Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
OIL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM
[0001] This application claims priority based on United States Patent
Application No.
13/167,319 filed June 23, 2011 and entitled "OIL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM", which is
herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an oil containment system, an oil
separator sock,
and a method of containing oil, in which the separator sock works within the
environment
without additional technical support needs, such as heating. The system is
simplistic and
takes advantage of the basic principle that oil is lighter than water. In
particular, the oil
containment system is a passive, non-pressurized system that provides a
flexible
containment conduit for oil escaping from the ocean floor or the floor of any
body of
water to rise to the surface in a small containment area where it can be
pumped onto
waiting barges or oil tankers. Subsequently, the oil may then be placed in
land based
storage tanks where the oil and the water separate via gravity or centrifuged
for a more
rapid processing.
[0003] There is a general concern as to the pollution caused by oil production
at sea,
particularly when the oil production takes place in areas that are considered
environmentally fragile, such as the Gulf of Mexico, arctic areas, and general
fishing areas.
Therefore, efforts have been made by the oil industry and government
authorities to
determine ways to reduce the outlet of oil during oil production. However, oil
containment
and separation, especially where oil escapes from an underwater well, has
several
drawbacks and obstacles.
[0004] For instance, producing wells may contain a mixture of oil, water and
various
gases that are extracted as a mixture flow through a pipeline. These flows
must be
received by oil handling systems and separated into constituent or component
parts based
on phase or density for treatment and subsequent distribution to end users.
[0005] In addition, mixture flow separation from producing wells is not
without its
difficulties. In particular, many producing wells are positioned at remote
locations and in
harsh environments, such as on a deep sea floor. In such situations, achieving
separate
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
component part flows shortly after the corresponding mixture flow leaves the
well requires
a separation system to be located where it is not easy to install nor easy to
access when
system maintenance is needed. Further, most conventional systems that achieve
any
efficient component separation may be quite bulky and heavy, reducing the
desirability of
using such separation systems on overseas platforms where weight and space
considerations are a high priority.
[0006] Thus, the oil containment system, oil separator sock, and method of
containing oil
of the present disclosure overcome the drawbacks and obstacles of conventional
containment systems in a simplistic and expedited manner.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0007] In accordance with the present disclosure, the oil containment system
comprises an
oil separator sock comprising a plurality of cable ties attached between a
plurality of
segments of the separator sock; wherein the separator sock is anchored to a
plurality of
anchor pylons around a wellhead of an oil well at a height that allows
escaping oil from
the oil well to enter the separator sock and submersibles to work on a
pipeline to affect a
seal, wherein the segments have flexibility on the cable ties to reduce
stress, and wherein
the cable ties attached to the segments form a continuous attachment from
anchor pylons
at the wellhead to fixed anchor rings located in a pumping well on a pumping
barge.
[0008] In another aspect of the disclosure, an oil separator sock comprises a
plurality of
cable ties; a plurality of segments; and a plurality of anchor pylons, wherein
the cable ties
are
attached between the plurality of segments of the separator sock; wherein the
plurality of
cable ties are attached between a plurality of segments of the separator sock;
wherein the
separator sock is anchored to the plurality of anchor pylons around a wellhead
of an oil
well at a height that allows escaping oil from the oil well to enter the
separator sock and
submersibles to work on a pipeline to affect a seal, wherein the segments have
flexibility
on the cable ties to reduce stress, and wherein the cable ties that are
attached to the
segments form a continuous attachment from anchor pylons at the wellhead to
the inner
ring of a compass leveler anchor located in a pumping well on a pumping barge.
[0009] In another aspect of the disclosure, a method of containing oil
comprises providing
a containment conduit for oil escaping from the ocean or any body of water to
rise to the
2
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
surface in a small containment area where it can be pumped onto waiting barges
or
tankers; transporting the oil to land based storage tanks where the oil and
the water
separate via gravity or centrifuged for a more rapid processing; drawing the
water from the
bottom of the tank; wherein the process comprises a separator sock rapidly
assembled and
deployed for the oil containment, working to depths of one and one-quarter
mile or more
and as the first response to any pipeline break.
