Abstract:
A mobile oil platform has a vessel for holding oil a subsea hose having an open end configured to engage with the platform, and an opposite end connected to a subsea well, a pump mounted on the vessel configured to detachably connect to the subsea hose to pump oil into the vessel, one or more floats connected to the subsea hose by a cable configured to hold the end of the subsea hose, wherein the subsea hose is detachably connected to the vessel and when full, the vessel detaches the subsea hose such that the floats hold the subsea hose in the sea, and the full vessel is replaced by an empty vessel, and wherein the platform comprises a plurality of interconnected barges to make possible a floating station for oil production in deep sea and an emergency floating sea port for remote areas.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to, U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/729,012, filed Dec. 27, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The present application further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/664,836, filed Jun. 27, 2012, and Canadian Patent Application No. 2,781,856, filed Jul. 12, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of mobile oil platforms. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Marine drilling for oil has expanded exponentially in recent decades, due to the technologically-facilitated accessibility to undersea reserves. However, with such drilling comes the risk of oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez incident that was a surface spill from a tanker, and the BP Deepwater Horizon spill, which occurred both at the surface and deep under the sea. 
         [0004]    Oil spills cause mass amounts of environmental damage and it is extremely time consuming, expensive and generally difficult to clean up the mess left in their wake. Often oil spills occur in hostile environments such as the sea subject to storms or in the far north. Prior art oil spill technologies include adding dispersants to disperse the spill, containing the spill and burning the oil. In these cases, the oil is lost, which may result in a significant loss in addition to the cleanup costs. 
         [0005]    In the past, to address oil spills, authorities have sucked the oil/water mixture directly into trucks or barges, wherein the mixture contained 95% water and 5% oil, and either destroying the mixture reclaimed or separating the oil from the water offsite. This is very inefficient due to the high transportation costs. Further, barging and booming was commonly practiced by authorities; however the booms and the barges couldn&#39;t protect the coastline because oil spill constantly went overboard due to heavy blowing wind. As oil has monetary value, a recovery method is preferable to destruction of the oil that also leaves potentially toxic by-products in the environment. 
         [0006]    The cleanup procedure becomes even more challenging when a supervisor has to be present at the spill site for the duration of the process. Further, some of the most skilled cleanup specialists are only available remotely. 
         [0007]    There is therefore a need for an oil cleanup system which vacuums up the mixture of spilled oil and water, and separates the oil from the water for processing and resale, before returning the clean water to the sea. Further there is a need for such a system that may be operated remotely. 
         [0008]    More and more, fixed oil platforms are being replaced by mobile oil platforms, connected to a subsea well by a flexible hose, which enables the platform to move with the water without becoming disconnected to the well. There are risks that the hose break or become disconnected underwater and leak oil into the sea. Prior art means of finding the hose break are limited to checking along the high structure over the well. The hose flow could be stopped at various checkpoints along the hose length, as well, so that parts of the hose could be replaced without the requirement of replacing the whole hose, however finding the broken hose end was still a problem. 
         [0009]    Therefore, there is also a need for a means of retrieving a broken subsea hoses in order to minimize the spilling of oil into the sea. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A mobile oil platform has a vessel for holding oil, a subsea hose having an open end configured to engage with the platform, and an opposite end connected to a subsea well, a pump mounted on the vessel configured to detachably connect to the subsea hose to pump oil into the vessel, anchors having vertical cables to fix the oil mobile platform in position, one or more floats connected to the subsea hose by a cable configured to hold the end of the subsea hose, wherein the subsea hose is detachably connected to the vessel and when full, the vessel detaches the subsea hose such that the floats hold the subsea hose in the sea, and the full vessel is replaced by an empty vessel. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment, the mobile oil platform has two relief vessels and oil transfer hoses connecting the platform to each of the relief vessels, wherein the relief vessels are configured to receive oil from the platform through the oil transfer hoses. In an embodiment it has surveillance cameras mounted on the floats to ensure the security of the subsea well and to monitor shipping lanes. 
         [0012]    The open end of the subsea hose may closes when detached from the platform to prevent the spilling of oil. Further, the floats may be gas bags, or are constructed of foam. In an embodiment, a helicopter is positioned on the platform for support and evacuation in case of an emergency. 
