Patent ID: 8794333

Claim:
A blowout preventer and recovery device, comprising: a valve having a smaller end and a larger end, with the larger end being suitably dimensioned and configured to be placed over an open end of a well pipe through which a first fluid is escaping; a return pipe connected to the smaller end of the valve; a sleeve, suitably dimensioned and configured to be placed over a portion of the well pipe adjacent to the open end of the well pipe, with the sleeve being connected to the return pipe; a high pressure pipe passing through the valve, suitably dimensioned and configured to be insertable into the well pipe; one or more blocks, with each of the blocks having a channel, with the channel having at least one end that is dimensioned and configured so that the block is able to be inserted over a portion of the return pipe; one or more plates in each of the blocks, initially to one side of the channel; one or more pistons attached to each of the plates; and an explosive charge for each of the pistons, that is able to be fired and propel the plate into the channel to reduce the flow of the fluid; wherein, a second fluid is pumped through the high pressure pipe at a pressure greater than that of the first fluid, the first fluid will be separated by the second fluid in a space adjacent to an end of the high pressure pipe that has been inserted into the well pipe, and a portion of the first fluid that is not held back by the greater pressure of the second fluid will flow through the sleeve and the return pipe at an accelerated velocity, but at a reduced pressure due to the Bernoulli effect, thus supplying suction to help move the valve down onto the well pipe.