JPS5837216A - Oil dispersing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Regarding the present Al1 oil dispersion method and apparatus, JI! More specifically, the present invention relates to a ninth system and method for automatically dispersing a dispersant into oil when an oil leak is detected on an offshore drilling platform or oil tanker.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of oil dispersants for cleaning up oil spills in rivers, harbors and oceans is well known.

Dispersants break up the oil and disperse it in the water, rather than forming a coating on the water surface that can have a number of well-known adverse effects on the agglomerate. An example of an oil dispersant is Ksso ChI from Canada.
micals r Cor@xit8666 J,
rBP IIOOXJ and D manufactured by BP Canada
r Oll manufactured by iaeh@m Industries
sp@rse43”. Typically, dispersant is added to the oil only after a leak has been discovered by humans and a large amount of oil has already flowed into the water and has spread widely at sea. However, if it is a river and the water is rough, spilled oil can spread extremely quickly, and plants and animals near the water surface can spread throughout the area of the riverbank.
It will be difficult to disperse or clean up much of it before it causes too much damage. The more spread out the oil is on the surface of the water, the more difficult, time consuming, and expensive it becomes to disperse or purify the oil. Therefore, κ requires extremely rapid remedial action to prevent any leaking oil from being spread widely out to sea.

Human detection of critical oil leaks and the ability to act accordingly often results in too much effort to prevent these consequences. Therefore, the main objective of the present invention is to prevent oil from leaking and spreading outside water before or immediately after.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for automatically treating oil with an oil dispersant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the method and system of the present invention, the general κ is such that oil leaks into the water! means for detecting the presence of a leak from a container of oil;
A means is provided for storing oil dispersant and, in response to the occurrence of a leak, automatically releasing the dispersant from the storage means into the leaking oil. In an oil tanker, the systems and methods of the present invention include attaching means for detecting leaks to an oil tank supporting a container of dispersant within the oil tank, and rupturing the agent container within minutes in response to detection of a leak. If a means is attached, it is possible to do this.

In this method, one dispersant is mixed with the oil in the tank before the oil leaks from the tank. According to one aspect of the present invention, the oil tank is arranged such that the dry dispersant combines with the leaking and flowing lIK oil, thereby improving the mixing of the dispersant with the escaping oil. It is located in relation to the outer hull or, in the case of double-walled tanks, between the inner and outer walls of the tank.

In the case of offshore mP#J Bratoff 15 KFi, the system and method of the present invention has a leak detection device mounted on the drill casing, one or more with a release chute directed to the water mounted on the platform IIIK. or a dispersant container (this may be side-by-side to the storage bin of the ore or grain bin), and a detection system for releasing the dispersant container in response to an oil leak, e.g. a blowout. This is realized by response means for the device. Detection of a leak can be electrically transmitted, for example, to electrically actuatable door opening mechanisms each mounted on a storage bin. Alternatively or additionally, a leak detection device can be mounted on a buoy or oil platform and oil on the water surface can be detected by optical or chemical means. ,
Upon leakage, the bottle is opened and the dispersant is dumped into the water from the seat, allowing the natural flow of water to direct the dispersant into the spilled oil. When the oil spills out, the dispersant mixes with the oil and disperses the oil.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MS Referring first to the 1st fIJ of I#1#, this is a very general diagram showing the embodiment 11 of the present invention as it is installed on an oil tanker. The tank 1° has a number of tank compartments *12, in each of which are placed one or more containers 14, which are firmly rested on the inner wall of the tank compartment 1111i. Each container 14
r manufactured by FiDiaehenx Industries
Filled with an oil dispersant such as 01lsp@rs・43''. The container 14Fi is placed in an oil enclosure 12, as shown in FIG. 1, so that the dispersant mixes with the oil when the container ruptures.

Or, the container 4a14 pulls out the dispersant and the compartment 12
tank section m1 with pipes suitable for introducing into the
It can be placed outside of iii. A bursting means 16 for bursting the container 14 is operably connected thereto. A leak detector 20 is also placed in the valley tank to detect oil leakage from the tanker W112 to the outside of the tanker.

When an oil leak occurs, the leak detector transmits a signal to a rupture actuator 22 that is operably connected to the rupture means 16. Meanwhile, the bursting actuator 22 activates the bursting means 16 to burst the dispersant container 14.

FIG. 2 schematically shows one embodiment of the oil dispersion device generally shown in FIG.

According to this ya4II, a container 30 supported inside the oil tank compartment 12 is connected to a pressure twin 32 19 and a pressure source 34 . Receptacle 830 is provided with an internal diaphragm 36 . Line 32 of diaphragm 36
A plurality of apertures, such as aperture 38, are provided on the opposite side of the connection point. Each opening 38 is provided with a frangible closure such that when pressure is applied to line 32, the closure ruptures and actuates the diaphragm 36 to actuate the IF! The oil dispersant stored in tank compartment 30 is adapted to release the oil dispersant into the oil stored in tank compartment 12. The container 4a30 itself may be such that the entire container ruptures (by application of internal pressure from pressure line 32). It will be disclosed. Pressure source 34 is actuated pneumatically by actuator 40 when a leak in ink compartment 12 is detected by a leak detector, causing harm! I30 or its opening 38 is ruptured.