         [0013]    The mobile oil platform may also have a probe and a hose connecting the probe to the pump, wherein the probe is configured to vacuum an oil/water mixture into the platform using the pump. In an embodiment it has a separator and a water evacuation valve, wherein the separator is configured to separate the oil/water mixture, and evacuate the water through the water evacuation valve. The mobile oil platform may have a camera attached to the probe(s), wherein the camera is configured to allow the probe(s) to be remotely controlled. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment, the mobile oil platform has a submersible and a hose connecting the submersible to the pump, wherein the submersible is configured to vacuum oil/water mixture into the platform using the pump. 
         [0015]    The platform may also have a camera attached to the submersible, wherein the camera is configured to allow the submersible to be remotely controlled, or a winch configured to retrieve the subsea well hose for attachment to the platform and lower the hose after detachment from the platform. 
         [0016]    The mobile platform may have anchors having vertical cables to fix the oil mobile platform in position. In an embodiment a plurality of floats positioned around the platform, tethered to anchors by vertical cables. In another embodiment the plurality of floats around the platform connected together by horizontal cables to control deviation of the platform. 
         [0017]    A mobile oil platform has a vessel for holding oil a subsea hose having an open end configured to engage with the platform, and an opposite end connected to a subsea well, a pump mounted on the vessel configured to detachably connect to the subsea hose to pump oil into the vessel, one or more floats connected to the subsea hose by a cable configured to hold the end of the subsea hose, wherein the subsea hose is detachably connected to the vessel and when full, the vessel detaches the subsea hose such that the floats hold the subsea hose in the sea, and the full vessel is replaced by an empty vessel, and wherein the platform comprises a plurality of interconnected barges to make possible a floating station for oil production in deep sea and an emergency floating sea port for remote areas. 
         [0018]    In various embodiments, the mobile platform has vertical cables to fix the oil mobile platform in position, or a plurality of floats positioned around the platform, tethered to anchors by vertical cables. In an embodiment the plurality of floats around the platform connected together by horizontal cables to control deviation of the platform. 
         [0019]    The foregoing, and other features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following, more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the accompanying drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the ensuing descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings briefly described as follows. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  shows the oil spill recovery system, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the oil spill recovery system, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  shows the technician within a remote cleanup control center, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  shows a plan view of a surface probe, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  shows an elevation view of a surface probe, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  shows a cut away view of the separator ship, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7   a  shows a cut away view of the separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7   b  shows a cut away view of the separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  shows the pump mounted on the separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9   a  shows an elevation view of the separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9   b  shows a plan view of the separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 10   a  shows a perspective view of the dual truck separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10   b  shows a perspective view of a single truck separator, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 11  shows a plan view of a platform connected to a subsea well; 
           [0035]      FIG. 12  shows a plan view of floats attached to the subsea well hose; 
           [0036]      FIG. 13  shows a plan view of the platform and relief vessels above the subsea well; 
           [0037]      FIG. 14  shows a plan view of the platform and relief vessels above the subsea well, cleaning up an oil spill; 
           [0038]      FIG. 15   a  shows a elevation view of a delimitation of an oil mobile platform over a subsea wellhead, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 15   b  shows a plan view of the delimitation of an oil mobile platform over a subsea wellhead, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 16  show a plan view of a mobile platform, formed by barges connected with one another, with stairs to access the mobile platform, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0041]      FIGS. 17   a  shows an elevation view of a mobile platform with rapid deployment of floating devices to access any remote area by foot or light vehicles, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0042]      FIGS. 17   b  shows an elevation view of a mobile platform with anchors to fix the oil mobile platform, and a deployed remote control submersible vacuum, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0043]    The word “vessel” includes in its meaning oil tanker ships and converted separator ships, oil carrier trucks, separator trucks or oil carrier trucks carried on a ship. 
         [0044]    The described oil spill cleanup system provides an efficient way to clean up an oil spill that can be operated remotely from within a control room on a ship or on a truck, for example. 
         [0045]    Depending on the scale required, the ship may be as large as an oil tanker or much smaller, with lower operating costs and greater agility. With reference to  FIGS. 1  and  2  the separator ship  10  is shown floating within an oil spill  8 . The ship  10  has a submarine hose  12  having a coupler  14  for connection to a remote-controlled submersible  15 . The coupler facilitates use of different lengths or thicknesses of hoses. The submersible  15  has no passengers, therefore need not be pressurized, and is thus capable of descending beyond 10000 m, able to probe the deepest regions of the sea. Assuming an undersea spill, the submersible is directed to the source of the spill and vacuums the spill up through the hose  12 . The hose  12  is a durable oil- resistant hose that may be reeled out to the depth desired, beyond 10000 m in some cases. A pump  20  on the ship  10  pulls the oily water from the hose  12  and into the ship  10 . The submersible  15  directs the hose  12  to the spill, and pumping water from the spill into the ship is performed by the pump  20  on the ship. The submersible  15  may be robotic in that, once the location of the undersea spill is provided, it is able to direct itself to the spill without user intervention. As will be seen below, within the ship is a mechanism to separate the oil and water. The resulting oil-free water is returned to the sea by a nozzle  24 . 
