Patent ID: 8770273

Claim:
A method of minimizing leakage of at least one of: oil, drilling mud, and drilling fluids, into soil about a well cellar of a gas well or an oil well, said method comprising the steps of: installing a sealing structure by: covering a portion of a top surface of soil surrounding a well cellar with a first portion of said sealing structure comprising a containment material layer; and lining interior surfaces of said well cellar with a second portion of said sealing structure comprising: a side layer that covers a side wall of said well cellar; a floor layer that covers a bottom of said well cellar; a resilient ring that is held against said side layer by friction or by an adhesive; and an additional layer of containment material joined to said containment material layer and configured to cover an upper portion of said side layer; installing a sealing band, which sealing band comprises a sealing ring, by placing said sealing ring against said second portion of said sealing structure by positioning said sealing ring against said resilient ring with a portion of said additional layer of containment material between said sealing ring and said resilient ring, which sealing ring comprises a plurality of arcuate members connected to one another; and then expanding said sealing ring by adjusting an adjusting structure disposed at the connection between two of said arcuate members, and thereby pressing, holding, and at least assisting in sealing said second portion of said sealing structure.