[0010] Still other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will
become readily
apparent by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description,
wherein it is
shown and described only the preferred embodiments, simply by way of
illustration of the
best mode. As will be realized, the disclosure is capable of other and
different
embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various
obvious
respects, without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the description
is to be
regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011 ] FIG. I is a perspective view of the segments of the separator sock 10
of the
invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a plain view of a cable tie 12 of the separator sock of the
invention;
[00131 FIG. 2A is a plain view of a self-locking pin 14 of the separator sock
of the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2B is a side view of the self-locking pin 14 of the disclosure
seated in place
demonstrating how the spring loaded wings 16 at the tip of the self-locking
pin 14 deploy
beyond the pin placement channel to prevent it from withdrawing; thereby
securing
elements of the separator sock 10;
[0015] FIG. 2C is a side view of the self-locking pin of the disclosure
demonstrating how
the wings 16 of the self-locking pin 14 fold against the shaft to allow the
self-locking pin
14 to be placed into a self-locking pin channel;
[0016] FIG. 2D illustrates a view of the self-locking pin 14 of the disclosure
placed in the
pin channels of one end of a cable tie 12 of the separator sock 10;
[0017] FIG. 2E is a plain view of an articulating portion 20 of the cable tie
12 of the
3
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
disclosure in its erected form, with "C" marking the placement of channels in
the upper
and lower ends of the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12; with the
lower channels of
the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12 utilized to secure the
articulating portion 20
of the cable tie 12 to the non-articulating portion 22 of the cable tie 12
utilizing a rivet 24
and the upper channels of the articulating portion 20 of the cable tie 12
receive a self-
locking pin 25 to secure the articulating portion 20 and the non-articulating
22 portion of
the cable tie 12 around the connector ring of the disclosure (FIG. 3E);
[0018] FIG. 2F is a plain view of the articulating 20 and the non-articulating
portions 22
of the cable tie 12 locked in place around the connector ring 26 of the
disclosure utilizing a
self-locking pin 14 at the top of the articulating portion and a rivet 24 at
the bottom of the
articulating portion 22;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a front view of one of six connector guards 30 welded to and
distributed
evenly around the circumference of the tubing 32, made of, for example,
aluminum such
as four inch thick aluminum, supporting the containment exterior of the
separator sock; the
connector rings face the interior of the separator sock 10 when placed on the
upper tubing
frame and face the exterior of the separator sock 10 when placed on the lower
tubing ring
of the separator sock 10;
[0020] FIG. 3A is a side view of the connector guard 30 of the disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 3B is a top view of the connector guard 30 of the disclosure;
[0022] FIG. 3C is a top view of the connector guard 30 and the connector ring
34 with the
connector guard 30 attached to the tubing 32, e.g. aluminum in a contiguous
circumference, circumscribing approximately a thirty foot diameter circle with
the
connector guard 30 and the connector ring 34 being placed around the tubing
before the
circumference is closed and the connector guard 30 being welded in place and
the
connector ring 34 being unattached around the tubing;
[0023] FIG. 3D is a side view of the connector guard 30 of the disclosure
welded onto a
circular tubing support 32 such as four inch aluminum and with a connector
ring
positioned inside the connector guard;
[0024] FIG. 3E is a plain view of the connector ring 34 of the disclosure
which is oval in
shape with inside dimensions for instance being sixteen inches by four and one-
half inches
4
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
to allow some movement of the joint to prevent stress;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a plain view of the eyelet connector 40 of the disclosure
consisting of two
articulating half-circles connected at 180 degrees on one end by a rivet 42
and on the other
by a self-locking pin 44;
[0026] FIG. 4A is a plain view of the eyelet connector 40 of the disclosure
with one end
opened which would be closed and locked into place utilizing a self-locking
pin and would
be placed through the eyelet ring 36 and the connector ring 34 on the top of
the
containment exterior of the separator sock 10 which inserts into and overlaps
at least about
five feet with the superior segment of the separator sock 10 with the eyelet
ring, an oval
with interior dimensions such as about one and one-eighth inch by about four
inches,
welded to a solid bar (not shown) such as a one inch aluminum solid bar, that
is
