause the type and strength of shockwaves needed to collapse the borehole.

Bombs or rockets dropped from aircraft or other means might also achieve the same result. The collapsed borehole caused by a severe movement of the earth and rocks around it should be sufficient to end the flow of oil or other liquids.

With any of the embodiments described, even a partial success may be enough.

If the polluting effects of oil coming out of a bore hole has not being entirely contained either in the bore hole or to wherever the oil had passed to, the reduction in the quantity of polluting oil would have the useful effect of lessening the pollution caused by this oil or other liquid, sufficient to allow other strategies being used to tackle or clean up the pollution to be able to cope more effectively, given that the oil flow into the sea or area of water would have been reduced.

To assist the effectiveness of the explosions in collapsing a bore hole the lining or casing of the bore hole might be made a of a material with a reduced level of strength. In variations of the embodiment the lining or casing around a bore hole might be constructed of a material that would lose its structural integrity or strength given certain stimuli. One example might be to include materials that would themselves explode thereby collapsing the bore hole if there were a sufficient level of shockwaves passing through the ground. Therefore the explosions or other devices creating shock waves in the ground would set off the otherwise stable materials within the bore hole, thereby collapsing the bore hole.

In one variation of the bore hole, there might be one part of the bore hole construction that would be susceptible in this way.

Other variation of the embodiment would be the construction of small devices that can be placed in existing bore holes around the world to allow operators to collapse the bore hole in the ways described if this is necessary.

The operation of the invention or various embodiments of the invention may be repeated as many times as necessary.

In some variations of embodiment the shockwaves might be generated through other means such as microwaves or any by device that might produce vibrations induding sound waves at certain frequencies to coapse the bore hole and if necessary shatter the materials lined around the bore hole. The linings of the bore hole may use materials that would be susceptible to being damaged by such sound waves.

There are also a series of embodiments of the invention which can be used in conjunction with the main embodiment of the invention if necessary.

One approach in a situation where oil is coming out of a bore hole might be to place an apparatus on the surface of the sea in a position that is approximately over the bore hole on the sea bed below, where the apparatus can contain the oil as it floats to the surface where it can be recovered or treated.

One of the variations of one of the embodiments of the invention is to take a possibly easier approach and to utilise and take advantage of allowing the natural buoyancy of the oil to bring most of the oil to the surface, where the embodiment of the invention is then deployed to contain the oil. This embodiment is shown in figures 3 and 3b. It is also shown working in conjunction with another embodiment of the invention in figure 15.

Once the oil is contained or captured by the apparatus, if desired the oil can be retrieved, or possibly in some situations the oil may be treated to change its chemical composition and other properties of the oil so that its harmful effect on the environment is reduced. This can be done once a certain amount of the oil has been contained.

The disadvantage may be that some oil is lost as the oil may not always rise in an entirely predictable and generally vertical upwards direction, but some oil, perhaps because of currents and other factors may drift underwater before coming to the surface. However a good proportion of the oil will surface where it is expected and will appear in an area that can be predicted and where the apparatus to contain the oil can be therefore be deployed in this position.

In one variation of this embodiment the position at which the oil from a bore hole may be likely to appear on the surface of the area of water could be calculated by releasing objects of varying sizes or liquids from the bore hole where oil is being released where these objects or liquids have the same characteristics of oil such as the same level of buoyancy but which also can be monitored by equipment on account of having other characteristics that would make the object or liquid visible to this equipment.

For example they may contain amounts of metal which may be smaU, but which would be picked up by equipment that can detect metaL As the objects or liquid rose to the surface of the water, the equipment could detect and chart their movements, and it would be probable that the oil would also travel in a similar path until it surfaces on the water. In this way the movements of the oil plume could be observed and the containment apparatus such as marked as 20 and shown in figures 3, 3b and 15 could be positioned. If the plume of oil changed where it was surfacing because of currents or other factors this would also be reflected in a change in direction of the objects being released and which would be detected and the containment embodiment on the surface marked as 20 could have ts posftioned changed accordingly to collect the surfacing oil.

The objects or liquids would be designed so that they would mimic the oil in the way it's direction in the water affected by the movement of water and factors such as currents. Small objects may be better at mimicking a liquid such as oil, rather than a larger object which would have surface areas that might react differently to the effects of currents than a liquid such as oil. A liquid similar to oil but detectable by apparatus may be preferable as this would be more likely to mimic another liquid such as oil in the water, and may be made of a similar consistency as oil to help with this. The objects or liquids which will be also referred to as detection devices in the description This variation of the embodiment whether it is an object or a liquid may be released at different rates from the bore hole, and the variation would include the means to deliver and release such detection devices from the area oil is being released. This might include underwater craft, or a device that could be placed on the sea bed able to release such objects which would be controlled automatically, or by an operator, or by a combination of both, or it may be a tube that could pass such detection devices from another area such as from a ship down to the bore hole from where the devices or liquid would be released.

An apparatus to release detection devices might be dropped into the sea by an aircraft or similar apparatus or by a ship, so that it would fall close to the bore hole where it could begin to release detection devices to monitor where the oil is heading.

The containment embodiment marked as 20 would have the big advantage of being easier to deploy in certain situations such as where the bore hole leaking oil is in deep water rather than attempting to place a similar apparatus or a device to tackle oil coming from a bore hole on the bore hole itself. Also an apparatus designed to contain the oil once it has floated to the surface may be cheaper to construct than a device that has to be designed to cope with conditions at various depths of water, and could be dropped by aircraft or devices that fy through the air, where it could begin to contain the oil much more quickly than other methods such as where the collection apparatus for the o is placed on the sea bed. Parts of this embodiment may be dropped into position by air or by other means until other heavier parts of the embodiment of the invention to retrieve the oil can be moved into position by ships or other methods to the area affected. The containment operation can therefore begin more quickly, however remote the area or difficult the seas.

The embodiment of the invention is to design the collection and containment apparatus with the natural buoyancy of oil in mind, so that the oil effectively travels to the apparatus and into the device where it will be contained rather than the device going to the source of the oil that is being released. This is rather than placing an apparatus as near as possible to the source of the oil, which is normally the opening of the bore hole. In this embodiment shown in figures 3 and 3b, the device will have sides marked as 20b that will be as deep as necessary to contain the oil. The sides marked as 20b might be in some embodiments 1000 metres in measurement, in some embodiments less than this, and in others greater than this. The sides 20b will be constructed of materialls that will be continuous and will be without gaps in the circumference of the construction so as to stop the oil escaping.

The embodiment of the invention is a huge containment apparatus on the surface which is as wide and as deep as necessary to contain the oil floating up to it from a bore hole where oil is being released. The bore hole may also be releasing other materials.

An embodiment of the invention placed on the surface of the sea may face difficulties in heavy seas and the apparatus can be given stability by ballasts or weights of different sizes and weights.

The embodiment may also be assisted with anchors that float in the sea, or are attached to the sea bed or to vessels and other pieces of equipment, and the embodiment may also be assisted in heavy seas by ropes and other devices that when deployed in the vicinity of the apparatus or attached it can absorb some of the energy of the sea and through this reduce the effect of the heavy swell, and energy in the water than may cause problems for the apparatus.

If storms developed the apparatus might be damaged, though heavy seas The apparatus might also be protected to some degree by being encircled by ships and the ability of the embodiment of the invention to withstand heavy seas might be assisted by increasing the number of ships around this containment embodiment of this invention. If the embodiment was damaged another one could be deployed.

This embodiment of the invention is shown in figures 3 and 3b is to capture the oil or similar material when it has been released or escaped.

The oil marked as 9 floats to the surface and the embodiment is to have a boom or similar apparatus at the point at the surface and to position the apparatus accordingly, where it is calculated that the main body of the oil wiU float to, taking into consideration tides and other factors. This is n preference to, and is more practical than placing the containment device for the oil coming out of a bore hole on the sea bed.

The oil will be bound to first float to the point approximately above the bore hole, where the opportunity will then be provided through this embodiment to capture a large proportion of it before it is able to disperse. The oil is then retrieved and passed through part 10/s to a vessel or apparatus that can contain and move oil or liquids marked as 11.

The part 10 can be any means that can suck or move oil or liquids and move such a material from one point to another point or position.

The apparatus placed in this position will be able to contain oil, and have sides marked as 20b that reach below the surface of the sea. The depth of the sides can vary in different embodiments. The apparatus can be of different sizes. In most embodiments the boom or apparatus as shown in figures 3 and 3b will float on the surface of the water. In some embodiments the sides of the apparatus to hold oil can be held up by being attached to vessels.

In some embodiments parts 20 and 20b will be fixed to vessels or to other apparatus that can be in a fixed position such as an oil rig or to apparatus that are able to move.

In some embodiments the containment device embodiment of the invention will be placed in the vicinity of an oil platform at the start of a drilling operation for oil but be protected from possible damage by a strongly built fire proofed casing or external structure. The embodiment might be placed on the sea floor at a time drilling for oil commences so that in case of an emergency it can be used quickly. If an oil platform failed or a bore hole began to release oil, the device would be activated automatically if a signal not to do this is not received, similar to the apparatus shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d.

In some variations of the embodiment a signal would be sent to this embodiment where the casing or external structure would release the containment apparatus. This would take place after an event or incident had taken place affecting the oil drilling platform or similar structure, and fires had largely been extinguished. To ensure that the device was not damaged by fire or other consequences of a problem with an oil rig or similar apparatus, the device could be programmed to expect over ride commands not to deploy every week, or longer or shorter than this, as necessary. This should allow enough time for fires to be extinguished such as by oil burning on the surface of the sea, before the apparatus deployed itself to contain the oil flowing out of a bore hole.

The apparatus would inflate and float to the surface. Other instructions might be sent to variations of this embodiment which may also have mechanisms that can move the apparatus form one point to another, and these might include propellers driven by motors or similar devices that can propel a device in the water from one point to another.

The instructions to tell the apparatus where it should go can be communicated any means that can send instructions that can result in an apparatus taking certain actions. For example instructions may be sent by radio waves. These instructions would coordinate the speed of rotation and direction of the propellers or similar device so that the apparatus would move until it is positioned above the bore hole that might be releasing oiL Thereby even if a bore hole began to release oil, a method would be available through this embodiment to quickly release an apparatus that could contain the oil being released.

In this embodiment and other embodiments of the invention, the boom and similar apparatus is shown in figures 3 and 3b and would be constructed of materials that could resist the effects of flames. Some embodiment would have a large number of small pockets so that if some were punctured the device Embodiments of the invention might be constructed of any materials available at the present time or would be available in the future, and these embodiments might be constructed according to the location where they will be deployed, with high specifications needed and being used for more difficult environments and seas, while for other variations of this embodiment, cost considerations might lead to less expensive materials being used in their construction, while because the location may be less challenging because for example the sea is more shallow and seas less rough, an embodiment built to a lower specification may be able to adequately perform the task.

In one variation of the embodiment there might be additional means for the operator to send a signal to activate the embodiment and cause it to deploy even if the device has not activated itself because it is still receiving override commands instructing the device not to follow its programmed instructions to deploy.

The oil that has been contained in the embodiment can be moved by various means to ships or other devices that can hold oil. The apparatus shown in figures 3 and 3b will be designed without gaps or holes in the sides of the boom both above and below water so that the oil is unable to escape back into the sea.

In some embodiments of the invention the boom or similar apparatus can be towed away by the vessel or apparatus marked as 11, while still holding the oil and in such embodiment this would allow the oil to be dealt with at another location, perhaps where there are more specialised facilities that can treat oil.

In many situations the priority may be first to contain the oil until further means to deal with the situation have time to arrive. This embodiment would help provide a rapid solution to oil leaking from a bore hole for whatever reason.

The embodiment is the idea to place the boom or similar holding device in a position above a bore hole that is releasing oil, rather than placing the device on the bore hole itself.

One advantage of this embodiment is that it can be moved easily to be placed in the best position to be above the point at which the oil floats to the surface.

More than one of these embodiments can be used; they would be of relatively low cost to construct and in some embodiments might be constructed out of plastics or light weight material so that they would be light enough so that if desired they could be dropped into position from aircraft until ships can arrive with the means to empty them of their store of oil that has floated to the top.

In one variation of this embodiment of the invention the boom or similar apparatus would be dropped in the form of a package by a delivery system that could be a ship or a device that flies through the air. Such a device might be unmanned in one variation of the embodiment and operated if desired from a control centre many miles away. This would have the advantage of being able to send help for example if the area affected posed dangers, such as being a war zone. The drone or similar unmanned flying device could drop the embodiment to contain the oil, without risk to people having to go into the area itself. This might also be helpful if for example there were dangers to human health such as from toxic fumes or even in one scenario; radioactivity.

In this embodiment the package would release the boom or similar apparatus as it made contact with the water and the embodiment would inflate so that it could begin to immediately contain oil which would be floating to the surface from the bore hole below.

The boom or similar apparatus would be of a size sufficient to collect the oil which might begin to spread sideways as it floated upwards.

This boom or apparatus and marked as 20 and shown in figures 3 and 3b might be of different sizes, some embodiments might be several miles in diameter, some larger than this, and some smaller in different embodiments.

Some embodiments as described earlier might have sides shown as 20b in the figures 3 and 3b that were 1000 metres in length, some might have shorter sides and others longer sides. In a variation of the embodiment the sides marked as 20b may have sides which are below water which may have different measurements at different points.

The sides and diameter of the device can vary in different parts of the apparatus as desired, or in some embodiments the same measurement can be used for the sides and length of sides marked as 2Gb as for the part marked as 20.

The positions of the embodiments can be changed to take into account changing tides and currents that might affect where the oil floats to the surface.

Some embodiments of the invention wi have the means on the embodiment itseftto calculate automaticay where the o is likely to position itself automaticay using its own propulsion systems as previously described, and some embodiments wifl have this information and have their position determined and changed by people controing the structure from other structures, or from control centres away from the bore hole leaking oil.

Satellites could help determine where the oil is appearing, where it is surfacing and hence where the embodiment of the invention is best deployed, and instructions could be sent either to the embodiment to move accordingly so that it can contain the oil, or this information could be relayed to people and machines near to the embodiment which could then tow the embodiment into position. If the oil began to surface in a different position, in either variation of this embodiment, the device could move into the best position for collecting the optimum amount of the oil that is being released by the bore hole.

In a variation of the embodiment marked as 20 in the drawings the apparatus would be constructed of stronger materials such as metals. The apparatus would more closely resemble a ship or vessel that floats on water except that the sides would be significantly deeper, and the apparatus would not necessarily resemble a structure that is designed to make regular journeys between destinations. The variation may have a bow so to assist the apparatus being moved from one position to another but the structure would be constructed in a way where the sides were of more equal dimensions rather than the rectangular construction associated with a more conventional ship.

The other distinguishing feature would be that it was a ship without a bottom.

The oil marked as 9 would float to the surface and be contained in this ship like variation of the embodiment. The sides marked as 20b would be constructed of a strong material such as metal rather than the more lightweight materials in other variations of the embodiment.

The sides would be given a degree of buoyancy by constructing them with two sections joined together forming each side of the apparatus with an air pocket between the two sections. The air pocket would be divided into sections that could be flooded with water so that the sides were positioned vertically in the water or in the position that is desired. More water would be let into the lower parts of the sides so that the lower parts were the heaviest, in this way giving stability to the sides.

The sides would be joined by large hinge like features that would allow the variation of the embodiment to be moved into the position, with the sides folded on top of each other. When in the water, the apparatus would be opened, and the hinges would allow the apparatus to assume the desired shape in the water.

This may be of any desired shape, according to different variations. One variation might have four sides and would open into a square; another might have three sides and would open as a triangle. The more rigid construction and shapes such as squares and triangles, with straight sides, would be necessary when metal or other more rigid materials were used. The hinge sides would be constructed so that water or oil would not escape through the joints in any significant quantities.

