Aquatic recovery and repair system

An Oil/Gas Recovery System, a Rotating Encasement Fitting (REF) and Methods of Using. The Oil/Gas Recovery System comprises a flexible shroud open at an end facing a leaking drill line arising from the bottom of a body of water, a recovery system operably coupled to the flexible shroud by an intake line, and a delivery system, operably coupled to the flexible shroud by a delivery line. The flexible shroud is adapted to be lowered or raised in a body of water, so that the open end encloses a source of crude oil or gas to be recovered. The Rotating Encasement Fitting (REF) for sealing a compromised pipeline fracture, comprises bladder glands at each end of the REF and a pipeline having a fracture therein. The bladder glands can be activated by a supply line or remotely supplied for multiple charges.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally teaches an Aquatic Recovery and Repair System (ARRS). More specifically, the present invention teaches an Aquatic Recovery and Repair System (ARRS) for recovery and repair of aquatic environments from oil and/or gas leaks or spills resulting from catastrophic ruptures in oil and gas exploration and drilling operations.

BACKGROUND

The possibility of oil and/or gas leaks or spills resulting from catastrophic ruptures in oil and gas exploration and drilling operations has been shown by spills in the Gulf of Mexico and other aquatic oil and gas exploration and drilling operations. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico flowed for three months in 2010. It is estimated that 8,400 m3/day of crude oil were escaping from the well just before it was capped on Jul. 15, 2010. It is believed that the daily flow rate diminished over time, starting at about 62,000 barrels per day (9,900 m3/d) and decreasing as the reservoir of hydrocarbons feeding the gusher was gradually depleted.

Traditional attempts to encapsulate the leak failed. Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods for containing and stopping oil and/or gas leaks or spills resulting from catastrophic ruptures in oil and gas exploration and drilling operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the present invention provides an Oil/Gas Recovery System, comprising: a flexible shroud open at an end facing a leaking drill line arising from the bottom of a body of water, the flexible shroud being adapted to be lowered or raised in a body of water, so that the open end encloses a source of crude oil or gas to be recovered; a recovery system, comprising a vacuum pump operably coupled to the flexible shroud by an intake line; and a delivery system, comprising a delivery pump operably coupled to the flexible shroud by a delivery line.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a method of using an Oil/Gas Recovery System, comprising: lowering an ELB over an oil source leak or plume, to recover oil/gas products; and vacuuming or pumping via the recovery system of the AARS the spill products to collection tankers/barges or drill rigs for pumping back to the shore.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a Rotating Encasement Fitting (REF) for sealing a compromised pipeline fracture, comprising: bladder glands at each end of the REF and a pipeline having a fracture therein, wherein the bladder glands are internal, external or both internal and external with respect to the pipeline, and wherein the bladder glands can be activated by a supply line or remotely supplied for multiple charges.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1depicts a front elevation view of an Aquatic Recovery and Repair System (ARRS)10. The ARRS is for recovery of oil/gas/solvents and repair work. The ARRS10comprises: a boat/tanker/rig19, supply and delivery line1, recovery/vacuum line2, and a flexible shroud6. The flexible shroud6comprises an internal bladder blanket3, a recovery/vacuum manifold4, outer walls5, and open end8. Adjacent outer walls5may be operably coupled by joints9having hinged capabilities. In like manner, the internal bladder blanket3may be operably coupled to adjacent outer walls5by joints9having hinged capabilities.

As used herein, unless otherwise defined, the term “operably coupled” is defined as physically or mechanically connected, attached, joined or otherwise coupled.

The ARRS10may be suspended from support crafts for assisting in the operations, raising/lowering ARRS10, pumping/vacuum recovery12, delivery systems13, for additives, enhancers, cutters, thinners, tools, equipment for viewing, filming, or lighting.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,264,713, 7,497,645, 7,578,248, 7,699,982, titled “Apparatus, System and Method for Remediation of Contamination”, issued to Thomas J. Kryzak, are herein incorporated by reference. The ARRS10may be an Extraction Lunch Box (ELB) having GPS, testing capabilities, heating, cooling, mixing.

Supply and delivery line1can be heated or double walled.

The internal bladder blanket3may change size and shape with ability to flex the shape to wider or taller for responding to the amount of oil surface and depending on viscosity, depth in water, temperature of water, needed to buffer product pressure surges for product to flow well, i.e., under control to prevent product blowouts.

Shape change is accomplished by the hinged capabilities at the joint areas9between the walls5adjacent to the internal bladder blanket3.

Heated additives, gas/air bubbles, solvents, agents, microbes, bacteria are pumped in via delivery line1to add to the lift to the product, e.g. crude oil or gas This also cuts the thickness and treats any product that escapes capture.

Chemical or gas filled bladder balls22may be pumped in via delivery line1, independently adding to the lift and push to the surface11.

The bladder balls22may be made of sponge like attracting materials or tennis like balls with extra absorbing fuzz or material that can be used as a transport vehicle may be pumped in via delivery line1. The materials may be processed by running them through a roller press, chemical bath or a heat processes and/or presses and recycle them back into the ARRS10for return recovery trips.