configured in a closed circle one with an outside diameter of about fifteen
feet to about
thirty feet and is located inside and at least about five feet from the bottom
of each
segment and when connected to the upper tube ring 32 of the inferior segment
utilizing an
eyelet connector placed through the eyelet ring 40 and the connector ring 34
of the
inferior segment, keeps the upper portion of the inferior segment erect;
[0027] FIG. 4B is a plain view of the eyelet ring 36 of the disclosure
attached to a solid
bar such as a metal bar, for instance a one inch aluminum solid bar
(illustrated at 90
degrees to actual orientation);
[0028] FIG. 4C is a plain view of the eyelet connector 40 of the invention,
seen edgewise
secured at the articulating joint with a rivet and the other end with a self-
locking pin;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a plain view of a wellhead 50 with representative segments
(about 528
would be necessary to reach a depth of one mile) and pylon anchors 52 of the
disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a section of pumping barge 54 of the
disclosure and
the placement position of the pumping stations (P), cable wenches (W)
containing cables
that are threaded through a pulley (not shown) on each of the six anchor
pylons 52 at the
wellhead 50 and attached to the connector rings 36 of the bottom of the first
segment, pull
the segments into place over the leaking wellhead 50 and capture the escaping
oil, the
location of a crane to lift the segments from a barge or a transport ship or a
flotation
device and position them in the pumping well on the barge which is a
cylindrical void
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
extending from the deck to the bottom of the barge allowing the segments to be
assembled
on the deck using only self locking pins 14 and pass through the pumping well,
pulled by
the cables attached to the cable wenches which are threaded through pulleys on
pylons 52
at the wellhead 50 and pulled into place over the leaking wellhead 50, and a
wheelhouse-
bunkhouse shelter on deck (not shown) to house the navigation equipment and
housing for
the crew that would tend the barge;
[0031 ] FIG. 7 is a plain view of the compass leveler 56 of the disclosure
that would be
placed
inside the pumping well and attached to the upper segment allowing the top of
the
separator sock 10 where the escaping oil would be concentrated to remain
relatively level;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a plain view of the pumping station of the disclosure which
has a tip (T)
which swivels 360 degrees along with an attachment (S) which also swivels 360
degrees,
when operated jointly they allow the pumping station to be rotated out of the
pumping
well allowing for storage on the deck and for the assembly of the segments in
the pumping
well, the pumping station being long enough for the tip to be positioned near
the center of
the pumping well so that the movement of the separator sock related to wave
action does
not allow the tip (T) of the pumping station to contact the skin of the
separator sock
possibly causing a tear allowing oil to escape, a swivel (S) that may be
locked into
position to keep the tip (T) near the center of the pumping well, a valve
which attaches via
a flexible conduit to a pump on a vessel that will receive the oil and sea
water;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of three assembled segments of the
disclosure with a
cutaway view exposing the inside of the segments illustrating the over lapping
of the
segments, (A) locates the external joints assembled with cable ties attached
to connector
rings, (B) locates internal joints connecting the cable ring to an eyelet
located on the one
inch aluminum circular rod using an eyelet connector;
[0034] FIG. lOA is a plain view of an external joint connection (A)
identifying the
elements of the joint of the disclosure; and
[0035] FIG. I OB is a plain view of an internal joint connection (B)
identifying the
elements of the joint of the invention.
6
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0036] A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the
attendant
advantages detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying
drawings. The separator sock is like tapered drinking cups stacked on top of
each other
with the large end down and the bottoms missing, extending from the well head
50 to the
surface of the ocean. The water rises to the level of the ocean surface inside
the separator
sock 10 with the upper most water being displaced by oil captured by the
separator sock:
oil being less dense than water. This oil is then pumped off of the surface of
the water
inside the upper most segment of the separator sock onto tankers or barges
which deposit
the oil-water mixture into holding tanks where it separates by gravity or is
separated with
centrifuges, with the oil being shipped to refineries.
[0037] In the oil containment system of the disclosure the separator sock was
designed to
be as simple to assemble as possible, assembled without tools, rapidly
assembled and
deployed to work at depths extending to one and one-quarter mile or more and
be a first
response to any pipeline break.