The separation detector is commonly an oil level gauge 42, which may be a conventional oil level gauge such as is commonly found on most oil tankers today. An electrical actuator 40, responsive to a decrease in the oil level measured by gauge 42, is coupled to pressure source 34 and activates pressure 5I when a predetermined decrease in the measured oil level is detected. In order to measure the oil level independently of the oil turbulence in the tank compartment that causes pitching and rolling of the ship, the actuating device 40 may be adapted to respond to a time-averaged fixed level gauge value. Yo ^^
. Alternatively, the actuating device 40 may include a suitable averaging circuit for averaging the oil level measurements of a series of oil level gauges 42 located at various locations within the tank compartment.

Other suitable 1k11 error testing devices may also be used.

For example, pressure sensors may be placed at various locations within the tank compartment to detect changes in oil pressure due to leaks, or devices may be placed to detect changes in the volume of oil within the tank compartment. It's fast. Other examples of leak detectors include tank wall deformation detection, which may include, for example, a charged wire grid that surrounds the oil tank compartment in the bottom and sides and generates a leak detection signal upon breakage or deformation. It is also possible to use a To9 vessel or the similar system disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,789,791, which includes an oil dispersant placed in all tubes.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the preferred implementation layer of jI2 of the present invention. At r in the figure, a flexible container 50 is shown in tank compartment 12.
It is supported inside and the oil inside it is leaking. The container 50 contains an oil dispersant that is released into the surrounding oil when the container is ruptured. Container 50-111
A cable 52 fixed to 53 is connected to an automatic cable pulling mechanism 54. Container 50 cable tension 9
The base structure 54 has one or more tIslils such that pulling on the cable 52 will ensure that the container ruptures.

Cable pulling machine @51j wall deformation detection! It is activated by an output signal from a suitable leak detector such as I56. Waxy shape detection@56 typically includes a number of tension detectors 58, each connected at opposite ends to two points along the wall of tank section m* by a pair of tensioned wires 60. , and when a predetermined change occurs in the tension of the wire pair 60, it becomes difficult to generate an output signal. The output end of tension sensing 868 is connected to automatic cable pulling mechanism 54 .

Deformation of tank compartment wall 6 of sufficient magnitude to indicate leakage
2, a change in tension in at least one pair of wires 60 exceeding a predetermined magnitude is sensed by detector 58. The output signal of the detector 58 is applied to a tension puller 54, which is actuated to pull the cable 52, rupturing the container 50 and releasing the dispersant into the tank compartment 1.
Neutralize and release the oil in 2.

According to another aspect of the invention, a dry oil dispersant is placed at the interface of the hull and the outer wall of the oil tank so that the oil escaping in the event of a rupture of the tank mixes with the dispersant. This provides an essential K "holding action" until the dispersant container is ruptured and the dispersant therein thoroughly mixes with the oil surrounding it. This II
The HII is shown in Figure 4, where three oil tank sections @1ii170 are shown, including its bottom wall and outer
114i17:l Surrounded by the hull 74 of the tanker 76 at a distance. The compartment nitrided space 78 between the wall 72 and the hull 74 is located at IIK of the rupture of the outer wall 72 of the tank.
It is filled with a dry oil dispersant 80 having a uniform composition so as to contact the oil, mix it with the oil, and disperse it. When a double-walled oil tank is suspended: the dispersant is placed in these bell holes instead of in the space between the hull and the outer wall.

Diagram 5 illustrates another aspect of the invention that is particularly applicable for automatically releasing dispersant during blowout on offshore oil drilling platforms. An offshore oil platform 100 with a drill casing 102 includes a series of compartmentalized coal or IR storage bins 10 containing a predetermined amount of oil dispersant.
4 is placed on Jil118. Each bin has a release shade 103 that directs the dispersant into the water adjacent to the platform.

Removable oil dispersant containers may also be used, which is particularly advantageous in temporary exploratory wells where it is desirable to be able to move the container to another location.

Parallel bin sections 106 each have a door 108 which is connected to a suitable electrical door mounted on each bin from an actuator 110 mounted on platform 100K to each door 108. They can be opened individually in response to an electrical signal via the opening device 111. Actuator 11
0 responds to the electrical signal from the leak detector as described below.