         [0046]    Further, at least one surface probe  25  is deployed within the spill waters surrounding the ship  10 . The probe  25  is remote controlled such that it may be steered to areas of greatest oil density. The control may be from any remote location, however preferably located in the ship bridge  27 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cleanup technician, in front of his deck, has live videos of the oil spill area from the probe and from the ship; therefore, the cleanup operating room may be anywhere in the world. The surface hose  30  is connected to the probe  25  by means of a hose connector, which facilitates changing the hose for longer or shorter, or different hose characteristics. The probe  25  is then connected to the pump  20  by the hose  30 . The probe directs the hose  30  to a desired location, and the pump  20  then sucks the oil/water mixture into the ship  10  for separation. 
         [0047]    The probe  25  may simply comprise a float that floats around the spill waters and sucks up the oil/water mixture on the surface. In an embodiment, the surface hose  30  may be directed by personnel in a small motorboat or other vehicle. There may be a plurality of surface hoses, fanning out around the ship  10  in order to cover a broader area. 
         [0048]    With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an embodiment of the surface probe  25  is shown. The probe  25  is operable on either side, therefore is able to withstand rough seas which may flip it over. The probe body  28  floats as it is filled with foam or gas, or having sealed floats therein. The float has a hose connector  26  for the hose  30 . At the end opposite the hose connector  26 , is a sucking tube  40  for sucking the oil/water surface mixture. In one embodiment, the sucking tube  40  is movable and maneuverable into the oil nearby, as seen in  FIG. 4 . Further, the sucking tube  40  may have a camera  42  for identifying the locations of greater oil concentration for increased efficiency. For mobility, the probe has paddles or a rudder and propeller configuration, as is known in the art. 
         [0049]    The probe  25  may be operated remotely, and the camera  42  sends real-time footage of the area and of oil concentrations to the operator who may operate the probe  25  as easily as if onsite. The probe may also be robotic in that it senses the location of the oil and directs itself there to suck up the oil/water mixture. 
         [0050]    With reference to  FIG. 6  the vacuum pump  20  generates a vacuum and can suck up oil and deposit it directly into the ship&#39;s first and second tanks  32 ,  34 . The tanks are open to one another at the top, and are separated by a high wall  31  between them, which wall  31  extends 80-95% of the height of the tanks  32 ,  34 . With reference to  FIG. 6 , the tanks may be organized adjacent lengthwise of the ship, such that one tank is on the port side of the ship and one on the starboard side, or adjacent widthwise of the ship, such that the first tank is in the bow of the ship and the second tank in the stern. In order to prevent listing of the vessel the tanks  32 ,  34  may take concentric forms, for example, to prevent the oil/water mixture from weighing only one side of the vessel and risk capsizing. Multiple tanks may also be used within the ship in a separator, for further, better separation of oil and water, as discussed below. 
         [0051]    The oil/water mixture is pumped from the submersible  15  or the probe  25 , through the hoses  12 ,  30  and into the first tank deck  32 . The oil and water can be separated by specific gravity (“gravity separation”) as oil is less dense than water and hydrophobic, so the water is pushed to the bottom of the first tank deck and the separation between the oil  35  and water  37  is quite distinct. The first tank deck is filled with the oil/water mixture, which separates as it is filled. With the oil on top, once the level of the first tank overflows into the second, it is only oil that is transferred since the water remains in the bottom of the first tank  32 . Any excess volume in the first tank overflows into the second tank deck  34 . The clean water at the bottom of the first tank deck  32  will dispense back into the body of water through the nozzle  24 , by means of a pump (not shown) or simply by water pressure. 