The apparatus could be taken to its position folded up, with a flat pack appearance; the apparatus might be taken by ship or by an airborne device such as an airship.

a variation of the embodiment the sides would be constructed so that when folded together, or in some embodiments unfolded, the sides wou'd be designed to be similar to an aircraft wing. This wou'd enable the huge apparatus, that would also be constructed of materia's used in aircraft construction to be towed through the air by a large aircraft and the apparatus would become airborne because of the aerodynamic qualities built into the sections.

n one variation the apparatus might be constructed so that it resembles a box kite and this would allow aU the sections to assist with raising the device into the air.

The apparatus would be towed into position and taken to its desired location.

This would enab'e the device to be taken into position very quickly. The apparatus wou'd have points at which tow ropes or cables could be connected and disconnected.

n some variations the device would have its own means of propulsion through the air or through the water or in some variations the means to propel itself through both air and water.

This variation might resemble more a ship of enormous proportions, rather than a boom. The sides marked as 20b could be of large dimensions, perhaps 1000 metres deep, some might have shorter sides, and other longer sides.

The apparatus could contain a large quantity of oil, and might be moved out of position when it has filled with oil, in that any more oil would flow under the sides of the apparatus, and another apparatus would be put in its place if desired. The oil cou'd be disposed of in the waters described for other embodiments. If one apparatus was used the oil could be removed from the apparatus such as through devices marked as 10 and 11 in figures 3, 3b and 15.

The apparatus might resemble an oil tanker except that it might be more square than rectangular in appearance and have no bottom to it.

In some variations there might be a bottom section of varying proporUons adjoining the sides to help strengthen the apparatus but these areas would not extend fully across the bottom, which is left clear so that the oil can float into the apparatus.

In a variation of the embodiment it would be possible to add a bottom section after the oil has floated into the apparatus, and the bottom would help prevent the oil escaping as the apparatus is moved.

In the variation of the embodiment constructed from metal or other materials stronger than those used in booms, the apparatus may also be removed from its position by pumping air or another lighter than air gas into the sides. The sides would float to the surface and the hinges of the apparatus would be designed so that the entire structure would fold together as the device can to the surface. It would then be positioned horizontally on the surface of the sea from where it may be towed to a different position.

The third embodiment of the invention is shown in figure 5 and this is a mechanism to deposit material such as rocks over a bore hole to be contained.

This would utilise gravity and allow this natural force to cause debris to fall onto a bore hole. The apparatus carrying the debris or other material would be positioned over the bore hole and then release its load, so that gravity would carry it to a position over and around the bore hole. This would be easier than taking debris to the bore hole itself. Dropping loads of debris from the surface of the sea or from the sky would allow sufficient quantities of material to be deposited over the bore hole, as to accomplish the task and seal the bore hole, and would not mean that underwater craft would be needed necessarily to carry out this task. In some variations of the embodiment underwater craft might also be used if desired.

A large enough amount of debris deposited over a bore hole will seal the hole or at least reduce the flow of oil so that various means that are being used to clear up the pollution have less oil to contend with.

The embodiment will encompass and include the various means and devices needed to drop debris onto an area of sea bed.

In this embodiment of the invention, debris which can be rocks or specifically constructed heavier than water objects, and which in figure 5 are marked as 17 is carried to the area with the bore hole releasing oil by a delivery system which can be a ship marked as 18 in figure 5, or it could be an airship or pilotless drone. These devices would drop the material 17 on top of the opening of the bore hole forming an obstruction to the oil being released marked as 1 7b. This debris or material to carry out this function can be carried out by ships or airships in different embodiments of the invention. In figure 5 the surface of the sea is marked as 19, the sea bed as 2 and the bore hole as 1. The area of water is marked as 55.

Purpose bunt materials such as matting might be designed to drop over such an area, the advantage might include a reduction in weight compared to example to debris such as rocks, and using purpose built materials would aUow aircraft or helicopters to drop such materials onto an area with a bore hole releasing oil, and aircraft and helicopters might be able to reach such an area much faster than can be achieved by alternative means of transport, thereby reducing pollution from the oil coming out of the bore hole by their speed in reaching and covering part or all of the borehole with the material they release.

In some embodiments small particles such as sand or grit would be dropped on to the bore hole. This would provide a tighter seal against the oil and some of this material might actually enter the bore hole which would also help to obstruct it and seal in the oil.

In some embodiments man made or manufactured pellets would be dropped over the site to seal a bore hole. These pellets could be constructed from materials such as metal or plastics. In a variation of this embodiment manufacturing the pellets out of material which is particularly heavy could be particularly useful. One variation would be to use large numbers of ball bearings which could be dropped by aircraft on to a bore hole to seal it.

The weight of heavy pellets or similar objects would help hold them together on the sea bed to prevent the oil finding a way through this material and into the water. A mound of heavy material such as ball bearings may be less easily pushed out of position by factors such as tides or currents. The ball bearings would be constructed out of a metal or material that would resist corrosion from sea water, and one way to achieve this might be to coat the ball bearings with a layer of plastic or other material that can resist corrosion. In one variation of this embodiment the ball bearings or material being used might be brightly coloured or given a luminosity which might assist the people working to seal the bore hole, and possibly assist with the recovery of such debris. Metal debris might also be detected if it is desired to recover this material through devices that can detect the presence and location of metal.

In most variations of this embodiment the debris dropped over the bore hole would need to be constructed of material that would not be eaten by sea life and hence enter the food chain.

Some pellets might have solid sides around their entire circumference but be hollow inside and have holes to allow water to enter the pellets. On being dropped on the sea or area of water with the bore hole releasing oil, the water would enter the holes and the pellets would sink. As a mass they would cover the bore hole and seal in the oil, but by making them hollow, and perhaps also constructed of strong but light materials, their weight would be reduced thereby enabling larger quantities to be dropped from airborne delivery systems than if the pellets were made of a more solid construction. The holes may be of different sizes and shapes in different pellets and different types of pellets may be used together to seal a bore hole. In other situations the same type of pellet could be used.

In one variation of the embodiment the hollow objects might be designed to facilitate the growth of organisms found in the sea such as coral, and these organisms could begin to fill the hollow spaces in the pellets, leading to the mound 17b constructed in part or of all hollow pellets becoming heavier and generally more bonded together and to the sea bed around the bore hole, increasing the ability of the mound in the longer term to keep the oil sealed in.

If the debris marked as 17 was of a material that was susceptible to magnetic fields, such as metal, the bore hole could be cleared of the mound 1 7b, when required by devices carried from ships or craft below water that could emit a magnetic field. The magnetic field would pull or push the metal or similar material away from the bore hole so that the bore hole was clear again. The magnetic field emitting device that would pull or push debris would be carried in underwater craft such as submarines or be carried in waterproof constructions that may be lowered into position from other positions around the bore hole such as from ships on the surface, and where the magnetic field would be moved in order to move the debris to a new position. For other materials, the bore hole could be cleared using other techniques such as explosive charges to remove the debris from around the bore hole.

The shapes of the pellets would be designed in some embodiments so that they would fit well together. Some pellets could be made in a hexagonal shape to help them fit together with other pellets in a mass that would help seal in the oil. If some oil still seeped out, the quantity involved would be lower and hence the oil could be more easily contained and tackled with other methods employed in such circumstances to deal with oil spills.

The materials in this embodiment can be made or selected from material that is available so that the pieces of the embodiment, the pellets, or the debris used can be of different sizes or of the same size, The embodiment may use a mixture of man made pellets and similar constructions with natural material that is available.

In one embodiment the use of a mixture of man made or manufactured pellets interspersed with sand or a similar material might help seal a bore hole. This might be compared to for example bricks and mortar in a building. Using pellets interspersed with layers of sand would provide one type of mound 1 7b over the bore hole.

The embodiment of the invention can be the creation of and use of any object or series of objects, which may be man made or of natural origin, or may be a combination of both, and which may be of any size, shape or dimension, or a mixture of different shapes, sizes and dimensions, and which using the necessary equipment is dropped upon, using gravity, or placed in position by mechanical means with the intention to achieve the sealing of a bore hole.

Debris could be dredged up from the sea bed and dropped onto the bore hole.

Variations of this embodiment may indudes any means, method, delivery system or technique needed to carry out the dropping of material marked as 17 to form a mound or similar construction marked as I 7b on the sea bed marked as 2, over a bore hole marked as 1 which are shown in figure 5.

Variations of this embodiment of the invention can include methods of encouraging the growth of natural sea structures such as coral and barnacles to grow around and over the mound marked as I 7b to help further help secure the mound over the bore hole so that it helps prevent against the further discharge or leaking of oil or another liquid from the bore hole.

A variation of the embodiment but containing features of the embodiment shown in figure 5 and the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2 is to allow gravity to take a device at speed so that it makes contact with the bore hole with great force and where at this time of impact the energy that has being acquired through its descent through the water which comes from gravity is transferred to the ground over and around the bore hole.

The device that is dropped in this way can be designed to maximise its rate of descent, perhaps by streamlining the device, similar to the way a torpedo or submarine is streamlined to assist with its passage through water. The device would have a reinforced and toughened tip and in some variations of this embodiment may be further assisted by a propeller or other means to provide propulsion through the water.

The toughened tip would allow the device to punch through any debris around the bore hole to maximise the amount of energy being transferred to the sea bed around the bore hole.

The wave of energy being transferred to the sea bed would cause or assist the collapse of the bore hole as described in more detail with the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, and this collapse would seal in all or most of the oil.

In one variation of this embodiment a small explosive charge may be added to this device designed to explode on impact with the sea bed.

Returning to the embodiment of the invention shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d this is an apparatus which is designed to seal off a bore hole in a difficult to access position such as where it is underwater, but the key and distinguishing feature of this embodiment of the invention is that the device has to be instructed not to take this action, at regular or set intervals.

Often the way a device will work w be that it is sent an instruction to carry out an action, or some method is used to make the device act in a certain way.

A device will normally be told to do something before it takes an action.

The important difference and a key feature of this embodiment of the invention which is fundamental to its operation, is that it is programmed to carry out the procedures and movements of parts necessary to block a bore hole containing for example oil, unless it is told not to do this or carry out this operation by an operator.

The term operator will mean the person or persons who are responsible for the bore hole and those working on their behalf.

The embodiments of the invention shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d will be constructed of materials of sufficient strength and cushioning to withstand a direct hit, or glancing blow on to one or more points of the device on the sea bed which may come from a collapsing oil platform or from any apparatus or vessel or any man made object reaching the sea bed at speed.

The embodiment will similarly be designed to withstand heavy impacts or contact from any natural object, or natural phenomena.

The embodiments will be constructed so that their function to seal a bore hole is not compromised or prevented by such occurrence as described in the two preceding paragraphs or other parts of the description, and these occurrences may include a collapse of an oil platform or similar construction on to, or around the device intended to seal a bore hole.

The unsealing of a bore hole may be deliberate and come for example from terrorists, therefore the structure in this embodiment is built in a way that can resist huge weights, shock waves and perhaps even explosives being used to unseal the bore hole.

The armour plating and other features of the device will draw on current and future developments of such technology and materials and techniques and would be 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 feet in dimensions at all points, with other embodiments being built of greater or lesser dimensions as required or to meet a particular problem, or to make the device capable of withstanding the collapse of a particularly heavy platform, the type of which may need to be used in for example difficult or deeper seas.

Some variations of this embodiment might also carry extruding bars or a similar construction above and around the device to prevent a direct hit from a collapsing oil platform or a similar construction making direct contact with the device itself and therefore potentially being able to cause greater harm to the device by directly transmitting the force of the impact and shockwaves to the device itself.

Such bars or extruding parts of the structure, which would be buUt of very strong materials, and may a'so be designed to deflect objects away from the device would also help protect the device so that ft can continue to seal the bore hole.

These bars and simar extensions of material producing outwards from the device may be of different designs and shapes and matenals in different embodiments.

These extruding parts can be uniform across the device and of the same design and measurements. In other vanations of this embodiment these extensions which may be constructed of metal or other very tough materials, can also be a mixture of shapes, and constructions and materials which are built into in the same embodiment.

These extruding bars and similar structures may in other variations of the embodiment be constructed so that they are separate from the device and they can be placed as desired around and over the device in a cage like arrangement when desired. The advantage of having them as separate constructions and not physically connected to the device itself is that should the cage of extruding bars be struck by a falling oil platform, the force of the blow could be transmitted directly into the sea bed marked as 2 and not into the body of the device itself, which might increase the chances of the device being damaged or being unable to fulfil the blocking of the bore hole, if this operation has not already taken place.

Importantly such a cage or extruding bars or structure should not be built so that they could impair the severing or ending of communication from the operator which takes place when the cable 13 containing wires 12 are severed because of an incident on an oil platform or similar construction. Otherwise the key feature of the embodiment would fail to operate. This would happen if such constructions around the device designed to protect it also prevented the severing of the cable 13.

The ending of communication from the operator through the severing of cable 13 is integral to the operation of this device., However it is likely that the cable 13 would be severed if necessary nearer to the oil platform away from the cage, or that the operator would choose not to send the over ride signal, so that in either case the device would then automatically follow its programmed instructions and follow a sequence of operations within the device, that would culminate with part/s 16 being pushed across the bore hole to seal it.

Neither should the cage or extruding bars be built so they prevent the transmission of the over ride commands through other means of communication such as by obstructing radio waves otherwise the device will follow its programmed instructions to block the bore hole, if signals to the contrary are impeded.

As with aU parts of the embodiments of the invention in this description the materials would be treated or be capable of withstanding the corrosive effects of sea water, and sea water at pressure.

Some embodiments of the invention will constructed from materials such as metal coated with plastic or another material that is able to resist corrosion.

The embodiment wiU be designed with specialism in materials in mind.

Different materials can help such a device withstand the tremendous shockwaves, stresses, weights of falling material and similar events that will follow a major incident on an oil platform, but the qualities needed may not be found in one material alone. So that by using different materials where each material has a role or certain roles to play in protecting the device, it is possible to avoid settling for a compromise solution where a material may meet a number of requirements such as strength and ability to reduce the effect of shockwaves or vibrations, but may not excel in these individual quaUties compared to another material that may exc& in one, but perhaps fail or come second best in other of the qualities needed.

Therefore the idea will be to use a composite design using different parts of the construction, buift of different materials that can specialise in meeting one requirement, and by putting them together, they can combined, meet aU the requirements needed for the protection of the device should an oil platform or similar apparatus fail, and meet these requirements to a high leveL The outer layer of the material or coating will be able to protect against corrosion, while quite different materials such as metal under this coating can provide the strength and resilience and the other features that are needed to protect the device from damage from a falling oil platform or similar apparatus or construction or from a ship.

Using different materials in this combined way can best utilise the specific qualities of certain materials to overcome a problem such as corrosion or to provide strength or shock waves, where such qualities that are needed to protect a device, may not exist in one material alone.

The embodiment of the invention would use the most effective materials available today, and future embodiments would include materials that are developed in the future and which would fulfil the same role in the embodiments of the invention as are described in this description.

In terms of cost, it may be possible to build embodiments where the armour plating and cushioning might be less substantial or built to a reduced specification in terms of the weight and other effects that the device can withstand, or the other effects resulting from the failure of an oil platform, or similar apparatus that the device can cope with, and such embodiments might be suitable to be placed on sea beds where the oil platform above the bore hole may be smaller because in some areas, the sea and weather conditions may be less chaUenging, such as for example seas which are nearer to land masses, hence smaller, less heavy o rigs can operate in such waters.