A leakage detector 112 is mounted on the drill casing 102 and can detect oil leakage from the drill casing 102 by detecting pressure changes, for example.
Ru. Leak detector 112 may have any suitable conventional configuration capable of generating an electrical signal of an oil leak. One possibility is to use a leak detector, such as the leak detector described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,952, or in addition to the 4h detector 112, if desired.
One or more conventional floating oil leak detectors 114 can be used to remotely transmit or transmit a suitable signal to the actuator 110&c in the event of an oil leak, or by means of a hard wire. In order for the water around the brat (7 tons) to not become immediately saturated with oil dispersant in response to the detection of a leak,
Leak detectors 112 and 114 and actuator 110 include conventional circuitry suitable for causing bin compartment door 108 to open at different times in response to successive oil detections via door opening device 111IC. The storage bin 104 will typically be mounted on the platform 100K at a location remote from the drill casing since oil leaks on oil drilling platforms are sometimes accompanied by fires. The ocean current automatically turns on when it blows out! It will direct the flow of dispersant towards the oil.

Another example of the use of a leak detector mounted on a drill casing and generating an electrical signal is when the drill casing 102 and storage bin 10 are actuated by the force of a blowout.
It would be a mechanical link between 40.

To illustrate the features of the preferred embodiments of the invention, modifications of the parts, arrangement of parts, and operating conditions as described and described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Art that is understood to be something that can be done without departing from its own boundaries. For example, in offshore oil cutting equipment, a predetermined amount of oil dispersant is added to the oil in an oil tank during a number of conventional mechanical, tool-matic, hydraulic, electronic, etc. means for detecting oil leaks. A number of conventional mechanical,
Niematic, hydraulic, electronic, etc. means may be utilized to carry out the invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the present invention in an oil tanker, FIG. 2 is a partial schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention in an oil tanker. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of an oil tanker according to the third aspect of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of an offshore P4u platform.
- Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the stripe 4 of the present invention for use in - 14.30.50...Dispersant container 16...
...Rupture means 22... Leak detector 32.
...Pressure line 34...Pressure source 42
... Level gauge 54 ... Cable tension mechanism 56 ... Urn deformation detector 72 ... Tank outer wall 74 ... Hull 102 ... Drill casing 103...Release seat 112...Leak detector Patent applicant Moulay A, Davis Patent application agent Ben Lom Aoki Patent attorney Kazuyuki Nishidate Patent attorney Zeno Yoshida Patent Attorney Akiyuki Yamaguchi

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An oil dispersion device system including means for holding an oil dispersant, means for automatically detecting oil leakage from a Jll container into water, and a means for automatically detecting oil leakage from a Jll container into water, and responding to the detector RK. and means for automatically releasing the oil dispersant from the dispersant holding means so that the oil is dispersed in the water. 2. The container of the iris includes an oil tank inside the ship, the ship supports the holding means and the detecting means, the holding arm is placed in the oil tank, and the front V holding means is inside the tank. The oil dispersion device system according to claim S1, characterized in that: is filled with oil and surrounded by the oil according to claim 1. 3. said retaining means comprising at least 41 dispersant retaining tanks, said retaining tanks being frangible and rupturable upon application of internal pressure for said retaining tanks to release said dispersant from said at least one retaining tank; and pressure time means responsive to the leak detection means and communicating with the interior of the at least one tank for pressurizing the tank to rupture the Moro-Sa means. The oil dispersion device system according to Section 882. 4. The scope of the patent, characterized in that the container of the above-mentioned item 1 includes an inboard oil tank, and the detection means includes means for detecting deformation of the bell of the tank, which is an indication of the leakage.
! 1. The oil dispersion device system according to item 1. 5. The deformation detection means includes an inelastic flexible member, and when the member is located between the tank bell and the dispersant container, the deformation of the wall is transmitted to the dispersant container via the member. The oil dispersion apparatus of claim 4JJ, wherein the oil dispersion apparatus is interconnected to apply a transmitted force to rupture the dispersant container and release the dispersant into the oil. system. 6. The deformation detection means includes an electric circuit, the electric circuit is fixed along the inner wall of the tank so as to be destroyed by deformation of the inner wall, and the means for detecting an open circuit is the electric circuit. An oil dispersion device system according to claim 4, characterized in that: 7. The container of spinning stripes 1 reads means for detecting oil flow on an offshore drilling platform 7t-5, said platform supports said holding means, and said holding means has a plurality of sections! 2. An oil dispersion system as claimed in claim m-WiI, including two containers, said release means including means for releasing said dispersant from each of said containers in a predetermined order. 8. WAK oil leaking from a first container with an outer wall adjacent to the water is p-dispersed by a di-oil dispersant by storing the oil dispersant in a second container adjacent to the water. A method comprising: automatically sensing a condition caused by a leak; and, in response to said sensing, automatically releasing a dispersant from a container of an irises 2 so that the oil is dispersed. Features and oil dispersion method. 9. Claim I!, wherein the condition sensing step includes sensing a change in oil pressure within the container of III, including a step of sensing a deformation of the wall of the container! 1. The oil dispersion method according to item 8. 1G, the storage factory stores containers of irises 2 offshore
s++ platform, the first container includes a drill casing in an oil platform, and the factory sensing the condition caused by the leak includes fixing pressure fluctuations in the drill casing. The method of claim 11j18JJl.