         [0052]    A separator  50  is shown in  FIGS. 7   a - 7   b ,  8  and  9   a - 9   b , which may be present in the ship  10  (not shown) or a truck (not shown), having a pump  20  above the separator  50  to pull the oil/water mixture in. The separator  50  consists of a number of tanks, in one embodiment four tanks  32 ,  34 ,  52 ,  54 . The first tank  32  receives the water/oil mixture from the pump  20 , through an entry  55  located above the first tank  32 . As the first tanks fills, the oil separates to the top of the tank, and the water separates to the bottom. When full, the tank will have gradients, with almost pure oil at the top, with a mixture of water and oil in the middle, and almost pure water at the bottom. As the mixture settles the gradients are more defined. A typical breakdown in the first tank  32  is 15% pure oil, 35% water/oil mixture, and 50% water. Once full, the first tank  32  overflows, such that the almost pure oil at the top overflows into the second tank  34 . The second tank is now 50% oil, and 50% water/oil mixture. As the second tank fills and the oil rises to the top, it overflows into the third tank  52 , such that the third tank is 90% oil. The third tank overflows once full, and given that the components have had a chance to settle, the overflow is pure oil and therefore the fourth tank  54  contains 100% pure oil, which may be evacuated through the oil evacuation valve  57 , which has a pump (not shown) to facilitate evacuation. The clean water that settles to the bottom of the first tank  32  is evacuated by the water evacuation valve  59  on a lower portion of the first tank  32 . There is a mechanical filter  53  between the valve  59  and the tanks  32 . In one embodiment the filter extends to the top of the separator  50 , and creates an oil free zone  49 . 
         [0053]    Such a separator may be within the ship or within a truck, for mobile shoreline applications. It may also be operated and monitored remotely. In  FIGS. 9   a - b  and  10   a - b , a configuration preferable to a truck is shown, wherein the separator  50  is contained within a truck body  51  and may be entered by a door  60 , and the various tanks accessed by steps  65 . The separator  50  operates as described above and the water is ejected from the truck once separated. 
         [0054]    With reference to  FIGS. 10   a - b , tanker trucks  66  can be used as vessels to remove oil from the shoreline. The trucks  66  are designed to contain a separator  50 , which receives an oil/water mixture from a plurality of hoses  72  connected to a pump  71  mounted to the roof of the truck  66 . The hoses  72  are inserted into the oil/water mixture, and the pump  71  sucks the mixture into the first tank of the separator (not shown). 
         [0055]    Two trucks may implement the two-tank design described above, wherein a first tank  62  is within a first truck  66  and a second tank  64  is within a second truck  67 . The oil/water mixture  70  is pumped into the first tank  62  within the first truck  66  by oil spill hoses  72 , from a probe  25  or simply vacuuming the shore oil by hand or boat, and a transfer  68  hose at the top of the first truck  66  sucks the separated oil from the top of the first tank  62  and into the second tank  64  where it further separates. Separated water is ejected from the bottom  62   a  of each tank (not shown for second tank), and after a period of time the second tank  64  will be full of separated oil, at which point it may be hauled away in the second truck  67 , and a further truck (not shown) with the same features replaces it The chain of trucks, with a further truck replacing a full second truck, will continue until the cleanup is complete. 
         [0056]    With reference to  FIG. 11 , a further oil spill safety system comprised of floats for facilitating the retrieval of an undersea hose from a subsea well  105 . The subsea well  105  is typically connected to a mobile oil platform  100  with a hose  110  to pump the oil up and into the platform by means of a pump  102 . The platform  100  may consist of an oil carrier vessel converted for the purpose of pumping up and storing the oil from the subsea well. The converted oil carrier vessel as platform  100  can drop the hose  110  and depart once full, taking the oil to port, while a replacement oil carrier arrives to serve as platform  100  for the hose  110 . The hose opening  112  closes while the hose  110  is not attached to the platform  100  so as to prevent the spilling of oil. Detachment of the hose  110  from the platform  100  is also beneficial in case of an emergency, when the crew and costly equipment can be relocated, rather than remain in place as a fixed oil platform must. 
         [0057]    The platform  100  is equipped with a winch. The hose attachment method is as follows: i) once the platform arrives at the well, and retrieve the floats  115  holding the hose  110 , the technicians free the cable  113  from the floats  115 , which are hooked to the exterior of the vessel for storage; ii) the cable  113  is hooked to the winch, and iii) the hose  110  emerges from the sea, and iv) the hose opening  112  is connected to the platform  100 . For detachment, the hose opening  112  is detached from the platform  110 ; ii) the cable  113  is attached to the hose  110  and the hose  110  lowered into the water by the winch; iii) the floats  115  are reattached to the cable  113 ; and iv) the floats float in the water holding the hose  110  at a known position. 
         [0058]    The benefits of eliminating fixed oil platforms in favor of the described converted oil carrier vessels is the safety benefit of having a platform that is movable from the danger zone; the mobile platform of the converted oil carrier is cheaper and easier to manufacture and deploy; and the fixed structure that is susceptible to water movement and storms is replaced by a long hose that is flexible and allows the platform to move with the elements. 
