Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L55/00—Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems
  • F16L55/10—Means for stopping flow from or in pipes or hoses
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B29/00—Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground
  • E21B29/08—Cutting or deforming pipes to control fluid flow
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B29/00—Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground
  • E21B29/12—Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground specially adapted for underwater installations

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device and method for blocking, choking damaged oil and gas pipelines.
• the device and method of the invention is applicable to prevent in the shortest possible time dangerous materials from getting into the environment in order to avoid disasters in the sea.
• the invention is a device and method for blocking damaged oil and gas pipelines, pipe stubs.
• the device can be installed onto the cross-section of a portion of the pipeline before the damaged part.
• the aim of the invention is to solve the problem caused by the oil spill in the
• the solution proposed in the present invention serves two purposes. On the one hand it is applicable to block a pipe stub definitively under the sea for example in cases similar to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. On the other hand it can be used as a safety device. It can be installed purposefully into the present or future blowout preventer systems or it can be used as a supplemental device in order to eliminate disasters.
• a U-shaped or C-shaped frame preferably a metal frame structure provided with hydraulically closing press- jaws is applied onto the pipe from the side (from above). This may be done posteriorly. In this manner installation is not hampered by a damaged piece, deformed pipe, etc.
• An advantage of this is that the material flowing out from the pipe-end or a damaged part will not have a negative (pushing, thrusting) effect i.e. will not hamper the installation.
• the path of the outflowing material is blocked in such a way that the pipe is pressed - softly, without pressure shock from two sides until it is entirely flattened - by means of high-capacity hydraulic power cylinders using wedge-shaped clamping elements.
• the pipe may be blocked definitively by using some kind of conventional technology.
• the device itself may be provided with mechanics for blocking the pipe permanently e.g. by means of locking screws, and other joining elements. In a certain case the operation may have several stages using several similar devices serially.
• the present invention on the one hand is a device for blocking damaged oil and gas pipelines, pipe stubs which can be applied onto the cross-section of a portion of the pipeline before its damaged part.
• the device comprises an essentially U-shaped framework equipped with hydraulic elements fixed to it which are adapted to press the pipe from two opposite directions in order to block it and are operated by means of an external hydraulic source.
• the device is further equipped with lifting elements enabling its proper positioning on the pipes or pipe stubs to be blocked.
• a device is applied onto the cross-section of a portion of the pipeline before its damaged part.
• the device comprises an essentially U-shaped framework equipped with hydraulic elements fixed to it which are adapted to press the pipe from two opposite directions in order to block it and are operated by means of an external hydraulic source.
• the device is positioned from above on the pipes or pipe stubs to be blocked and by operating the hydraulic elements the pipe to be blocked is flattened.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention.
• Figure 2 shows the front-view of the device of Figure 1 in its normal position
• Figure 3 shows the front view of the device of Figure 1 in a position after being operated
• Figure 4 shows the side view of the device of Figure 2
• Figure 5a shows the perspective view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention before the device is activated
• Figure 5b shows the perspective view of the device of Figure 5a after activation
• Figure 6 shows the perspective view of a further embodiment of the device according to the invention
• Figure 7 shows the front-view of the device of Figure 6 in its normal position
• Figure 8 shows the front view of the device of Figure 6 in a position after being operated
• Figure 9 shows the side view of the device of Figure 6.
• the device comprises a preferably U-shaped or similarly structured frame 1 formed from two parallel plates.
• Hydraulic elements 2 are fixed to frame 1 for example in between the two parallel plates.
• Fixed to the movable ends of these hydraulic elements one or more wedge-shaped press-jaws 3 forming a press head are provided.
• the hydraulic elements are power cylinders provided with an aperture 4 through which they can be activated.
• activation may be executed through a pipeline from a supply base for example a hydraulic source floating on the sea.
• hydraulic supporters 5 are used by means of which the optimal position of press-jaws 3 may be set.
• the frame 1 of the device may be provided with lifting elements 9 in order to ensure lifting and fixing.
• electromechanical elements my also be used.
• the opened part of frame 1 is connected together by means of a connecting element (not shown) so that when the pipe is pressed transversally from two opposite directions, i.e. flattened, frame 1 is not able to widen out.