Embothments of the device may be more substantial in terms of the quaties and defences, with much thicker armour, and bunt aU round to a higher specification for devices that would be placed below oil platforms that may be necessarily larger and thereby heavier and potentiay capable of applying heavier weights and perhaps hitting the sea bed at greater speeds, thereby having an increased chance of disabling the device on the sea bed or causing oi to flow out of the bore hole, through damage that might be caused.

Such stronger devices may be necessary to be placed be'ow oil p'atforms and similar constructions which are used in the middle of oceans, seas or areas where conditions are more severe such as in the Artic or seas which might have more severe storms such as hurricanes and typhoons, or in areas which may be subject to other problems such as earthquakes. These potential extremes of climate or weather, or sea depths may mean that oil platforms or similar constructions operating there will have to be made of a much more sturdy construction with all the weight considerations this brings.

Also such constructions may also be at greater risk of failure than smaller platforms operating in easier conditions, because of the additional hazards they face, some of which are described in the preceding paragraph.

Likewise oil platforms and similar constructions positioned in busy shipping lanes may be an increased risk of collisions.

Where the oil rigs and similar constructions are built to higher specifications, so the devices placed on the sea bed which are embodiments of the invention may need to be built to a higher specification to withstand a potential col'apse or fai'ure of such an oil p'atform or similar construction.

In some embodiments the increased specification for a device to be placed on the sea bed to seal bore holes if there is a problem with the oil rig or similar construction overhead, will be proportional to the increased specification and weight of the oil rig that has been used in a particular area.

Some variations of this embodiment may also have other devices such as various forms of suspension, and features such as springs and similar devices that can help absorb or reduce the effect of shock waves on the embodiment.

The embodiments wil' also be designed to prevent an oil platform or similar construction flipping a device from its position as it makes contact when it collapses.

The problem might be that a heavy or sharp blow from a oil platform faUing at speed onto the device on the sea bed, might move the device out of position thereby uncorking or unseang the bore hole aowing oil or liquids to flow into the area of water or sea.

As we as the rods marked as 25 the underside of the device and embodiments of the device would have features that would increase contact with the sea bed and make movement of the device, once it has been positioned, more difficult.

n some variations of this embodiment these features might be indentations in the underside of the structure itself, where these indentations or cavities may be of different measurements and these would be places where sand and other materials from the sea bed might enter once the device has being placed on the sea bed, and perhaps in time solidify.

This would help bond the device to the sea bed making movement out of position more difficult.

These parts of the device might also facilitate the growth of natural structures such as coral within the cavities and around the device which might he'p further hold the device on the sea bed in the long term.

ndentations, cavities and similar features in the sides of some of the embodiments of the invention would give such coral and other organic structures that grow in the water, a foothold on the device, and as they grew into, and around the device, this would help root and hold the device onto the sea bed and this wou'd assist the device should circumstances such as a failure of the oi platform or similar platform occur, Debris from failing oil pafform or a variety of circumstances that might otherwise dis'odge the device from its position would be less likely to do so with the various features described helping to hold the device in position.

n some variations of the embodiment the device, one of which embodiments is shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d might also be sunk to different depths into the sea bed.

Therefore if a proportion of the device is buried in the sea bed, with varying proportions of the device effectively underground, a heavy blow coming from above it from an object landing on the device, might be more likely to push the device further downwards into the sea bed, where it can still fulfi' its function in blocking the bore hole, rather than move the device out of position where the bore hole might become unsealed again.

n some embodiments where the device was buried in the sea bed to the extent that the top of the device was leve' or lower than the floor of the sea bed at the place where it has being placed, this would mean that it would be even less likely for collapsing oil platform or similar device to disable the embodiment of the invention on the sea bed for the reasons described in the preceding paragraph, causing the bore hole to become unsealed and for oil to flow into the sea.

If anything, the falling debris from the oil rig or similar platform would provide further layers to help obstruct the release of the oil into the water. The falling debris might end up resembling the mound deliberately created as one of the embodiments of the invention and marked as 17b in figure 5.

Some embodiments of the invention would include the excavation of the sea bed around a bore hole necessary for the device to be placed in the hole that has been dug and where the top of the device is below the level of the sea bed around the hole, and would include the necessary tools or techniques needed to carry out this task.

A variation of the embodiment described in the preceding paragraph would allow for a device to be placed in a hole or trench around and over the bore hole where some of the top of the device is above the line of the sea bed around the bore hole.

A variation of this embodiment might involve the pushing of the device into such a position and the tools needed to do this.

Another embodiment may be the construction of an embodiment of the device of a minimum diameter where the mechanisms needed for the device to operate are contained in a structure that has increased height relative to its width but where the structure is placed in a hole or trench around the bore hole, so that the sea bed acts to protect the device, with most falling debris landing on the sea bed itself which would effectively carry this heavy load, while the device is snugly fitted into the sea bed so that the top of the device is below the line of the sea bed, so that less debris would make contact directly with the device.

A variation of this embodiment described in the preceding paragraph would involve designing the device as a rectangular, oblong or similar shape, so that a minimum of the device is exposed to the area where it might be struck by falling debris, and most of the device and more vulnerable operating parts would be buried in and protected by the sea bed.

Such a variation of the embodiment would be easier to bury in the sea bed, and might allow more armour plating and other means of strengthening the device to be concentrated in the smaller surface area and point nearest to the sea marked as 55 in the drawings, relative to the other dimensions of the structure.

Such a construction may also be less expensive to build. The device would be constructed similar to the embodiment shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d though it would be vertical in appearance rather than horizontal. In such a variation of the embodiment there may be devices at the end of the device that is the point that is first buried in the sea bed, which assists with this operation to bury the device in the sea bed. This point may also be streamlined and made of a particularly toughened construction; in some variations this part of the device may taper to a point, to make it easier to bury the device in the sea bed.

The device can be buried by divers and equipment working on the sea bed, or it may be pushed into position as part of the initial drilling operation from the oil platform.

In some variations of the embodiment the device could be attached to the end of the drill from the oil platform, and through being rapidly rotated with the part of the device that first meets the sea bed being designed to taper to a point, or a design that can assist drilling, such as being a larger version of a drill bit, or by the entire device having the contours and design of a drill bit, the device could be implanted into the seabed quite quickly. The device would then be designed so that it could be disengaged from the drill, which could then be replaced with a convention drill head that would pass through space in the device, beginning at the point marked as I b in some of the drawings before continuing to drill the bore hole.

Variations of this embodiment would allow the drill to withdraw the device from the seabed using the process described in the preceding paragraph, but in reverse.

In some embodiments the area of contact between the device and the sea bed would have features than would increase the propensity of the device to adhere to the sea bed and make sideways movement more difficult.

In some embodiments various methods such as anchors, chains and other techniques could be used to also help tie the device into position so that it would be less likely to be moved out of position.

The override commands sent by the operator that instruct the device not to follow its programming and block the oil well can be relayed in any interval of time or sequence as desired, and the programming within the device can be set to expect the override command to arrive at these set intervals of time.

In the description intervals will mean intervals of time.

These intervals by which the device is programmed to expect to be told not to block the bore hole, are programmed into the microchip, memory or computer that is in the device on the sea bed and this computer or similar apparatus is programmed to instruct parts of the device to move in a way so as to block a bore hole.

This part of the device like the other parts of the device which carry out the function of the apparatus is heavily protected from shockwaves and from, for example debris from a failing oil platform falling onto the device. The protection provided is shown in figure 7 of the drawings with the different parts of the structure designed to fulfil certain functions in protecting the device should an incident occur on the oil platform. The parts in figure 7 are described in more detail in other parts of the description such as on pages 48-49.

A variation of the embodiment might be constructed more cheaply using one or more materials that can fulfil all of the requirements to protect a device in an incident, such as heavy weights and shockwaves, though such a device, although perhaps cheaper to construct may be less effective than if these roles are kept separate and are fulfilled by different parts of the device constructed in different ways and of different materials as described previously in the

description.

In one embodiment the intervals whereby the instructions are sent to over ride the programmed instructions in the device for the device to block the bore hole can be constantly transmitted, or they can perhaps be transmitted every second or part of a second, or more frequently than this, or less frequently than this.

The moment this instruction not to block the bore hole fails to be transmitted, the programming in the device instructs the device to seal the bore hole, using a series of actions, culminating in part/s 16 in the drawings moving across the bore hole to seal in the oil.

Such instructions would fail to be transmitted, or be deliberately not transmitted in the event of a problem or disaster on an oil platform or similar construction as the means to do this which are a cable marked as 13 containing the wire 12 to relay the over ride signals in the embodiment shown in figures 4, 4b and 4c, would be among the first structures to be damaged in an incident involving an oil platform. It might be desirable to increase or accentuate the vulnerability of this part of the device to ensure that it is severed or disrupted early in the course of an incident. Other parts of the whole operation from the oil platform to the device to seal the bore hole described in this description would be designed to be as robust and strong as possible. To make the cable 13 more likely to be severed by an incident, the cable might be made of a thinner or less strong material in some embodiments, and likewise the wire 12, carrying the actual override commands.

The function of relaying the override commands may be done by a different method of communication in other embodiments.

Another advantage of the device sealing the bore hole so quickly is that this would help protect people involved in such an accident or incident as the flow of oil that is extremely hazardous, is stopped very quickly.

Also it may improve the chance of the device maintaining the seal of the bore hole if this operation takes place in the early stages of a problem with an oil platform.

The part/s 16 would already be locked in place over the bore hole, even if faUing debris from the platform later damaged the parts of the device, despite the armour plating and other protective features that are designed to protect the parts that are required to make the parts 16 dose.

The final coapse of the platform would be likely to occur in the end stages of a disaster, and such a collapse of such a heavy structure might crush even the toughest of devices intended to seal a bore hole. As described earlier, cable 13 containing the wire 12 would be likely to be severed relatively early in an incident involving an oil platform.

But if the operation to close the bore hole has taken place relatively early in an incident with an oil platform, and this action is an important feature of the invention, the falling platform would land on what has then become what is essentially a mass of metal on the sea floor.

It is no longer a functioning machine of sorts, that needs to perform certain actions involving parts to move position to close a bore hole but it has become a device where in the early stages of a problem with for example an oil drilling platform, the key operation of the device to seal a bore hole to prevent pollution and protect workers on the platform has already taken place. A machine, however well protected, will always be more vulnerable to the sort of events that will take place when an oil platform fails such as shock waves and heavy weights falling on it, than a moribund lifeless structure constructed of strong materials, which is what the device will have become.

Therefore early operation of this embodiment of the invention which would take place in the absence of the regular instructions by the operator not to seal the bore hole, would provide the best chance that any subsequent severe damage to such a device that may result from the massive weight and impact damage of a collapsing platform falling onto the device and at a high speed or velocity, would be less likely to prevent the successful operation of the device in sealing the bore hole, or even to be able to unseal the bore hole.

A key feature of the invention is that the device seals the bore hole early in an incident and in doing this, demonstrates that the device has two characteristics that are important in its successful operation.

The first characteristic is of a machine that has life, moving parts albeit a machine designed with simplicity in mind and a minimum of parts that may go wrong. Because of one of the key features of the invention that it acts unless told not to take actions, once communication is lost, or a signal is not sent, the programming in the device closes the bore hole.

This wiU tend to happen in the first stages of an incident such a problem with a drilling platform.

The second characteristic of the embodiment of the invention could be compared to a salmon that once it has spawned, it expires.

This second characteristic is of a machine that is now essentaUy a piece of metal and other strong materials locked in place in a machine that has no more life.

As heavy pieces of the o rig or similar apparatus come crashing down on to the device on the sea bed, it is essentiay crashing into a piece of metal and other strong materials, and which are of substantial thickness and strength in some embodiments.

Whether the embodiment could withstand the catastrophic failure of the drilling platform or a similar apparatus above it could be assessed by calculating whether pieces of metal from the heaviest platform imaginable, would be enough to puncture or break into pieces a structure on the sea bed sealing the bore hole, which would be the embodiment and which would be constructed of a number of the strongest materials and metals available, with different parts of the structure to protect the device, if the falling platform struck the device on the sea bed with enough force and at the right angle. This would need to happen to disable the ability of the device to keep the bore hole sealed, and this would seem to be unlikely to happen, but by making these calculations in a computer, the device on the sea bed could be designed to make it strong enough to withstand any scenario or impact from a falling platform and still continue to seal the bore hole.

Pieces of falling debris might also be deflected away from the device on the seabed through areas of structure that could be added to some embodiments of the invention to help protect the device from such debris.

If the operation to seal the bore hole has taken place in the early stages of an incident as would be anticipated with the embodiment this huge weight of an oil platform or similar apparatus falling onto the sea bed at speed would make impact with a device but one which was now essentially a piece of metal or other strong materials in place over the bore hole.

The impact might drive the device downwards but with the part/s 16 already deployed across the bore hole, a solid mass of metal and other strong materials in the form of the device would continue to block bore hole and prevent the leakage of oil from it.

As the part/s 16 might be the most vulnerable part of the device in such an eventuality in many embodiments this part would be constructed from the very toughest metals and materials available, both now and in the future. This might indude tungsten and vanous combinations of metals or materials designed to provide strength and resilience.

Part 16 would be designed to be able to withstand the effect of direct impacts from very heavy pieces of faing materiaL This part would also be protected by the rest of the device as it is located at a point in the middle of the device.

Therefore the sides of the device above and around where the ends of the part/si 6 would be deployed across the bore hole would also to some degree protect and shield it from much of the faUing debris from an oil platform.

The top of the device would be protecting the key part, part/si 6 in a similar way to how the sea bed would protect another embodiment of the invention described earlier on pages 28-30, where the device is buried in the sea bed, so that the top of the device is below the line of the sea bed, and most of the sea bed would shoulder most of the weight and force of falling debris from an oil platform.

One way to describe how the top of the embodiment would protect part/i 6 might be to compare the top sides of the device, or the sides of the sea bed around the sunken device in one embodiment of the invention to two pillars where the only threat to the most vulnerable part of the device, partll6 comes from any debris that may be able to travel between the two pillars.

Another way might be to visualise a bucket with vertical sides. The base of the bucket is the top surface of the part of part/s 16 which is across the bore hole.

The top of the bucket is the equivalent of the part marked as lb in the drawings. It is where the bore hole emerges at the top of the embodiment of the invention.

Therefore falling debris would be most likely to fall on the heavily armoured top of the embodiment. It is less likely that any falling debris would pass down the opening of the device marked as I b and make contact with part/si 6. If it did it would be necessarily small in size to be able to do this, and therefore would lack the force or weight to be able to damage the part/i 6 which would be especially hardened, as it was the most vulnerable part of the device.

The position of the part/s 16 might be designed so that they were constructed sufficiently below the top of the device so that the chances of a piece of debris making contact with the part of part/I 6 that is across the bore hole was minimalised, and the size of any piece or fragment of debris that could make contact would be small. The lower the positioning of part/s 16 within the device, and the greater the distance from the top of the exposed part/s 16 across the bore hole to the top of the device marked as 1 b in some of the drawings, the smaller the size of any debris that could penetrate as deeply as that, and the less force of impact any such debris might have, as it made contact with the most vulnerable part of the device, that of the part of part/s 16 that is across the bore hole when the device has sealed a bore hole.

The way that the instructions are passed to the embodiment of the invention to te it not to carry out its programmed instruction to bbck the bore hole may be through any means whereby a piece of equipment or machinery is activated or instructed to move or react in a certain way.

The way that these messages or instructions is accomplished or relayed may be updated and improved as such related technologies improve or change in the future.

An operator needs to instruct the equipment not to seal a bore hole or programming within the device will instruct the equipment to do this by moving parts marked as 16 so that they block the bore hole and prevent the flow of oil.

In various embodiments of the invention the bore hole can be sealed in any way whereby an area through which oil can pass can be closed.