[0038] The first response to any leak in which safety measures do not plug the
pipeline
would be to cut the pipeline above the wellhead leaving enough pipe, if
possible, to attach
a valve. On the other hand, the separator sock 10 of the disclosure is
anchored to a
plurality of anchor pylons 52 around the well head 50, as shown in FIG. 5, at
a height that
allows the escaping oil to enter the separator sock and allows submersibles to
work on the
pipeline to affect a seal. The separator sock is supported and held into place
by cable ties
12 (FIG. 2) that attach between segments of the separator sock 10. Each
segment (FIG. 1)
has flexibility on the cable ties 12 to reduce stress.
[0039] The cable ties 12 (FIG. 2) attached to the segments form a continuous
attachment
from the anchor pylons 52 at the wellhead10 to the inner ring of the compass
leveler
anchor (FIG. 7) or fixed anchor rings (not shown) located in the pumping barge
(FIG. 6).
As shown in FIG. 1, each segment is about twenty feet to about eighty feet
long and more
typically about thirty feet with an inside diameter stitched onto the surface
of the segment
skin at least about five (5) feet from the bottom of the segment. The tubing
32 will tend to
float reducing the stress on the cables. Readily available schedule-40 tubing
may not be
adequate for pressures at a depth of about one mile.
7
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the upper tubing ring inserts into the
segment (FIG. 1)
immediately above it and is attached to a solid ring such as a one inch
aluminum ring,
about a thirty (30) feet outside diameter minus two times the skin thickness,
stitched to
the inside of the segment at least about five (5) feet from the bottom of the
segment and
directly behind the tubing ring with about a thirty (30) foot inside diameter
that is stitched
to the surface of the segment skin at least about five (5) feet from the
bottom of the
segment. In another preferred embodiment, the solid bar such as a one inch
solid
aluminum has a plurality of eyelets (FIG. 4B) of solid aluminum that are oval
in shape,
about one-half inch in diameter thickness and an inside dimension of typically
about one
and one-eighth inches by about three inches. They are placed on the about one
inch solid
aluminum ring before it is welded shut and the eyelets are typically spaced at
about sixty
degree intervals and welded to the one inch solid aluminum ring with the
longer axis
parallel to the skin of the segment (FIG. I OB). This allows for the use of an
eyelet
connector 48 (FIG. 4) to tie the upper part of the lower segment to the one
inch solid
aluminum thirty (30) foot ring.
[0041 ] The connector on the cable tie 12 (FIG. 2F) is typically an
articulating stainless
steel connector that rotates around a rivet on one end and is secured at the
other end with a
stainless steel self-locking pin 14 (FIG. 2B-2C). The self-locking pin 14
(FIG. 2B-2C) has
leaves that are riveted to the tip of the pin and a stainless steel spring
that is located in a
hole in the shaft of the pin and extends each of two leaves once the pin is
passed through a
cylindrical hole in the eyelet.
[0042] In a preferred embodiment, there is a crane on the deck of the pumping
barge (FIG.
6) for lifting stored segments from the deck of a second barge and positioning
them in the
pumping well for assembly. In another preferred embodiment, the pumping barge
(FIG. 8)
is designed as a catamaran for stability and has four GPS guided thrusters,
one on each
corner to keep the pumping barge in place over the separator sock.
[0043] The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein
is used in
the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" and not in the exclusive sense
of
"consisting only of." The terms "a", "an" and "the" as used herein are
understood to
encompass the plural as well as the singular, unless indicated otherwise.
[0044] The foregoing description illustrates and describes the disclosure.
Additionally,
8
CA 02779968 2012-06-18
the disclosure shows and describes only the preferred embodiments but, as
mentioned
above, it is to be understood that it is capable to use in various other
combinations,
modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications
within the
scope of the invention concepts as expressed herein, commensurate with the
above
teachings and/or the skill or knowledge of the relevant art. The embodiments
described
herein above are further intended to explain best modes known by applicant and
to enable
others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure in such, or other,
embodiments and with
the various modifications required by the particular applications or uses
thereof.
Accordingly, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the
form disclosed
herein. Also, it is intended to the appended claims be construed to include
alternative
embodiments.
[0045] All publications and patent applications cited in this specification
are herein
incorporated by reference, and for any and all purposes, as if each individual
publication
or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be
incorporated by
reference. In the event of an inconsistency between the present disclosure and
any
publications or patent application incorporated herein by reference, the
present disclosure
controls.
9