         [0059]    With reference to  FIG. 12 , floats  115  hold the hose  100  in an accessible position for the arrival of the next platform  100 , and prevent it from sinking The hose may be connected to the one or more floats by cable  113  or other similar means. The floats  115  contain a substance having a lower density than water, and may consist of robust balloons or gas bags for holding a gas, for example, or foam. Balloons or gas bags have the advantage of portability when not in use, however foam floats do not require inflation or deflation. Multiple floats have the benefit of maintaining floatation despite the failure of one or more of the floats. The floats may have surveillance cameras attached thereto to ensure the security of the subsea well, and to monitor shipping lanes as desired. 
         [0060]    With reference to  FIG. 13 , the system is shown, with the platform  100  pumping oil through the hose  110  from the subsea well  105 , the hose  110  attached to the platform&#39;s pump  102 , which pumps the oil. The floats  115  are attached to the hose  110  to facilitate disconnection and connection to another platform  100  in the form of a vessel. In this embodiment, platform  100  is an oil carrier vessel, which can detach the hose  110  and depart when full, to be replaced by another empty oil carrier vessel (not shown). In an embodiment, two further relief vessels  120  are present for receiving oil from the platform  100  via oil transfer hoses  122 , to prevent the platform  100  from becoming full and dropping the hose  110 . 
         [0061]    With reference to  FIG. 14 , the floats  115  are shown on the hose  110  in case the hose  110  is dropped by the platform  100 . Further, an oil spill surrounds the platform  100  and the probe  25  is deployed into the oily water as described above to vacuum the oily water into the platform  100  using the pump  121 , to which both hoses  12 ,  30  are attached. In one embodiment, platform  100  is an oil carrier vessel also containing a separator  50  for the spilled oil, which evacuates clean water from the water evacuation valve  123 . For example, 80% of the storage capacity may be used for oil storage while 20% of the storage capacity is used for the separator  50 . Therefore, the vessel may serve three purposes, as an oil carrier for use as a platform, as a separator for oil spill cleanup, and as an oil carrier/separator for use as a platform with availability for cleanup should the need arise. Further, a submersible  15  is deployed to clean up an underwater spill. A helicopter  125  is available for support functions and evacuation. 
         [0062]    With reference to  FIGS. 15   a  and  15   b , the delimitation mechanism of an oil mobile platform over a subsea wellhead is shown with vertical cables  131  and floating devices  132  to facilitate marine traffic restriction. Anchors  129 , to fix the oil mobile platform, can be dropped from the carrier or the barges with a measured deviation in order to withstand the ocean waves. A subsea hose pump  127  pumps the oil. Horizontal cables  134  mark the delimitation of the subsea well platform position. Floating devices  136  with control deviation allow rapid access to remote areas with mobile bridges. 
         [0063]    With reference to  FIG. 16 , an embodiment of a mobile platform, formed by barges  140  connected together to form the mobile platform  135 , is shown with stairs  138  to access the mobile platform  135  from other independent vessels. Equipped oil carriers and/or oil spill cleanup vessels  142  may be positioned on each side of the platform to facilitate storage  144  of probes and submersibles to be deployed in case of oil spill. The carriers and/or oil spill cleanup vessels  142  can be equipped with oil and water separators  146  configured to deploy a remote control probe vacuum  150  to suck oil  8  from a spill on the water surface into the carriers and/or vessels  142 . The subsea hose pump  127  is positioned within the platform to pump the oil  8 . The platform is capable of holding crewmen  148  to man the pump and other devices. Cables  134  mark the delimitation of the subsea well platform position. Floats  136  with control deviation allow rapid access to remote areas with mobile bridges. 
         [0064]    With reference to  FIGS. 17   a  and  17   b , an embodiment of the mobile platform is shown, including the rapid deployment of floating platforms  152  to permit access to a remote area over water by foot or light vehicles, for example. Anchors  129 , to fix the oil mobile platform, can be dropped from the carrier  142  or the barges with a measured deviation there between in order to withstand irregular water surface, waves for example. A remote control submersible vacuum probe  150  can be deployed form carrier or vessel  142  to clean the ocean bed floor, A subsea hose pump line  127  raises the oil by pump. Floating devices  136  with control deviation allow rapid access to remote areas with mobile bridges. 
         [0065]    The invention has been described herein using specific embodiments for the purposes of illustration only. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, however, that the principles of the invention can be embodied in other ways. Therefore, the invention should not be regarded as being limited in scope to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but instead as being fully commensurate in scope with the following claims.