In the embodiment shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d parts of the device marked as 16 are pushed into position using energy supplied or emanating by part of the device marked as 21.

The energy to make part 16 move, or in some embodiments for part 15 to move and to in turn move part 16/s can be supplied in a number of ways.

In one embodiment of the invention the energy to provide this movement can be provided through increasing the pressure in the chamber 22 which with only one moveable side, that adjoins part 15 or directly onto part 16 in some embodiments, will result in these parts moving, providing that the pressure that is applied is of a sufficiently high level to make these parts move against the resistance they may face in the opposite direction, taking into consideration their mass, and also the resistance to such a movement such as from friction with the sides of the chamber 22 marked as part/s 34 in figure 4d and the pressure of water and oil found in and around the bore hole.

The embodiments of the invention would be designed to provide a high enough level of pressure to make this movement of part 15 and part 16s take place if the instructions to override the device blocking the bore hole have not been received.

In other embodiments the part/s 15 press on part 16 when pressure is applied when it is driven or created by an energy source.

In other variations of this embodiment there is only part 16 and pressure is applied directly to this part that is used to close over the bore hole.

In some variations of this embodiment the energy needed to make the necessary moving parts found in different variations of the device carry out the necessary series of actions that wi result in part 16 closing the bore hole, is provided not be compressed air or gas but by for example an engine, where the source of the energy to drive the engine wiU be fuel of various kinds, which may include electrical power provided by batteries or power provided by a chemical reaction of some sort.

In some variations of this embodiment the energy to move the various parts may be provided by turbines driven by water in and around the device on the seabed, and where the turbines wifi be placed at any position relative to the device on the sea bed and in such variations of this embodiment the energy is relayed by electrical cables or by other means of moving electricity from one point to another, induding technologies that exist today and utilising those which may be developed in the future.

For example if the instruction not to block the bore hole does not arrive, one embodiment of the invention may mix two or more chemicals stored in the device, that when mixed results in the production of energy. This energy will then push part 16 across the bore hole. In some embodiments there will be a part 15 that will first be pushed by the energy from this reaction, and which will then push part 16/s.

The internal parts in the embodiments will be constructed of materials that can withstand any heat or other effects from the production of energy in the device.

This source of energy, such as the part containing compressed air or gas, or where an engine or chemicals or explosives carry out the function of pushing part 16/s across the bore hole to seal it would be contained in the area shown as part 21 of the drawings.

In different embodiments the part shown as part 21 will represent different methods of providing the energy and means to push the part 1 61s across the bore hole to seal it.

In some embodiments this will also apply to the energy and means to push part so that it applies pressure to part 16 making it move across the bore hole until it can move no further when it reaches one or more other parts 16. When this has happened the bore hole will be sealed and the flow of oil will cease.

The variation of the embodiment already discussed and shown in figures 4.

4b,4c and 4d uses compressed gas to push the part 15/s which in turn apply pressure to part/s 16 so that they cross over the bore hole and block it, but in other embodiments the energy needed to carry out this function may come other devices that may produce energy that can make these parts move as desired.

This may be any form of energy and propuson that is sufficient to make one piece of equipment move from point to another and in one variation of the embodiment this energy wiU from come from an engine powered by a variety of means.

The embodiments wifi be instructed to take this action and push the part 16/s over the bore ho'e thus sealing it and this instruction wiU come from a computer or simi'ar device which are contained within the embodiment of the invention and which has been programmed prior to been placed on the sea bed, and which is able to retain such instructions for long periods in hostile or cold conditions and to imp'ement them when the over ride instructions not to do so, are not received at the intervals that are expected.

f necessary in extreme conditions such as very cold seas some variations may include some heating to prevent the internal parts of the device from freezing or becoming inoperable because of the cold, or to prevent the parts that are intended to move if the bore ho'e is to be sealed from freezing into their positions.

n some variations of this embodiment the parts that are intended to move might be instructed to move either automatically or on the command of the operator to ensure that the device can be tested from time to time to ensure that it is still functioning and able to sea' the bore hole if required.

An embodiment might be built to push the part 16/s in such a way that the bore hole is partially closed but some oi can stilt flow out. This might be done to manage pressure levels in the bore hole and any equipment or other bore holes linked in some way to the bore hole with the device over it.

The embodiments wilt be designed so that where parts of equipment such as the cable 13 containing the wire 12 enter the device the point at which these part/s enter the device is securely sealed to withstand water at pressure that might otherwise enter the device.

If an engine is used for part 21 the engine will drive parts that wiU apply pressure against the part/s 16 or apply pressure against the part/s 15 which in turn applies pressure directly against part/s 16 or in other variations applying pressure directly against Part/sI 6, but the effect of either is to cause part/I 6 to move into and then across the bore hole, thereby sealing it.

The device can have one or several parts shown as 16 to complete this operation. The figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d show two parts 16.

Another embodiment might have one part 16, and others several parts 16, or might have some of these parts in reserve that can be used if necessary such as if some of the parts 16/s fail to operate as planned.

To safeguard against failure of one device, perhaps after submersion for a prolonged period, it might be decided to place several devices on top of each other to ensure that at least one can perform the operation if needed.

This is shown in figure 6. The device on top of the first device is marked as 28 in the drawing.

In some variations of the embodiment the devices will have duplicate parts that can be used should the parts intended to be used in the sealing of the bore hole fail to operate properly. In other variations of the embodiment there may be a number of different systems that can be used in the sealing of the bore hole. For example there may be a reserve power source that can be used to push the part! 16 over the bore hole if the primary system failed to operate.

There may be electronic devices within embodiments of the invention can check that the system is operational and if there is a fault then, drilling might be stopped until the device can be repaired.

The device will automatically seal the bore hole unless a signal is received which in this case is passed by cabling marked as 12 through a protective cable marked as 13. This cabling is shown in figures 4, 4b and 4c of the drawings.

If a problem develops in any of the embodiments of the invention the operator may choose not to send this signal or this will not happen because the cable 13 containing the wire carrying the instructions through part 12 has been broken.

The embodiment would be placed on the bottom of the sea bed prior to drilling.

The apparatus would be heavily armoured and protected from shock waves in case a disaster occurred and for example there might be parts of an oil rig coming to rest over it. This is shown in figure 7. The numbers show parts of the device intended to he'p cushion the device against shock waves, this part is marked as 26 and the drawing also shows armour plating to protect the device which is marked as 27. The numbers are described more fully later in this description with the parts they represent in the various embodiments of the invention.

There may be a number of parts marked as 26 and 27 in other variations of the embodiment which are designed to fulfil the same purpose but where increasing the number of such features is intended to increase the ability of the device to withstand the effects of shock waves or pressures applied to the device from falling debris from the oil platform or similar apparatus.

The device will seal a bore hole if a problem occurs with the drilling platform or any event takes place that interrupts the signals being sent to the device instructing it not to follow its programming a seal a bore hole. Such events may indude severe weather. The programming in the device can be set to expect to receive instructions not to seal the bore hole at any interval of time as desired, for example once every one hour. The programming within the device can be told to expect signals or instructions to teU the device not to seal the bore hole that can be fixed at any interval of time and could come more frequenUy than once an hour or ess frequently than this. In some variations these intervals might vary in length of time.

The embodiment of the invention would dose the bore hole as programmed in the absence of a command from the operator not to do this.

The instruction teUing the device not to do this would not pass to the device either because communication with it is not possible because the means to pass the signal such as through cables marked as 13, containing a wire 12 have being severed by the same incident that threatens to unseal the bore hole.

The problem to be solved becomes the very means by which the problem is solved or overcome. The device may also seal the bore hole because the operator may choose not to send the instruction or allow the instruction to be sent to override the programming in the device, and then after the time period set had passed by, the device would automatically follow instructions in the programming and push parts of the device marked as 16, propelled by energy supplied by part 21 so that these parts block the bore hole, by obstructing it, thereby sealing in the oil.

The parts can be made to move through the release of compressed air or by the workings in a coordinated fashion of parts of a mechanism driven by an engine or by other form of power, and this would result in pushing part 16/s over the bore hole so that the bore hole is blocked.

Variations of the embodiment may use several different types of power in the same device to push the part/I 6 over the bore hole.

The term pre programming or programming represents any instructions that have and can be put into the device before it is placed on the sea bed where the programming is designed to tell it what it is to do in the event of no contact or communication from the operator, which is to close the bore hole and how to do this.

In some embodiments different mechanisms can be used to turn the energy from compressed air or from an engine or any device capable of producing enough energy which is capable being turned into the means by way of the necessary processes such as being converted into kinetic energy, of moving parts that are designed to move freely within the device if pressure is applied against them.

In one of the embodiments the energy that is created would be able to move a part marked as 15 which would in turn apply pressure against part 16 so that it moves over the bore hole thereby sealing it. This embodiment of the invention which includes a part 15 is shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d.

Different embodiments can also use different forms and sources of kinetic energy to move parts around the device and to push the part 16/s so that it moves over the bore hole.

Part/s 21 can include an engine in some embodiments or any device that can make one part of a mechanism move from one point to another point and this may be powered by any means that can provide the energy needed to do this.

When the part is moved this would push parts 16 so they would close the borehole.

This signal not to close the bore hole can be relayed by cable as shown in the drawing by part 12 or by microwaves or other communication not requiring cables such as radio waves.

The method by which the override command from the operator to over ride its programmed instructions and instruct it not close a bore hole can be updated or changed in future embodiments as new technologies are developed and which may be more effective, cheaper in cost or more desirable for other reasons.

In all embodiments various parts and techniques may be replaced with or adapted using different technologies which may in some cases be less expensive if for example the intellectual property for one of the operations is not available or is too expensive for one or more of the parts in any of the embodiments and if desired the operations required to allow the device to block a bore hole may be fulfilled by a device that can perform a similar or equivalent

action to those described in this description.

The sequence for operation of this device might be as follows. There is some form of disaster big or small which leads to a break or unsealing of the bore hole.

This would then normally lead to the oil flowing into and polluting the sea or area of water.

However with this embodiment or embodiments of the invention a disaster or incident would also involve a severing of the cable 13 designed to be vulnerable in such a situation, and containing the communication wire 12 which would be similarly vulnerable to being severed and which relays the override instructions from the operator to the device.

Cable 13 and the wire 12 are shown in figures 4, 4b and 4c. When the cable is severed by an incident this would also mean that the signal that stops the automatic operation of the device is not, or cannot be transmitted to the device.

The device has a programme within it, that can be stored in various forms of memory, or a computer, or a similar system, that unless instructed not to carry out this programmed operation will activate a series of actions that wiU cause the part of the device marked as 21 to be activated and to fuffil its function which in one variation of the embodiment may be the release of compressed air or gas or in other variations of the embodiment may an engine, and the activation of these sources of energy would result in a series of actions that would result in part/s 16 being pushed across and into the area of the bore hole through which the oil passes.

When part/s16 has crossed over the bore hole, this will stop the flow of the oil by obstructing it.

When the cable 13 and the wire 12 have been severed it would stop the oil flow and one advantage of this would also be that it would result in the bore hole being sealed even if the operator was not aware through cameras and other information that there was a problem. However because of this severing of the cable the operator would not be able to send the necessary routine signal for the device not to close the bore hole and bring the oil flow to a halt even if the operator wished to send this over ride command to the device. Hence the bore hole would be sealed in the event of an incident.

If the operator is aware of a problem and perhaps the cable is remains intact even if there is mayhem aboard a drilling platform the operator can decide not to send the signal instructing the device not to follow its programmed actions, and without this signal, the device will automatically take the actions to close parts 16 thus stopping the flow of the oil.

In a variation of the embodiment the signal or instructions can be sent automatically and in other variations of the embodiment the operator has to take action to send the signal or instructions to the device not to follow its programming and close the bore hole. In other variations of the embodiment there may be a combination of the two methods described in this paragraph.

In one embodiment shown in Figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d the device is much simpler and the part/s 16 is pushed so that it closes the borehole driven by compressed air or a compressed gas being released into the chamber marked as 22 and pushing part 15 so that it applies pressure against part/si 6.

Making the design of the device as simple as possible would mean that there were less moving parts and therefore the device might be more reliable, and perhaps more reliable over a longer period of time while the device is on the sea bed, in case the bore hole needs to be sealed.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d the lack of a signal results in compressed air or gas held at pressure in the part marked as 21 flowing into the section marked as 22. This increase in pressure would cause the part/s marked as 15/s to push against part/s 16 s making it sde along and across into the bore hole, thus seang it.

There would be various features bunt in that would assist the part/s 16 to move intothe borehole.

The parts of this device and other devices that are embodiments of the invention would be buift of materials that would help them resist the corrosive effects of sea water.

Figure 4c shows the embodiment that uses compressed air or gas to close the part/s 16 over the bore hole. To try to show various parts in context with each other this drawing represents an embodiment of the invention as if it was constructed from transparent materiaL Thus if is possible to see the bore hole in the centre of the device and the chambers marked as 22. When compressed air from part 21 is released into the sealed chamber 22 it will have the effect of pushing part 16/s so that it moves over the bore hole thereby sealing it.

The embodiments would normay be constructed of materials which were not transparent.

Once people wanted to resume drilling, the device could be pued out of place or in some embodiments a similar embodiment would be placed on top of the existing device that has dosed the borehole.

There would be design features so that both devices would fit securely together.

Embodiments of the invention might carry small areas where for example a chain or similar device could be attached so that the device could be pulled out of place if necessary.

In some embodiments this fixture and attached chain might already be in position attached to the device from the beginning of the operation of the oil platform, and not therefore need to be added, afterwards in case it was desired to move the embodiment of the invention away from the bore hole by pulling the device away from its position using the chain and perhaps raising it on board a surface vessel or apparatus or moving the device to a different position.

The chain or cable described in the preceding paragraph would need to be strong enough to support the weight of the device and be strong enough in some variations of the embodiment to pull the device off the seabed breaking any adherence the device has with the seabed, W here the device is secured by rods marked as 25 in figure 4c if the rods are short in length and the chain or cable is used to pull the device upwards at the same angle as the rods 25 are imbedded in the sea bed, the chain itself may be enough to pull the device off the sea bed without needing to sever the rods 25 in ways described elsewhere in the description such as through explosive devices.

When one embodiment is placed on top of another as in figure 6 the organisation drilling for oil could drill through the old device using a specially hardened drill bit if necessary, so it can resume drilling for oil without first needing to remove or replace the first embodiment that had been previously used to seal the bore hole.

Some variations of the embodiment could only be used once to seal a bore hole, and where such embodiments were used it might be necessary to stack embodiments on top of each other so that the drilling for oil could be resumed.

Stacking one embodiment of the invention on top of another for this purpose is demonstrated in figure 6 and the more recent device that has been placed on top of the former device is marked as 28. The first device is below the part marked as 28 and rests on the sea bed which is marked as 2.

Other embodiments might be designed so that they could be re used and putting embodiments on top of each other might not be necessary in this situation.

Alternatively the old device and the actual part 16/s that were closed over the bore hole could be prised opened by divers or opened through other mechanical means.

In some embodiments the device could have one or more tanks of sufficient size, that when pumped full of air, would cause the device to rise to the surface similar to what happens when a submarine blows its tanks or empties its tanks of water. This part is marked as 43 and is shown in figures 9, 10, 12, 13,14,15 and 16.

In such an embodiment the tanks would be filled with water when the device was on the sea bed and would have air pumped into them when it is desired to move the device off the sea bed, perhaps to allow it to be inspected or repaired, or if it is desired to bring it completely to the surface, where is may be retrieved, for example for repairs, re programming, or for re use in another location.

Any parts of the structure such as rods marked as 25 in some of the drawings would normally need to be first severed in some way or disconnected from the sea bed to allow the device to leave the sea bed except in the case of a variation of the embodiment described when the rods are shorter.