FIG. 2depicts a flow diagram of a method100for using the ELB equipped with multiple service equipment. In a step110of the method100, the ELB may be lowered over the oil source leak or the plume, depicted arising from the drill line14inFIG. 1, to recover the oil/gas products. In a step120, the spill products can be vacuumed or pumped in a direction of the arrow23, via the vacuum/pump system24of the recovery system13of the ARRS10to a collection system18, e.g., tankers/barges or drill rigs for pumping back to the shore thru existing product lines or float lines to shore based terminals for recovery procedures. The ELB Recovery System can be deployed from buoys, tankers, barges, etc for transport to track and recover spilled product in oceans, bays, rivers and lakes, using shut off valve25, and neck buoy/barge connection26.

The ELB has the capacity for multiple piping schemes for recovery and delivery in and out of the unit using solvents, gases, coagulants, inhibitors, etc.

A burn off vent can be incorporated into the recovery process.

FIGS. 3A and 3Bdepict oils can be tracked thru out the water column between the surface11and the bottoms7and be recovered using the ELB's multiple features. The oil recovery can be enhanced by use of the augers, whips, pumps, props, injectors, nozzles, impellers within the ELB and piping recovery system, described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,713, column 15, lines 1-28, and inFIG. 2A, herein incorporated by reference.

FIG. 3Adepicts a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the delivery system depicted inFIG. 1, further comprising swing gates28designed to close in around the source of the oil/gas leaks, e.g. the drill line14. In one embodiment, the ELB comprises swing gates with movable ends that rotate, bend, flex toward the centerline designed to close in around the source of the oil/gas leaks, e.g. the drill line14.

FIG. 3B, in one embodiment, depicts the ELB comprises accordion swing gates29with movable ends that rotate, bend, flex toward the centerline designed to close in around the source of the oil/gas leaks, e.g. the drill line14.

Additives, e.g. gases can be pumped into the ELB through the delivery system13via delivery line1to assist in the “lift effort” in recovering the oil/gas spilled. Alternatively, fluids, e.g., solvents, or catalysts, or retardants, e.g. retardant gases can be pumped into the ELB through the delivery system13via delivery line1to aid in collecting (and transporting) the spill products.

Alternatively, an array of “sealing slurry” can be pumped into the ELB through the delivery system via delivery line1to aid in sealing around the drill line14at15. Alternatively, bladder units16may be activated by charging delivery line1with “sealing slurry” or pre-loaded bladder units16may be activated to release their “sealing slurry” remotely. Double acting cylinders27may recharge bladder units16with “sealing slurry”, in place at connector points or additional bladder units16can be attached to the flexible shroud6and filled to double up the seal point15.

Use a recovery line with a flared/expanded end17flared over the oil/gas source, e.g. the drill line14, or as close as possible to a damaged pipeline to collect and recover the oil and/or gas.

FIG. 4depicts a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ARRS10, in which the recovery system may have expanding glands20that can be filled with multiple mixes and/or combinations of air, gases, fluids and slurry media and/or expressing out of the glands filling (any) voids. The glands expand to limit the space between the recovery system and the damaged line. This limits the exchange of oil/gas and the surrounding water.

In one embodiment is depicted one way of operably coupling the external delivery system to the expanding glands20at the base of the ARRS10. The glands20can be supplied by an internal line remotely by subs, etc.

Glands20are positioned inside, outside or a combination of, thru the wall jacket of the ARRS10.

Glands20can be activated and filled with soft or hard materials or a combination of and it can stay soft or harden rigid like cement.

The slurry media may remain soft, flexible or engineered to harden to a solid.

The valve position22is shown below the water line11allowing segmented pipe to be added to able to have different elevations.

A vac/pump/skimmer system may be used in recovery of oil/gas (solvents) and compromised waters.

A shutoff device such as a valve may be installed (and activated) to contain the oil/gas/water mix (after the seal is in place).

A flotation buoy, e.g., a neck buoy, operably coupled to the floating vessel or rig may be used to stabilize the recovery system.

The recovered mix may be sent to tankers or use a piping system for transport to a recovery area.

FIG. 5depicts a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ARRS10, showing an internal multi-purpose line (MPL) that powers for example a spiral/cone shaped prop/impeller capable of vac, pumping or mixing.

The MPL's cone/spiral impellers have inlets and outlets; Nozzles to deliver additives and/or sites for withdraws thru the MPL for product recovery.

The ARRS can have multiple mainline attachment sites on the unit varying in size and diameter, leading to the surface or laying on the sea bottoms and traveling to rigs or shoreline sites.

In one embodiment, several independent cone Impeller (CI) systems21acting in unison help “step lift” the product thru the riser simultaneously injecting adders and/or vac/pumping for recovery to the surface or thru its own internal recovery system via recovery/vacuum line2.

The CI's21can be staggered or stacked close together for heavy material lifts.

Not shown is the spiral impeller (SI) system acting like a screw conveyor transport system that is flexible, rigid or a combination capable of moving light product to thick almost solid product.

FIG. 6depicts a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the ARRS10, comprising a Rotating Encasement Fitting (REF) assembly surrounding a compromised pipeline fracture.

It has bladder glands at each end that are internal, external or both that can be activated by a supply line or remotely supplied for multiple charges.

The REF can be slid over the pipeline at the surface and lowered into position or it can be applied at the specific damaged site.

The REF may be formed, as 2 pieces, as one continuous piece or as a half REF piece surrounded by a jacket wrap that rotates around the pipe and meets the initial half REF piece and forms a sealed unit.

The Jacket wrap REF is operated by mechanical means (hydraulic, air or manual) to follow a curved projection around the pipeline.

Then the REF unit can activate the sealing glands20and shut off the spill.

The REF can also be equipped with service lines leading internally to act as a supply/extract line or as a tool delivery mechanism.