• the U-shaped frame 1 of the device according to the invention may also be constructed in other manner, for example it may have a tubular frame. For operating the device hydraulic pressure or electromechanical apparatuses are needed.
• Figure 2 shows the device in its normal position that is, operating pressure is not transmitted to hydraulic elements 2 through aperture 4, thus press-jaws 3 are in an open state, away from each other.
• the device is placed on the pipeline to be blocked by means of lifting elements 9 then positioning of the device is carried out by means of hydraulic supporters 5 in such a way that press-jaws 3 are advantageously perpendicular to the pipeline.
• the pipeline to be blocked extends vertically, after the device according to the invention is submerged it is turned to the side e.g. by means of suitably formed lifting elements 9.
• the two parallel plates of frame 1 between which the hydraulic elements are fixed have the same shape.
• FIG. 4 shows the device from the side.
• hydraulic supporters 5 are provided in order to facilitate its positioning.
• FIGs 5a and 5b the above embodiment of the device is shown during operation.
• the device placed on pipeline 10 can be seen where pipeline 10 is positioned in the centre line of press-jaws 3 by means of hydraulic supporter 5.
• a state is shown when pressure is applied on power cylinders 2 through apertures 4 and press-jaws 3 press the pipeline from two sides and block the cross- section of the pipe and thereby the flow path in pipeline 10.
• FIG. 6 an other embodiment of the device according to the invention can be seen. Similarly to the device shown in Figure 1 it consists of a frame 1 , hydraulic power cylinders 2 positioned and fixed in frame 1 and press-jaws 3.
• the device of Figure 6 is provided with an additional mechanical transmission means 7 enabling even greater exertion of force.
• an electromagnet 6 is applied to hydraulic supporter 5 by means of which not only positioning but fixing of pipeline 10 to hydraulic supporters 5 is also possible.
• Mechanical transmission means 7 of the device is fitted in between hydraulic elements 2 and press-jaws 3. This device also can be moved and positioned on pipeline 10 advantageously from above by means of lifting elements 9.
• Figures 7 and 8 operation of the device according to the above embodiment is shown.
• Figure 7 shows the device in its normal position when pressure is not transmitted to power cylinders 2 through apertures 4.
• Press-jaws 3 are in an open state, away from each other. In this manner positioning of the device on the (e.g. damaged) pipeline 10 by means of lifting elements 9 is enabled.
• mechanical transmission means 3 is connected to press-jaws 3 and power cylinders 2.
• FIG 9 shows the side view of the device according to the above embodiment.
• both hydraulic supporters 5 are provided with electromagnet 6 which may be used placed and positioned optionally in any other embodiment.
• any of the hydraulic elements may be substituted by electromechanical, electrically driven elements.
• the opened part of the frame is secured or connected together by means of a connecting element (not shown) so that when the pipe is pushed from two opposite directions, i.e. flattened, the frame is not able to widen out.
• the frame may have any other shapes different from U-shape, e.g. it may be closed or may be formed from two halves.
• the components of it may be different from the ones shown in the Figures, e.g. tubular frame.
• Hydraulic cylinders and mechanical elements must be measured according to the cross-section, the wall thickness of the pipe to be blocked, the pressure of the flowing material, the temperature and other factors (e.g. water-pressure in case of seas).
• a new generation of blowout preventers may be developed.
• the device according to the invention can be integrated in the already working blowout preventers or it may be used as a separate unit on order to enhance safety to avoid catastrophes.
• periodic maintenance can be performed even in errorless cases. In this manner the safety of operation is enhanced, the risk is reduced. After checking the device can be installed and used again.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Pipe Accessories (AREA)
• Pipeline Systems (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (4)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 2010
  • 2010-06-10 HU HU1000305A patent/HUP1000305A1/hu unknown
• 2011
  • 2011-06-09 CN CN2011800286361A patent/CN103210249A/zh active Pending
  • 2011-06-09 EP EP11795249.9A patent/EP2580512A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-06-09 WO PCT/HU2011/000053 patent/WO2011158049A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-06-09 MX MX2012014218A patent/MX2012014218A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-06-09 EA EA201390004A patent/EA201390004A1/ru unknown
  • 2011-06-09 CA CA2810760A patent/CA2810760A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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