This could be done manually by divers, or through small explosive charges that could already be in place in some variation of the embodiment or added later by divers or underwater craft which may be manned or unmanned. When the charges were detonated the rods and any parts of the structure holding the device to the sea bed would have their hold broken, and the device could float to the surface.

The explosive devices would need to be sufficient to sever the rods marked as but small or localised enough so as not to unseal the bore hole or rupture the sea bed around the bore hole which might result in the release of oil.

A device in some embodiments might have tanks that were already filled with air and this would cause the device to float to the surface if parts of the device holding it onto the sea bed were disconnected in some way.

In one variation of the embodiment the device could be freed from the sea bed by pumping air or gas through pipes in the device to outlets in the sides of the structure in a way similar to a submarine that may blast air through its torpedo tubes if the submarine is stuck in the sea bed. The air or gas being pumped through the pipes in the device and to outlets in the sides of the structure would erode the areas of sea bed in contact with the device so that the device would be easier to move.

The air or gas needed to do this might be stored aboard the device in some variations of the embodiment or in other variations might be passed through a hose able to carry air or gas at pressure that would be attached to the pipe system of the device at a point with a feature that allows a hose to be securely attached, and the air or gas would be pumped to the device from an apparatus at some point away from the device. In variations of this embodiment the hose might be a fixed feature of the device or might be able to be connected and disconnected as desired.

In some embodiments the device would be designed so that it might move out of position for example in one variation of the design using wheels attached to the device, driven either by its own propulsion system, or by being pulled by other craft, or with the help of energy supplied from other craft or external sources to the device which might power an engine aboard the device, to drive the wheels.

A variation of the embodiment described above with wheels might also walk itself to the bore hole to be sealed by using the wheels to travel along the sea bed to the bore hole. Such a device like any of the embodiments described in this description could use different features from other embodiments in order to seal a bore hole. For example a device on wheels could drag a large blanket type constructions as described for the embodiment marked as 38 until the blanket covers the bore hole. The oil then might be transferred to a vessel in the way shown in figure 15. A device travelling on wheels might be powered by a power supply for example supplied by a vessel through a cable able to carry electricity and power and engine that runs on electricity, or in another variation of the embedment the device may have its own power source on the device itself which might be batteries or other means that can power an engine.

The device may have cameras on the apparatus to help the operator guide it into position or it may be guided into position in other ways described in this description for other embodiments. The guidance system may be aboard the device itself or provided from another source such as a vessel, or command centre, or the device may be guided into position using a combination of both methods. As with other embodiments in some variations the device may be automated or in some variations under the control of the operator, or in some variations of the embodiment may be under a combination of both. And as with other embodiments the reason that the device moves into position may be the non receipt of a signal that overrides the inbuilt programming aboard the device that will send it into position and instruct it how to seal or cover a bore hole, unless the device receives a signal that instructs the device not to do this.

In these ways one variation of the embodiment could move out of position so that work might continue on the bore hole, but any such action would have to come from a positive instruction to do this from the controllers or operator, and some variations of the embodiment would have the means and additional programming to respond to such commands from the operator.

Divers might attach a line to other variations of the embodiment of the invention to retrieve them, similar to the way an anchor is hauled back onto a ship. The line would be used by a ship or another apparatus to take the device to another location and in one variation this would be to winch the device onto a ship or apparatus.

These features could be used in embodiments which are designed so that they could be reactivated or re used.

The operators could instruct the device to move physically out of position or for the parts 16 to move back to their normal position so that the bore hole was clear again in some variations of the embodiment. Such embodiments could be used again.

The drawings have features marked by the following numbers. The numbers will describe the parts featured in the drawings but will also include some detail on how the parts will work and these details should be considered with the rest

of the description.

I represents the bore hole carrying the oil.

I b represents the top of the bore hole as it comes out of one of the embodiments of the invention.

2 represents the surface of the sea bed or area of water.

3 represents the explosive device.

4 represents the explosion of the explosive device.

represents the collapse of the sides of the bore hole caused by the shock waves from the explosive device.

6 represents the shock waves caused by the detonation of the explosive device 7 represents the direction of the shockwaves from the explosive device.

9 represents the o that has been released and is floating to the surface of the water.

represents the apparatus that can move hquid such as oil from one point to the other, and in the drawings is shown carrying the oil to a ship or an apparatus marked as 11 that can collect oil.

11 represents the ship or apparatus that can collect oil. This part is shown collecting the oil in figures 3. 3b and 15.

12 represents the cable through which instructions can be sent to the device shown in figures 4, 4b and 4c and this part of the device carries the instructions from the operator to the device to tell it not to follow its programmed instructions and seal the bore hole.

13 represents the protective cable carrying the cable 12.

14 represents the heavily armoured top of the device to seal bore holes in an emergency.

represents a part of the device that is free to move, which has pressure applied against it that in some embodiments is created by the release of the effect of compressed air or gas which has been released into the sealed chamber 22 by the part marked as 21 As the pressure increases in the sealed chamber 22 this will have the effect of pushing the part 15 which is free to move and is not rigidly fixed away from the pressure.

In other embodiments this part 21 can be an engine or a similar device that can produce energy and momentum and which cause one part of a device to move from one position to another position.

Part 15 can be of different sizes and shapes in different embodiments as is the case with any part described in the description or shown in the drawings. In different variations of the embodiment there may be one or more part/s 15. In some variations there are no part/s 15.

When Part 15 moves in the embodiment shown in figures 4,4b,4c and 4d this has the effect of pushing the adjoining part 16/s which is also free to move when pressure is applied so that part/I 6 completely or partially closes the bore hole as desired as this part passes across and over it.

In most embodiments the programming of the device would initiate the movement necessary within the device to push the part I 6/s so that the part completely closes the bore hole by moving across and therefore over it, preventing the continued release of most if not all the oil or liquid.

In some embodiments there may not be a part 15 and the actions described take place directly against the part/s 16 which is the part that closes over the bore hole.

16 represents the part/s of the device that are pushed into position by parts 15 so that a bore hole is sealed. In some embodiments the energy and momentum created from the part 21 of the device push directly against the part/s 16 and in these embodiments there is no intermediate part/s 15 between the source of this energy and momentum coming from part 21 and the part/s 16.

17 represents the debris or material or objects that are dropped over a bore hole to be sealed.

I 7b represents the debris or other material that has being dropped by the apparatus marked as 18 in figure 5 and which has become piled up above the bore hole.

18 represents the delivery system, ship, airborne device, plane, helicopter or apparatus that drops the debris or material 17 over a bore hole. It might also be an airship.

19 represents the surface of the sea or area of water represents the boom or apparatus that contains oil that has floated to the surface.

20b represents the part of the apparatus marked as 20 that is below the surface of the water.

21 represents the part that provides the energy or means to provide momentum for the parts needed to move within the device when a bore hole is to be sealed, when the instructions from the operator contrary to this have not been received.

Ultimately this movement of parts and the activation of part 21 to accomplish this, are coordinated by a computer or a similar device that can hold and act on programmed instructions, a part which is not specifically shown in the drawings but may be in any part of an embodiment and the instructions from the computer or similar apparatus will initiate and guide the operation of a series of parts within the device that will result in the part/s 16 being pushed across the bore hole to seal it.

In some variations of the embodiment part 21 may be one or more compressed air tanks that when activated push compressed air or gas into the space 22 and this increase in pressure in the chamber 22 pushes part/s 16 so they close across the borehole.

In other embodiments the part 21 may be an engine or an explosive device or may be any device that can provide sufficient energy to move the parts of the device needed to seal the bore hole.

22 represents the sealed chamber where in one embodiment of the invention one of the versions of part 21 releases compressed air or gas. The chamber would be sufficiently strong construction that the increase in pressure would not breach the walls of the chamber.

23 represents the wiring or optical cable or similar features within the device that relays instructions between different parts of the device.

Part 23 can be any means or method that can aUow a series of signa's and information to pass or travel from one point to another, and through this means and the fact that the instructions that have not being received from the operator are passed to a the parts in the device which are then activated in a pre arranged sequence so that partll6 closes over the bore hole. Part 23 represents internal communication to aU the parts within the device.

n the description the term operator represents the person or people who are in control of a driing operation above a bore hole, and may a'so represent peop'e associated with them.

The wiring or similar feature marked as 23 relays the instructions which have been programmed in the computer or similar device to all parts of the device including partls 16 so that when the signal not to close the bore hole is not received, al parts including part/s 16 receive the necessary instructions to act in unison or a coordinated way that has been programmed into the computer or similar piece of equipment, so that the parts within the device work together to push all of part/s 16 so that they close across and over the bore hole.

represents the rods or elongated pieces of material that are fired into the rocks of the seabed to hold the embodiment of the invention in place.

26 represents the parts of the device to cushion against vibrations and shock waves caused by explosions or weather conditions or when parts of an oil platform and other pieces of apparatus or objects that are either man made or have a natural origin faU onto or around the apparatus. There may be one or a number of these parts in different embodiments, of different sizes and in different positions within the device. Part 26 is shown in figure 7.

27 represents the heavily armoured curved plate around the part 22 containing parts 16 and other key parts including part 21 and which is intended to help withstand and direct downwards, pressure coming from a heavy weight on the device, thereby allowing the device to withstand greater weights, such as if an oi platform or another object has collapsed on to it. These parts are shown in figure 7 which shows the end of the part 22.

The design of a curved shape would be to increase its load bearing capabilities in a similar way to how an arch can carry a greater load placed on it, by directing the load downwards.

The device shown in figures 4, 4b and 4c resemble an arch in that the top of the device is smaller than its base, and the structure tapers down and outwards towards the base. This helps build in more resistance to heavy weights, while enjoying the advantage of a flat surface on the sides, which may also help deflect debris away from the device.

There may be one or a number of the parts marked as 27 in different embodiments, of different sizes and in different positions within the device.

28 represents one device resting on top of another device. This technique may be used if the lower device has failed, or if it has being deployed once and is not reusable, or if extra precautions are desired to protect the bore hole from leaking oil, such as in areas close to coastlines or areas that need extra precautions to protect against potential pollution, for example if the bore holes are near to fishing grounds.

In such situations, the organisation drilling for oil may place more than one of the embodiments of the invention over a bore hole, for example as shown in figure 6 where they are placed on top of each other, so that if one of the devices fails to operate properly and seal a bore hole, other devices similarly designed will automatically close the bore hole, if the instructions not to do this, are not received by the device.

With several devices carrying out this function independently of each other, although one might fail or be damaged, others might be able to successfully close the bore hole. There may a number of devices placed on top of each other if desired.

29 represents the rocks or other material under the sea bed.

represents the ballast or weights or weighted objects helping to stabilise the embodiment of the invention marked as 20 which is shown in figures 3, 3b and in figurel5 where it is shown is collecting oil marked as 9 that has floated to the surface directed into surfacing in the desired position under the embodiment marked as 20 by an embodiment marked as 38, by way of a tube or pipe marked as 44.

31 represents the cable or similar device or part of a structure connecting the ballast or weights marked as 30 to the embodiment of the invention collecting oil that has floated to the surface.

32 represents the sealed chamber which is rigidly attached to the embodiment of the invention and where compressed air or a smaU exp'osive charge is fired to fire or push the part 33 in a generay downwards direction so that the rod or elongated piece of material marked as 25 in the drawings which is rigidly connected to part 33 is pushed into the rocks or ground of the sea bed. This is shown in figure 4c. To try to assist with the clarity of the drawing in figure 4c one side of the device shown has one part marked as 32 on one side aRhough different variations of the embodiment may have different numbers of the part, and in some variations different numbers on different sides as desired.

33 is the part of the apparatus that in some variations of the embodiment is propeUed by the force of compressed air or gas, or an explosion or in other variations by force which can be manually applied by divers so that rods marked as 25 are pushed into the rock of the sea bed.

The part 33 wi be designed so that after firing or been pushed into position by other means, it wou'd require considerable upwards movement to move this part with the attached rod out of its new position. With a number of rods at different positions in the seabed, it would be difficult for the sufficient upwards pressure to be applied simultaneously in all the rods and at the right angie to prise the device off the sea bed. Coectively through this the rods would a'so help keep the device on the sea bed despite explosions and general mayhem taking place around and above it if for example a disaster takes place with the drilling platform.

Variations of the embodiment can use different combinations or arrangements and different numbers of rods of varying lengths as required.

One embodiment of the invention might be that if a signal is not received from the operator various designs of embodiment might deploy automatically to cover the bore hole.

These embodiments may be located near to a bore hole or dispatched automatical'y such as by drones or aircraft of various types that do not need pi'ots but may be directed to a bore hole by a similar automatic means whereby the moment the failure to receive a signal not to deploy and cover a bore hole is not received, indicating that there may be a problem with a bore hole, they trave' automatically to the bore hole to seal it.

a variation of this embodiment it may be possible for an automated embodiment to be positioned so that it can be ready to move to respond to more than one bore hole should they become unsealed.

n this variation of the embodiment the automated apparatus would be constantly sent streams of override commands from one or more bore holes.

These commands may come from devices around each bore hole. f one bore hole failed to send these signals which would indicate a possible problem the automated apparatus would dispatch itself automatically to the bore hole concerned where it would seal the bore hole in the ways described in this

description.

The advantage of this variation of the embodiment would be that one apparatus would provide possible protection for a number of bore holes and in this way reduce costs, while more might be able to be spent on the design of the apparatus, than might otherwise be the case if it could only provide protection for one bore hole. Such a variation of the embodiment would have the means and the computing power and other devices necessary to be able to receive and process information from more than one bore hole.

In such a variation of the embodiment the over ride signals would be sent from the oil rig or apparatus connected to each bore hole, so that if an incident occurred with the oil rig or similar apparatus this would involve the early cessation of the override signals as the means to do this, such as through a wire 12 in a cable 13 as shown in some of the drawings would have been severed early in the course of an incident. The term incident may be any event that might cause a bore hole to be unsealed including an accident aboard the oil rig.

With all the embodiments of the invention one advantage is that when an incident occurs, the bore hole will become sealed in the ways described and at such a hectic time, the crew aboard the oil rig or similar apparatus do not have to be concerned about the bore hole itself but can concentrate on evacuating the workers on the oil platform or fighting any fires that may have started.

The whole procedure may be automatic and triggered automatically in a way similar to the way embodiments of the invention shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 4d are triggered by an accident or incident causing a signal needed to deactivate programmed instructions in devices which are embodiments of the invention to instruct these devices not to block or seal a bore hole.

If similar deactivation signals are not received the following automatic embodiments of the invention may deploy automatically.

In some variations of these embodiments there may be interventions and decisions to send in these embodiments to an incident where there is a desire to cover over a bore hole to protect it. This might be decided by the operator ahead of a possible incident or potential problem. If for example if a heavy storm is imminent and the bore hole is considered at risk, there may be a desire to make the bore hole more secure before the storm takes place, by covering the bore hole ahead of the storm in case the bore hole became unsealed in a storm.

In this scenario the operator would need to make a decision to send the embodiment of the invention before the natural trigger of communication from the operator being ended, automatically sent the device in, as this would be a situation or a time where the device would not otherwise send itself into position to cover a bore hole.

In one embodiment of the invention the operation to seal a bore hole might firstly involve placing a number of devices that will be known as sensors in the description on the sea bed around the bore hole. There may be any number of sensors arranged around a bore hole and two such arrangements are shown in figures 8 and 11, where the sensors are marked as 37 and the bore hole is marked as 1.

The embodiment of the invention would use one or more devices that will be referred to in the description as sensors, that would be placed in varying positions on the sea bed and using well known technology combine the roles of measuring the position of the bore hole, and then relaying this information to the embodiment itself if it is an automated variation of the embodiment or to the operator who may be controlling the movements of the embodiment.

The information that has been relayed will enable the embodiment to be placed over the bore hole.

There are various ways that the sensors can fulfil this function, and more technologies will be developed in the future that may be used as well.

The sensors could measure the distance of the bore hole through a transducer that emit a sound pulse downwards towards the sea bed and where a receiver would measure the return of the pulse that bounces off the seabed. Part of the sounds pulse will penetrate the seabed and be reflected off the different layers providing information about the position of the bore hole.

In one variation of the embodiment the receiver might be aboard the embodiment itself so that on receipt of the signal that has bounced of the seabed which will show the position of the bore hole the embodiment will use this information either directly if its automated, or this information will guide the actions of the controller to change the embodiments position so that it moves towards being positioned over the bore hole. Levels of propulsion, and the direction of apparatus such as rudders either aboard the embodiment or an apparatus such as a ship that might be towing the embodiment would be adjusted accordingly to enable the embodiment to be placed over the bore hole.

The sensors would include transponder devices. In one variation the sensors can also act as transponder beacons. The embodiment transmits an acoustic signal which is detected by the transponder. The transponder transmits a response, and the time between the transmission of the first signal and the reception of the second allows the distance between the transducer and the transponder to be calculated. Using preferably at least three sensors containing transponders will enable the embodiment to adjust its speed and direction so that it can be placed over the bore hole which will be in the middle of the sensors. In automated versions this will happen automatically and in other variations the information provided will allow an operator to move the embodiment into position. Some variations will use a combination of automation and control by an operator.

Side scan sonar may a'so be used to pinpoint the location of the bore hole, where short high frequency pulses from transducers on vessels in the sea, and where the return pulse detected by the transducer is sent back as an e'ectrical signal to the devices analysing the information for example on a vesseL This embodiment of the invention would use one or more devices that will be referred to as sensors in the description or any device using current or future technologies in which the sensors or an apparatus that can measure the position of the bore hole from each position of each sensor using various technologies such as where a device emits a wave which can map a structure in the ground.

The bore hole might be lined with a casing that could help in this process. In one variation of the embodiment a magnetometer could be used to detect variations in the total magnetic field where metal is included in the casing of the bore hole. Where two or more sensors were being used, as with a gradiometer, this wou'd improve the readings obtained showing the location of the bore hole.

The sensors could also carry out their functions in some variations by reflection seismic surveys or refraction seismic surveys, with the assistance of a hydrophone.

The sensors would also include transponders that would help re'ay the information to the embodiment to help with its positioning.

The sensors would measure the bore hole using technology similar to that used by sonar that can detect underwater objects and would also be similar to the device used in archaeology where a wave is used to locate and map structures hidden below ground.

This will show where the bore ho'e is precisely in relation to the sensors.

The sensors can then guide the positioning of the embodiment of the invention by communicating to the embodiment the position of the bore hole so that the embodiment can be manoeuvred so that it can be placed over the surface of the bore hole so that the bore hole is covered in such a way that the bore hole is blocked and hence the oil is sea'ed in.

The sensors marked as 37 will communicate this information to the embodiment using any means of communication such as radio. The embodiment itself if it is automated or the operator if they are controlling the movements of the embodiment and who may be at a different position will use any form of artificial intelligence such as a computer to make the necessary calculations to help guide the embodiment so that it is over the bore hole. The sending and receiving of communications may take place through any means to send signals from one position to another and through the water.

The sensors 37 will transmit the information using techniques whereby a signal can be passed from one point to another such as radio waves, and these transmissions will be picked up by the computer or similar device that is coordinating the descent of the embodiment onto the bore hole.

This computer making the calculations can be aboard the embodiment itself, or on board vessels or other platforms near to the bore hole. The positions of both the embodiment and bore hole can pinpointed, and the positioning of the embodiment onto or above the bore hole, can be coordinated using satellites and the command centre in control of this may be in any part of the World. The whole operation can be carried out without personnel near to the bore hole if this is desirable.

Some embodiments will use computers both on land and off shore and also on the embodiments themselves to coordinate the positioning of the embodiment.

The sensors marked as 37 transmit the location of the bore hole to the computers and to the people controlling the positioning and descent of the embodiment on to the bore hole.

Computers and other forms of artificial intelligence within the embodiment will let the operators know where the device is at any time point of time in the water.

By using these two streams of data from the sensors and from the embodiment itself informing the operator where it is, the operator can move the embodiment until it settles at the correct position over the bore hole.

The computers will seek to guide the embodiment so that the bore hole is near the centre of the structure of the embodiment which may be blanket like as in the embodiment marked as 38 or more rigid as shown in 38b.

The embodiment marked as 38 is shown in figures 10, 12, 14, 15 and 16.

The embodiment marked as 38b is shown in figures 9 and 13.

These methods of positioning using computers, sensors and satellites and similar technology and methods will greatly help the operation but exact positioning so that the bore hole is precisely under the middle of the embodiment may not be critical to the success of the operation.

The way the embodiment responds to the information it receives and changes direction will depend on the type of embodiment.

Some variations of the embodiment may have forms of propulsion such as propellers on the embodiment itself and these will be designed so that they can change speed and direction, with help from rudders and other devices such as moving structures on the device similar to those which can help an apparatus in the water change direction such as rudders.

Some embodiments may have a crew on board who can steer the embodiment into the correct position using the embodiments own propulsion system.

Other embodiments may be moved into position with the assistance of submarines or other underwater craft or apparatus that can move objects through the water by pushing or towing them One embodiment may be placed in position using cables from ships and from other apparatus or devices that may be on the surface or underwater.

Cables would be attached to points of the embodiment which are designed to allow cables to be coupled and uncoupled at these points, and in some variations of the embodiment these cables would be permanently attached.

The points where cables were attached would be connected to other parts of the structure so that the stresses involved in the apparatus being moved by being pulled by the cables is spread evenly within the apparatus so that no part is stressed to the extent that the apparatus is damaged.

The points at which the cables would be attached would also be constructed so that they would be strong enough to withstand stresses when the cables were used. Variations would be designed so that stresses resulting from the cables being used were distributed among the structure as a whole to protect the structural integrity of the structure and not to damage or over stress any one part.

Some Embodiments may also be helped into position onto the bore hole, particularly at the last stages with the help of divers.

The various embodiments may also use a combination of ways to turn the data that has been received on the position of the bore hole, and the relative position of the embodiment so as to be able to direct the various forms of propulsion to produce the amount of thrust and propulsion needed in order to move the embodiment so that is placed on the bore hole.

Different forms of propulsion might be used to propel an embodiment. The forms of propulsion at different points on the embodiment would be instructed to produce differing amounts of propulsion according to their position on the embodiment and the direction which is needed for the embodiment to move in a desired way. These methods of propulsion would work in a way coordinated by computers or similar devices using the data received on the position of the embodiment relative to the bore hole, in order to move the embodiment so that it is positioned over the bore hole.

The forms of propulsion may be on board the embodiment, or on pieces of apparatus elsewhere, that can in turn move the embodiment or in some cases both on board and external propulsion systems may be used to position the embodiment so that the device can be placed over the surface of the bore ho'e thereby sealing in the oil.

Some of the variations of the embodiments will have their own means of propulsion, which is any means that can move the embodiment from one position to another and in some embodiments the means to do this may be by propellers that are driven by engines or other sources of power or energy, and which are attached to the embodiments.

n some embodiments the means of propulsion may be designed so that they can be added to, and disconnected at other times to the embodiment.

n other embodiments the means of propulsion will be provided through external means such as by submarines or by other apparatus or methods that can move an object through the water, and such devices will tow or push the embodiments into position as guided by the information being relayed the sensors indicating the position of the bore hole relative to the position of the embodiment.

The submarines or similar device will move the embodiment accordingly until the embodiment is above the bore hole, and in some situations the final positioning may be assisted by divers.

Embodiments or parts of the method of operation involving such embodiments which use this technique are shown in figures 8,9.10,11, 12 13,14, 15 and 16 of the drawings.

The sensors are marked as 37 and are shown in figures 8,9,10,11,12,13, 15 and 16.

Two of many other ways that the sensors can be position is shown in figures 8 and 11.

In figures 12 and 15 not all of the drawn sensors 37 are marked. This is to try to maintain clarity in the drawings. Marking all the parts 37 might have made the drawings less clear. The sensors are not shown in figure 14, although they will be used in the positioning of the embodiment 38.

The sensors can be placed in any configuration in relation to the bore hole.

There can be various numbers of sensors. There may be three sensors or more or less than that number in different embodiments.

In one of the embodiments a flexible fabric or material resembling a loosely fitting blanket supported by a rigid exterior frame is guided into position with the assistance of the sensors around the bore hole. This embodiment is marked as 38.

This embodiment is shown in figures 10, 12, 14, 15 and 16 of the drawings.

This embodiment uses a flexible but robust material for this blanket type structure which has the advantages because it is flexible that it can more effectively cover an area of sea bed around the bore hole which may be of different depths, underwater topography or awkward shapes, or be covered with items such as parts of an oil rig or similar apparatus that has faUen around it.

It would be important that the fabric or material would be sufficiently strong that it would not tear if part of the embodiment came into contact with sharp pieces of metal or rock around the bore hole. Material might be used which if gashed or torn would limit this tear to the immediate area of the structure and where such damage would tend not to spread. In some variations, there may be a series of lines of metal or other strong material, similar to a net in appearance through the blanket that would help strengthen the blanket type structure without unduly reducing its flexibility.

The flexibility of this blanket or canopy of the embodiment will allow it to encompass or envelope a far more varied and mixed arrangement of objects, clutter and terrain around the bore hole, and provide an improved and tighter fit around the bore hole allowing less of the oil to seep away under the device, in the area between the sea bed marked as 2 and the underside of the borders or perimeters of the device.

One of the distinguishing features of this embodiment of the invention is that the water over which, and upon which the embodiment descends during the descent and is therefore displaced, will move up, or travel up the flexible tube or pipe marked as 44 which is intended to eventually funnel the oil up to the surface where it can be contained and removed or cleared up in some way. This process being carried out by the embodiment of the invention on the surface of the water which is shown in figures 3, 3b and 15 and which is marked as 20, and is described in more detail in other parts of this description.

The water is able to move out of the way of the embodiment much more quickly because it can move up the part 44, and this helps with the placing of the embodiment on the bore hole. This will also mean that it would be possible to use much thinner and hence more flexible material for the blanket like construction which will make it more effective in enveloping the area of sea bed around the bore hole, fitting much more effectively glove like over the bore hole.

This is because this thinner material can be used, as a stressor to the materials in such an embodiment that would come from the movement of the displaced water, which might otherwise damage the fabric or distort the frame holding the material, has been reduced by the feature marked as the tube 44 which allows the water to move much faster out of the way of the descending embodiment.

The part marked as 44 may be of different dimensions and may have different circumferences and diameters in different variations of the embodiment. This is similar to other parts of aU the embodiments which may have different dimensions, different shapes and sizes and be constructed of different materials in different embodiments. The parts of the embodiments can be shaped differently and constructed of a different material; the importance with the parts is in how they perform the function they have within the particular embodiment of the invention and so long as the material or shape used is in keeping with the function needed and described in the description. For example for armour plating marked as 27 in figure 7, the toughest materials need to be used. Another example would be the part marked as 44 which may be of different lengths in different variations of the embodiment so long as it is able to funnel the oil to the surface as shown in figure 15, the part can fulfil its role in clearing up the oil in relation to the other parts shown in figure 15 and

other drawings, and described in the description.

Some variations of the embodiment marked as 38 may be one hundred metres in diameter, some a mile in diameter or at the most narrow point of the device.

Some variations may be smaller than this, or larger in size. Using this blanket like construction covering a large area will make it easier to place in position over the bore hole and contain the oil than attempting to contain the oil on the sea bed using a smaller device, particularly at great depths where the level of precision needed to place a device over the bore hole is much more difficult because of the conditions. A more cheaply constructed device of a larger circumference or diameter, using size rather than complexity of design that might be contained in a smaller structure, to contain the oil, is one of the features of this embodiment.

A more rigid embodiment marked as 38b which also uses similar methods to embodiment 38 in how it is positioned on the sea bed over the bore hole, is shown in figures 9 and 13 of the drawings. The embodiment marked as 38b may also be of different sizes as described in the preceding paragraph.

The anticipated heavier construction of this more rigid embodiment of the invention marked as 38b will tend to be strong enough to push the water away from its underside as the device descends towards the bore hole, and therefore the need for something similar to tube 44 in embodiment 38 which also acts to allow water to be displaced as well as its function is guiding the oil to the surface, is not necessary.

The heavier construction of the device 38b which may be smaller and more compact than embodiment 38 allows for the water to be pushed out of the way.

The lighter and more fragile construction of 38 means that the tube 44 will help reduce stresses on the structure from the water being displaced sometimes quite quickly as the embodiment is placed on to the bore hole.

The embodiments 38 and 38b may be of different sizes and shapes in different variations.

In the embodiment marked as 38 the material or fabric is connected to parts of the structure marked as 43 that can be filled wfth water sufficient to enable the apparatus to be submerged and. The embodiment is guided into position by the sensors 37 and that the blanket type embodiment sinks to the sea bed as the tanks marked as 43 are filled with water.

There may be additional means in some variations of this embodiment to attach the edges of the apparatus to the sea bed when the device has been properly positioned and the bore hole is covered, to keep it securely in position.

The fabric of the device marked as 38b is not rigid and wi baboon to some degree as oil coming out of the bore hole floats out of the bore hole.

The ballooning of the middle of this embodiment marked as 50 in figures 15 and 16 will guide or shepherd the oil trying to float to the surface and marked in drawings as 9, and the oil will find in the middle of the top of this ballooning an outlet marked as 46. This part 46 is shown in figure 14.

The outlet 46 will lead either to a flexible pipe or tube marked as 44, or will be sealed after the device has settled on the sea bed over the bore hole, until a pipe can be added later by the oil company.

Some embodiments may have a flexible joint marked as 51 and this is shown in figure 14. This flexible joint 51 is designed to allow the tube 44 to be connected and disconnected to the outlet 46 and to also allow free movement in the sea as the tube 44 moves around in the water so that the end of tube 44 connected to the embodiment 38 does not exert undue pressures on the structure 38, or even tear or damage the point at which the tube 44 connects with the rest of the device 38. The part 51 helps to absorb any excessive movement from the tube 44 as it moves around the area of water, and this part 51 helps to protect the connection with the rest of the device 38 and the parts of the device at this point needed to allow a connection.

The flexible tube or pipe 44 will be left unsealed at its end nearest the surface, supported by the buoyancy devices marked as 39, while the embodiment descends so that water that is displaced by the device as it descends can pass through the tube 44 and out of the way of the embodiment.

Sea life could similarly escape from the device as it descends through the unsealed tube or pipe 44.

The pipe 44 will be caused to float upwards to the surface by buoyancy devices marked as 39. In some embodiments this part 44 may have some buoyancy. In other embodiments it may have no buoyancy.

The oU wiU then be guided upwards. The o can then either be guided aU the way to the surface in a pipe or tube marked as 44 until it reaches the embodiment marked as 20 and shown in figures 3, 3b and 15 where the oU can be contained and coUected. The way this embodiment of the invention marked as 20 is intended to operate is described in other parts of this description.

In a variation of the embodiment the tube marked as 44 may dehver the oil direcfly to a vessel or apparatus that can contain oil and which are marked as 11 in the drawings and this might be achieved by connecting the top end of the tube 44 with the bottom end of the feature marked as 11. This variation of the embodiment would include the features necessary for the tube 44 to be connected with the part marked as 11.

The positioning of the embodiment marked as 38 is shown in figure 14 where it is shown descending onto the bore hole. The direction of descent is shown by arrows marked as 48.

The part 55 represents the sea or area of water.

Figure 10 shows the embodiment marked as 38 in position over the bore hole.

Figure 11 shows another possible arrangement of sensors marked as 37 around a bore hole marked as 1. The sensors can be placed in any arrangement around a bore hole.

Figure 12 shows a view of the embodiment marked as 38 in position over the bore hole as if one was looking from overhead down on to it. The circle marked as 49 in this drawing is not the actual bore hole itself but the approximate position where the bore hole might be, but the bore hole itself would be underneath this blanket of material, and therefore not visible from overhead.

Figure 13 shows the embodiment 38b coming down onto a bore hole marked as 1. The direction of descent is marked by arrows 48.

Figure 14 similarly shows the embodiment 38 coming down onto a bore hole.

Figure 15 shows the embodiment 38 in place over the bore hole, with the tube 44 leading up to the embodiment 20 on the surface which contains the oil that has gone up the tube 44.

Figure 16 shows the oil causing a ballooning effect in the fabric marked as 50, in the embodiment marked as 38, and the pipe or tube marked as 44, which is in and will assume a vertical type direction towards the surface of the water because it is supported by buoyancy devices marked as 39. As with the sensors marked as 37 to try to improve the clarity of the drawings not all the drawn buoyancy devices are marked.

The level of buoyancy of the parts 39 and their position on the tube 44 wiU affect the angle at which the tube 44 is pointing towards the surface.

GeneraUy the parts 39 wiU be at the upper areas of the tube 44 and wiU cause it to be directed almost verticay to the embodiment marked as 20 which is on the surface of the sea or area of water.

n variations of the embodiment the level of buoyancy can be adjusted by adding or reducing the number of parts 39, or in some variations changing the level of inflation of these buoyancy devices with the gas that has been used such as air.

Other buoyancy devices may be placed along the length of the tube 44 to help support its weight.

By reducing the level of buoyancy the tube 44 would point at a lower angle and this might be desirable if it is not possib'e or desirable to position the embodiment 20 or other containment device directly above the bore hole.

The parts marked as 39 may be constructed of any material that will float in water, and they may be constructions that are fiUed with air or gas which wilt cause the constructions to float, or attempt to reach the surface of the area of water, thereby holding up the tube 44. The area marked as 52 in figure 16 represents that the tube 44 may continue further than shown in this drawing.

There will be sufficient parts marked as 39 attached to the tube or similar construction marked as 44 to cause the tube to be in a position such that the oil will be directed overhead to the apparatus above the water marked as 20.

n some variations of the embodiment the tube 44 may be directed at various angles, so that the oil can travel out the tube but reach a containment area within the embodiment 20 which may sometimes be positioned away from the bore hole and not always directly above it. So long as there is some angie of ascent for the tube 44, the oil will float upwards using its own buoyancy but in such situations the oil may rise more slowly.

n further variations of the embodiment, the device on the surface containing the oil such as 20 may attach pumps or similar devices to the top end of the tube 44 to increase the rate of flow of the oil to the surface. Pumping the rising oi out of the top end of the tube 44 would increase the rate at which the oil came to the surface.

Figure 15 shows the tube or pipe of embodiment marked as 38, as it allows the oi to flow into the embodiment 20 which is shown more fully in figures 3 and 3b.

The tube or pipe 44 can be designed so that it reaches all the way to the surface or in some embodiments may be designed so that it only reaches part way to the surface.

This wiU be more practical or reaUstic in deeper waters where it may be difficult to have a pipe or tube 44 of sufficient ength to reach a the way to the surface, although in some variations of the embodiment the tube 44 may designed so that extra sections may be inserted if desired to extend the length of the pipe or tube 44. In such variations the necessary fixtures would be added to the end of the tube 44 so that extra sections of tubing might be added to the tube 44. The fixtures would be parts of the construction that would enable extra sections of tube or pipe to be joined together.

However even if the tube 44 does not reach all the way to the surface, the very act of guiding the oil marked as 9 even for part of the way to the surface in deeper waters, will allow more to reach the desired position under the containment and coUection embodiment marked as 20 and shown in figures 3 and 3b than would otherwise be the case.

n such situations the oil marked as 9 would float the remainder of the distance required to the embodiment marked as 20 in figures 3 and 3b.

n figure 14 the arrow marked as 53 shows the direction the oil marked as 9 wil' take as it passes up the tube 44 to the surface for collection by the embodiment marked as 20.

The devices 38 and 38b can be removed from the sea bed by fil'ing the tanks marked as 43 with air.

The parts 41 are the parts of the devices in the embodiments 38 and 38b which contain the devices and pieces of equipment needed to transmit the location of the embodiment to the operator, so that in conjunction with the sensors 37 the operator can move the embodiment into the desired position.

The parts 41 will contain the technological equipment needed for this purpose including computers or other forms of artificial intelligence. In some variations of this embodiment the device can also be attached to the sea bed at points connected to ends of the parts marked as 41, and in other embodiments means of propulsion may also be attached to these points as described earlier.

The more rigid embodiment 38b is shown in figures 9 and 13.

Figure 13 also shows the more rigid embodiment 38b coming down on to the bore hole thus sealing in the oil marked as 9, and includes the direction of descent which is shown by arrows marked as 48. The sea bed is marked as 2.

Figure 9 shows the more rigid embodiment 38b on position over the bore hole.

The embodiment of the invention can be placed in position automatically or the positioning of the embodiment can be achieved with the assistance of divers or submarines. In some variations of the embodiment the positioning of the device over the bore hole can be achieved through a combination of both methods.

In another embodiment of the invention explosive charges could be placed in one of more of the piping sections or parts of the lining of the bore hole that would be designed to explode, collapsing the bore hole and sealing in the oil, unless an instruction was r&ayed to this section of piping placed in the borehole instructing the firing sequence for the explosion not to take place.

In one variation of this embodiment described in the preceding paragraph the device would be activated to seal the bore hole through the automated application of the method described which takes place when the instructions to instruct the device and series of automated operations and devices triggering the explosion in the bore hole, are not received because the means to relay these override instructions have been damaged or destroyed by the same incident that has unsealed the bore hole or caused oil to leak from the bore hole.

One embodiment of the invention would be to pass a high electrical charge into and through the oil in the actual borehole. This would result in an explosion by rapidly heating the oil and this would result in a collapsing of the walls of the borehole thereby sealing in the oil. The way to pass an electrical current for this purpose might be achieved by passing an insulated wire into the borehole, and running this wire to different depths into the bore hole in different variations of the embodiment. In another variation of this embodiment the wire may already be in place should the need arise to pass an electrical current into the oil in the bore hole of sufficient strength to cause an explosion in the bore hole, thereby sealing the bore hole to prevent oil flowing out.

If desired, for example if a disaster has already occurred divers could drill a hole at some point into the bore hole which is leaking. A cable or structure that can carry an electrical charge could then be pushed through the area or debris surrounding a bore hole and into the bore hole.

Then a strong electrical current could be sent down the cable or structure that can conduct electrical charges, and this would cause an explosion in the bore hole by super heating the oil in the bore hole, and this explosion would collapse the sides and structure of the bore hole, sealing in the oil and preventing most or all of the loss of any further oil into the surrounding area of water.

This embodiment would utilise the fact that the explosive material needed to seal the bore hole was already in place in the position needed, this being the oil itself which would explode if subjected to certain stimuli and where this explosion would help damage the structure of the bore hole, thereby sealing in all or part of the oil.

n this embodiment ft would be desirable to lower the wire to a sufficient depth within the bore hole so that the explosion collapses the bore hole but does not blow the top of the bore hole and make the problem worse.

Computer modelling could calculate the best depth to cause the explosion taking into consideration various factors such as the strength of the sea bed around a particular bore hole. If the sea bed or rocks are softer the explosion may need to be triggered lower in the bore hole than if the sea bed or rocks are harder which could better contain the force of the explosion and not for example blow the top of the seabed around the bore hole and allow oil to escape, or create fissures in the rock through which oi could seep out.

Additional'y the explosion should be designed to have a very specific localised effect on a small area of bore hole, rather than anything much greater than that.

n some embodiments an explosive charge could be pushed into the bore hole in a simi'ar way using cables or devices that can push or place a substance through a hole, and when the explosive is detonated this would achieve the same result as described in the paragraph preceding this paragraph, and would be similar to other embodiments that are designed to seal in the oil by collapsing the side of the bore hole. A similar embodiment is using explosives is shown in figures 1 and 2, and described earlier in this description, and also involves the use of exp'osives which are placed in a different position compared to this embodiment.

Similar ca'culations would need to be made about how deep within the bore hole the explosion should take place, and the strength of the explosion and computer modelling could help calculate this. This would dictate where the explosives were p'aced.

Electrical charges might be delivered by microwaves to the borehole, this would cause the oil to explode in the bore hole and thereby collapse its sides, sealing the bore hole.

An embodiment of the invention would be to facilitate such a charge being delivered to a bore hole and this might include installing wiring that can carry electrical charges along the sides and casing of a bore hole or making some or all of the casing of a bore hole able to carry or conduct an electrical charge.

An embodiment of the invention will be to pump air or gas at pressure into the bore hole at a level sufficient to create an area of pressure greater than the oil further below in the bore hole, so that this air or gas block that would be kept in place by an exterior mechanism or structure at some point around the bore hole. The embodiment would include the equipment and methods that would be required to achieve this, and if necessary using other features of other embodiments described.

The pressure of the air or gas could be reduced or adjusted to allow a desired level of oil to be released from the bore hole that might be within the capabilities of a device to contain or move the oil to another position.

There will also be variations of embodiments which would be designed so that the operator could activate the device before it is activated by the feature whereby the device is activated when it does not receive instructions that override the programming in the device to seal a bore hole.

There will be variations of all the embodiments, methods, processes described in the description whereby these will be carried out automatically and by machines and the necessary apparatus that if necessary will be unmanned and completely automatic but which may also be assisted by people in further variations, and that the bore hole will be sealed and oil cleared up in any of the ways described, where the operation or series of operations is carried out when a signal to instruct the machines or devices not to carry out programmed instructions how to seal a bore hole or clear up or retrieve oil is not received by the machines, apparatus or people because the means to relay these override instructions have being compromised or prevented by the damaging or destruction of the means to relay these instructions and which is intended to take place and be caused by the same incident, accident, or events that would also cause the bore hole to become unsealed or for a bore hole or on some occasions equipment to release oil without the intention of the operator.

The devices and methods described may also be deployed in other variations of the embodiment where the instructions to override the programmed instructions to seal a bore hole can still be relayed but where an operator may choose to deploy the equipment.

There will be variations of the embodiments of the invention which may be used to assist with other pollution problems such as oil spills. Various features of the embodiments may assist in a range of situations other than oil flowing out of a bore hole.

There may be a variation of the embodiment where the bore hole is blocked by a physical obstruction when the instructions to override programmed instructions in a machine or device that is intended to carry out this operation are not received.

Different variations of the embodiments may have a different number of parts similar to those described in this description as desired to fulfill the functions described in this description. This number of parts may be limited if the presence of more than a certain number of such parts conflicted with the role of the part, or reduced the effectiveness of the parts, where for example the function of the part is more effectively carried out by a certain number of parts, rather than a number greater than this.

n a variation of the embodiment the part/I 6 may be pushed or pulled into posftion across the bore hole by any means that can move one piece of equipment from one position to another.

n a variation of the embodiment shown in figures 4, 4b, 4c and 7 the device would be constructed so that the instructions programmed within it cou'd be changed by the operator without needing to move the device.

One way to achieve this would be to physically connect a wire from the operator ab'e to relay such instructions to the side of the device that would contain wiring to the part of the device such as the computer or part that contains the instructions. The new instructions could be relayed from the operator to the computer or part that contains the instructions.

The change of instructions may also be relayed in such variations of the embodiment by any means that can pass such an instruction to a part containing the instructions. The change would require the input of passwords to gain access to the devices computer or similar part containing the instructions in some variations.

n variations of all the embodiments described in the description there would be constructed within the device a way or means to change or update the instructions contained within the device of what it should do and how, if the override instructions not to block a bore ho'e or source of oil are not received.

n variations of the embodiments the part containing the instructions may be constructed so that it can be removed from the device and replaced by a similar part containing new instructions. This might be done manually or automatically but the device would need to be given the level of protection that other parts of the device have in case of an incident, and would have to be secured so that the part is not removed accidentally for example by weather conditions or deliberately by persons other than the operator. A way to achieve this might be to have an electronic lock that would control parts that held this part on the side of the device. The e'ectronic lock or ocks would need the correct password to release the parts holding the part containing the computer or part containing the instructions, from the main body of the device.

Once the password had been re'ayed, the part containing the instructions would be designed to be removed without a high degree of force. This would need to be the case given the position of the device which may be miles underwater where such work if more difficult.

t is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any embodiment of the invention may be used in combination with any other embodiment of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1) The invention is a proactive device that has programmed instructions within its structure to use certain procedures avai'able to it to seal a bore hole unless instructions to the contrary are sent to the device at intervals of time which the device is programmed to expect wherein the device wi proceed to implement a series of actions using features and mechanisms available to the device to seal a bore hole.
2) A device according to claim I where the programming in the device can be changed when the device is in position.
3) A device according to claim I where the apparatus is heavily armoured and protected against shocks that may occur in the event of a damage to an oil platform or similar construction or adverse weather conditions and where the sealing of the bore hole and reduction of the pollution risk of the bore hole may be assisted by the closing of part of or all of a bore hole by devices that can create shock waves that can pass through the area of the bore hole and where such shock waves will damage the structure of the bore hole sufficient to block al or some of the flow of oil.
4) A device according to claim I which may be preceded by, or used in conjunction with an explosive device that has been lowered by a variety of means to the sea floor where the explosive is then detonated with the intention that the resulting shock waves will cause structural damage to the bore hole thereby sealing in all or some of the oil.
5) A device according to claim 4 that has &ready being placed in position before an incident occurred that required its use.
6) A device according to claim I where oil that has leaked from a bore hole is contained by an apparatus that utilises the propensity of oil to float, so that the device is placed in a position where the oil is expected to surface, rather than a device being placed in or around a bore hole itself.
7) A device according to claim 6 where the position at which oi is expected to surface and where a containment apparatus according to claim 6 may be best placed to maximise the amount of oil it can contain is assisted by releasing objects or liquid that have similar characteristics to the way oil moves in water when influenced by local conditions such as currents into the oil that is being unintentionally released and where these objects or liquids have a property or properties that will allow their movement to be monitored and in this way indicate how and where the oil is likely to surface.
8) A device according to claim I where the objects or liquid contain a metalc compound that can be monitored by a magnetometer or equipment that can detect metallic compounds 9) A device according to claims 7-8 that can release objects or liquid into an area of water as desired.10) A liquid or object according to claim 7 that contains compounds that will assist its position and movements to be monitored in water.11) A device according to claim 6 that has a circumference of material which is non porous and is continuous in that there a no breaks in the materia' which would allow the passage of oi or water and where the sides of the device are of sufficient dimensions that can be positioned up to 1000 metres in depth in the sea and where one side will remain on the surface.12) A device according to claim 11 where the sides measure less than 1000 metres 13) A device according to claim 12 where the sides of device measure more than 1000 metres 14) A device according to claim 6 and claims 11-13 where the continuous circumference of the device may measure 1000 metres.15) A device according to claim 14 where the continuous circumference may measure more than 1000 metres.16) A device according to claim 14 where the continuous circumference may measure less than 1000 metres.17) a device according to claim 1 where a device is designed to automatically trave' to a bore hole, and position itself above a bore ho'e to seal it.18) a device according to claim 17 which may be unmanned.19) a device according to any of the individual claims 6-18 that may be placed on the sea bed and automatically inflate where the apparatus will contain oil that has leaked from a bore hole.20)A device that may use any mixture of features from claims 6-18.21) A device according to claims 1-3 which is designed to seal a bore hoie in the ear'y stages of an incident invo'ving an o p'atform before debris may have fa'len into the sea around the bore ho'e in significant quantities.22) A device according to c'aim 1 that may be heated to help withstand co'd temperatures 23) A device according to c'aim 1 that may be pressurised to increase the resistance of a device on the sea bed to withstand heavy water pressures.24) A device according to c'aim 1 to seas bore ho'es which is programmed to seat the bore ho'e with parts pushed into p'ace to achieve this when the apparatus fails to receive an instruction not to carry out this operation.25) A device according to claim I where the means whereby the instruction not to foUow the programmed instructions not to seal a bore ho'e are in a structure that wi'l be ikey to be severed or destroyed by the same incident that may also unseal a bore hole.26) A device according to c'aim 1 where the vunerabiity of the communication link that is intended to pass the over ride instructions to the device not to follow its programmed instructions to seal the bore ho'e when such over ride instructions are not received, is accentuated by building in a structura' weakness relative to the conditions in which the device will be placed or an incident or scenario the device may face, so as to increase the probabi'ity that this communication ink wi be damaged or destroyed in an incident or accident involving a bore hole or a source of oil either natural or man made where the same incident or accident that may unseal the bore ho'e or ead to the unintentional release of oi from the bore hole or from a part of equipment linked to the bore hole will disable the communication link to the device responsible for sending the override instructions to the device not to foHow its programmed instructions to seat the bore hole in the event of a cessation of these override instructions.27) A device according to claim I which seats a bore hole with parts pushed across the bore hole to block the flow of oil.28) A device according to c'aim I where the apparatus is heavi'y armoured and protected against shocks that may occur in the event of a damage to an oil p'atform or simi'ar construction or weather conditions.29) A device according to the claim 1 where the sealing of the bore hole and reduction of the poution risk of the bore ho'e may be assisted by shockwaves, or by utiising the natural buoyancy of the oil to float up to a containment device.30) A device according to claim 4 where an exp'osive device is lowered by a variety of means to the sea floor and where this explosive is then detonated and where the shock waves from the explosion w cause the bore hole to collapse or where the structure of the bore hole will be damaged thereby sealing in all or part of the oil and where the explosive force used in ca'culated in relation to the strength of the rocks of the sea bed, and where more explosive force is used where the rocks are stronger and ess is used where they are weaker.31) A device according to claim 20 where more than one explosive device is used.32) A device according to claim 19 where the sides of a bore hole are caused to collapse or be damaged by a device that generates shock waves that causes the ground around the bore hole to move.33) A device according to daim 1 where the escape of oi or material is further restricted by a boom that is designed to be placed above the point where oil first floats to the surface 34) A device according to daim I where the escape of oi or material is further restricted by a device that closes the bore hole through moveable parts if a signal has not being received to instruct a existing programmed instruction within the device not to carry out this action.35) A device according to daim I where the escape of oi or material is further restricted by dropping debris onto the bore hole to obstruct the release of oi from the bore hole.or area of ground or piece of equipment where oil is being released without the intention of those who own or have responsibility for this source of oil.36) A device according to claim 24 where the release of oil is obstructed by dropping or depositing of manufactured objects of varying sizes and materials onto the source of the oil.37) A device according to caim I where the escape of oi or material is further restricted by dropping small heavy pellets onto the bore hole 38) a device according to claims 23-25 whereby the pellets being dropped on the sea bed to obstruct a bore hole may of different dimensions and materials.39) A device according to claim I where the escape of oil or material is further restricted by collapsing the bore hole by passing an electrica' charge along part of the bore hose to heat the oil to a high temperature thereby causing the oi to exp'ode which will damage the bore ho'e and in this way seal in aU or part of the oil.40) A device according to claim 27 that may be used independently of devices in other daims.41) A device according to any of the individua' claims 1,4,19,20,21 or 27 where the escape of oi or materia' is further restricted by detonating part of the bore ho'e that have sma'l explosive devices within the bore ho'e.42) A device according to any of the claims that works in conjunction with one or more of the other c'aims.43) A device according to claim 1 that works in conjunction with one or more of the other claims.44) A device according to any of the claims where there is a facility to instruct the device to seat a bore ho'e before the device automatica'ly carries out this function as described in claim 1.45) A device according to any of the claims where the sides of the device would be constructed so that when folded together, or in some embodiments unfolded, the sides would be designed to be simi'ar to an aircraft wing which would enable the apparatus, that wou'd a'so be constructed of materia's used in aircraft construction to be towed through the air by a large aircraft and allow the apparatus to become airborne because of the aerodynamic qua'ities buiR into the sections.46) A device according to claim 1 that has a b'anket like section constructed from a flexible material that can be p'aced over the bore hole 47) A device according to claim 34 which has a tube ike attachment extending from the top side of the b'anket ike section which when deployed may ascend at a vertical angle or at an angle which is desired and which has detachable ends, and which a'so has a hol'ow centra' area, extending the entire ength of the tube through which oi can pass to the surface on a restricted path because the sides of the tube like attachment are not porous and by passing up this tube like attachment the oi wiU surface when it final'y emerges from the top of the tube into a sma'l area at a point that is desired, and where it wiU travel in a vertical direction up the tube, when the source of the oil is on the sea bed or lower than a vo'ume of water because the oil is more buoyant than water and wUl therefore rise in a vertical or upwards direction without mechanical assistance or pumps.48) A device according to claim 35 where the tube like attachment may deliver the oU directly to a vessel or apparatus that can contain oil by connecting the top end of the tube with the bottom end of a device which can remove oil from water by suction or mechanical means.49) A device according to claim 36 would include the features necessary for the connection and disconnection of the tube like attachment to a device that can remove oil from water by suction or mechanical means.50) A device according to claim 35 where the speed of the ascent of the oil through the tube may be increased by suction devices or pumps attached to the top of the tube.51) A device according to claim 35 where water resistance can be reduced by allowing the water to pass through the tube like attachment as the device descends to the bore hole, and where this reduction of water resistance will reduce pressures on the structure of the device, allowing less strong and possibly thinner and more flexible material to be used for the construction of the device which would assist with covering more effectively the bore hole or source of the oil if terrain or underwater topography is more varied and undulating.52) A device according to claim 35 where the material used is designed to resist tearing when in contact with sharp objects.53) A device according to claim 35 where the material may be assisted by a series or patchwork of wires that would increase the ability of the material to resist tearing is in contact with a sharp object or debris from an oil installation.54) A device according to claim 32 where the tube like attachment is supported by devices that are buoyant in water 55) A device according to claim 38 where the device that support the tube like attachment can have their level of buoyancy adjusted so that the angle of the apparatus through which oil is passing can be adjusted to alter the point at which oil came to the surface of the water.56) A device according to any of the claims taken separately or working with devices in other claims that can act independently of the devices in the remaining claims.57) a device according to c'aim 42 that can be instructed to take action before the device is activated by the cessation of the override instructions as in c'aim 1.58) A device according to c'aim 1 that can work in conjunction with one or more of the c'aims.59) A device according to c'aim 1 that can work in conjunction with any of the features of any of the other daims.60) A device according to daim 1 that can work in conjunction with any of the features in the description and drawings of the Patent app'ication.61) A device according to daim 1 which may use any of claims 2-48 to assist in reducing the unintentiona' re'ease of oil.Amendments to the claims have been fi'ed as follows Claims 1) The invention is an armoured device that is positioned on the sea bed over a bore hole producing oil which has one or more moveable parts of the device that can be moved over the bore hole to physically obstruct the flow of oil to the surface, and where this operation is pre-programmed into the device before t is deployed, and where the programming that will instruct the device to close the bore hole by physical'y blocking the hole with these moveable parts of the device wiU come into operation automatically, unless a signal sent on a regular basis is not received by 0 the device to override these pre-programmed closure instructions.2) A device according to claim I where the override signals are transmitted (\J to the device by a cable that is intended to lack resilience to impact 1-damage so that if an oi platform fails, falling debris wil' be more likely to sever the cable carrying the override signals, so that the cessation of the override signals will cause parts of the device to move by pre- 1. programmed instructions across the bore hole to stop the flow of oil.3) A device according to claim I where the override signals may be sent to the apparatus by a variety of means including cable and radio transmission and where the signals that the apparatus needs to receive to prevent pre-programmed instruction moving parts of the device to block the flow of oil may be sent in varying sequences and patterns.4) A device according to claim I where the moveable parts of the device to seal the bore hole are constructed near to the bottom of the device to maximise the amount of protection afforded by the armoured features of the apparatus against falling debris or debris that may intrude into the mouth of the bore hole itself.5) A device according to daim I where the moveable parts that are used to obstruct the flow of oil in a bore hole are constructed so that sufficient length of the part itself remains within the device and does not cross over the bore hole so as to provide enough grip for the part with the device to prevent the part falling into the bore hole which may occur if falling debris from an oil platform enters the bore hole itself and strikes these parts.6) A device according to daim I where the moveable parts used to block the bore hole are pushed into position by the release of compressed air or gas.7) A device according to claim I where the parts of the device that have being used to block the bore hole can be instructed to move back into their former positions so that the oil can flow again 8) A device according to claim I where the parts that move across the bore hole to stop the flow of oil have indentations on the top surface areas of the part which is across the bore hole when the parts have being deployed such that levering devices can be inserted by divers into these indentation so that these parts can be forced back inside the device by the divers by a levering action to allow the oil to flow again.
9) A device according to claim I where the entire apparatus can be pulled away from the bore hole using features on the device which may allow cables or similar equipment to be attached, to enable the device to be 0 moved I O)A device according to claim I which can be securely attached to the seabed with bolts fired into the rock to reduce the likelihood that falling debris from an oil platform will nudge or push the device out of position allowing the oil to escape into the sea or water.1-11)A device according to claim I where the apparatus has angular sloping sides that can help deflect falling objects such as an oil platform 12)A device according to claim I which has heating to help the device and its moving parts to continue to function in very cold waters.I 3)A device according the claim 1 where the moving parts to seal the flow of oil can be fired by explosive devices into position.I 4)A device according to claim I where one or more devices can be stacked on top of each other to help ensure a bore hole can be sealed, where if one device fails to operate another device in the stack can perform the same pre-programmed operation.15) A device according to claim 1 that may be pressurised to increase the resistance of a device on the sea bed to withstand heavy water pressures.16) A device according to claim I where the means whereby the instruction not to follow the programmed instructions not to seal a bore hole are transmitted by a feature which is not armoured and which is designed to be of a construction to increase the likelihood that it would be severed or destroyed by the same incident that may also unseal a bore hole such as the failure of an oil platform.17) A device according to claim 1 where the programming in the device can be changed when the device is in position.18) A device according to claim 1 where the minimum of moving parts are intended to improve the resiUence of the device in withstanding the effect of impacts of debris and shockwaves that may accompany the faure of an oil rig.19) A device according to claim 1 that has shock absorbers to help cushion the device against shockwaves in the water than may accompany a fire on an oil rig.0 20) A device according to claim 1 where the vulnerability of the communication 1. link that is intended to pass the over ride instructions to the device not to follow its programmed instructions to seal the bore hole when such over ride CJ instructions are not received, is accentuated by building in a structural 1. weakness relative to the conditions in which the device will be placed or an incident or scenario the device may face, so as to increase the probability that this communication link will be damaged or destroyed in an incident or accident 1. involving a bore hole or a source of oil either natural or man made where the same incident or accident that may unseal the bore hole or lead to the unintentional release of oil from the bore hole or from a part of equipment linked to the bore hole will disable the communication link to the device responsible for sending the override instructions to the device not to follow its programmed instructions to seal the bore hole in the event of a cessation of these override instructions.21) A device according to claim 1 where there is an additional facility to enable the device to be instructed to seal a bore hole before the device automatically carries out this function when the override signals are not received.22) A device according to claim 1 which has an additional feature that can detect explosions in the proximity of the device and which on sensing these explosions can trigger the pre-programmed instructions that can move the parts of the device across the bore hole so that they obstruct the flow of oil.23) A device according to claim 1 where the apparatus is constructed to maximise its horizontal dimensions relative to its vertical dimensions to optimise its adherence to the sea bed and help prevent the device being flipped out of position in the event of being struck by falling debris from an oil platform which might prevent the debris from sealing the bore hole as planned and lead to an escape of oil.24) A device according to c'aim 1 where the apparatus has features on the side in contact with the sea bed that would intrude into the sea bed to improve the adherence of the device to the sea bed.25) A device according to claim 24 where the features that intrude into the sea bed wou'd be retractable and could be instructed by an additional feature within the device to retract so that the device could be moved from the bore hole if desired.26) A device according to claim 24 where the features intruding into the sea bed are inserted verticaUy so that the device itseft can be puUed off the bore hole if desired by being pued verticaUy upwards.1. 27) A device according to claim 25 which had the additional feature of tanks similar to those of a submarine and of sufficient size relative to the weight of (\J the apparatus so that when the rods securing the apparatus to the sea bed 1-were retracted the tanks could be pumped full of air and the apparatus would float to the surface of the water where it may be retrieved.28) A device according to claim 25 where the apparatus has tubes where their outlets are around the structure and where the tubes can be attached to a supply of compressed air enabling the air to be pumped through the apparatus and out around the sea bed surrounding the apparatus to help dislodge the apparatus so that it can be moved from the bore hole.29) a device according to claim 1 where the device is designed to automatically travel to a bore hole, and position itself above a bore hole to seal it.30) A device according to claim 1 that may be heated to help withstand cold temperatures 31) A device according to claim I which seals a bore hole with parts pushed across the bore hole to block the flow of oil.32) A device according to claim 1 where the apparatus is heavily armoured and protected against shocks that may occur in the event of a damage to an oil platform or similar construction or weather conditions.33) A device according to claim 1 where the apparatus is further protected with extruding bars and similar structures of varying lengths that would help prevent a heavy falling object such as from an oil platform making direct contact wfth the apparatus itself endangering its successful operation through transfernng large amounts of kinetic energy from the falling object to the apparatus because of direct contact.34) A device according to claim 29 where the extruding bars and similar structures are constructed so that they are separate from the apparatus so as to further reduce the amount of kinetic energy that can be transferred from a falling heavy object directly to the apparatus 1 35) A device according to claim 30 where the extruding bars and similar structure are constructed in a cage like arrangement.36) A device according to claim 1 which is buned so that the top of the zf apparatus is level with the sea bed so that the apparatus may be further 1. protected from the effects of falling debris or being flipped out of position.37) A device according to claim 32 which is constructed in a rectangular or oblong shape, where the armour plating can be concentrated in a relatively small area in the part of the apparatus that will lie adjacent to the sea bed and where the lower end is of a pointed or screw like arrangement to enable the apparatus to be positioned using the drill from the oil platform.38) A device according to any of the claims where there are duplicate internal parts and mechanisms that can be used in case a part of the device fails to operate.39) A device according to any of the claims where energy for the apparatus such as for heating may be obtained by the devices own generator powered by the movement of water around the device.40) A device according to claim 1 where there is an additional feature to allow the position of the parts blocking the flow of oil to be adjusted to allow some oil to be released if is desired to reduce pressure within the well head or for oil to be collected.41) A device according to daim 1 which has wheels so that through its own programming or externa' commands the device can move to or away from a bore ho'e.42) A device according to daim 1 where the pre-programmed instructions cou'd be changed without moving the apparatus through attaching a wire to the apparatus through which the new programming cou'd be insta'led in the apparatus.43) A device according to daim 1 where the programming wou'd be contained within a structure attached to the apparatus and which cou'd be removed and 0 replaced with a similar structure containing new programming.