Containment system and a method for using said containment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9587467-B2
Application number	US-201214433542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2012
Priority date	Oct 5, 2012
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A containment system for recovering hydrocarbon fluid from a leaking device comprising a wall extending from a base level to a first level for surrounding the leaking device, and a dome situated above the wall and forming a cavity for accumulating hydrocarbon fluid. The dome comprises an upper output opening for extracting the hydrocarbon fluid. The containment system further comprises a lower output opening extending up to a dome level. The wall and the dome are independent members so as the wall can be landed on the seafloor before the dome is installed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A containment system for recovering hydrocarbon fluid from a leaking device that is situated at the seafloor and that is leaking hydrocarbon fluid from a well, wherein the containment system is adapted to be landed at the seafloor corresponding to a base level of the containment system, and wherein the containment system comprises at least:
a wall extending from the base level to a first level so as to completely surround the leaking device, said wall being substantially sealed to the seafloor around said leaking device, and
a dome situated above the wall and forming a cavity under said dome, said cavity being adapted for accumulating hydrocarbon fluid coming upwardly from the leaking device, said dome comprising at least one upper output opening adapted to extract the hydrocarbon fluid for recovering, and
wherein the containment system further comprises a lower output opening extending up to a dome level, and
wherein the wall and the dome are independent members so the wall can be landed on the seafloor before the dome is installed, and
wherein the dome comprises an upper portion extending in a radial direction from a centre vertical axis to an outer peripheral end, and a lateral portion extending the upper portion downwardly from said outer peripheral end at least down to the lower output opening, and

wherein the lateral portion comprises:
a lateral rigid structure extending from the upper portion to a lower end intended to be seated on the seafloor at the base level, said lateral rigid structure not closing the lateral portion, and
an extendable device that is extendable from the upper portion to the lower output opening, so as to close partially the lateral portion of the dome.

2. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the dome further comprises a first injection device that inputs a first warm fluid into the cavity.

3. The containment system according to claim 2 , wherein the first injection device comprises a plurality of output ports spread inside the cavity, said output ports being fed with the first warm fluid.

4. The containment system according to claim 2 , further comprising a pipe having an inner tube forming an inner channel, and an outer tube surrounding said inner tube and forming an annular channel, and wherein the inner channel is used to extract the hydrocarbon fluid from the upper output opening and the annular channel is used to feed the dome with at least a first warm fluid, or inversely.

5. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises a material that is a thermally isolating material.

6. The containment system according to claim 5 , wherein the thermally isolating material has a thermal conductivity lower than 0.1 W·m −1 ·K −1 .

7. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the dome comprises a material that is a thermally isolating material.

8. The containment system according to claim 7 , wherein the thermally isolating material has a thermal conductivity lower than 0.1 W·m −1 ·K −1 .

9. The containment system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor for measuring an interface level of a fluid interface between sea water and hydrocarbon fluid inside the dome, at least one output valve connected to the upper output opening for outputting hydrocarbon fluid from the cavity, and a control unit for controlling said interface level on the bases of the interface level measured by the sensor.

10. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the dome comprises:
a first output opening for extracting a first phase from the cavity, said first output opening being positioned on the dome at a level proximal to the first level, said first phase being for example an oil phase of the hydrocarbon fluid, and
a second output opening for extracting a second phase from the cavity , said second output opening being positioned on the dome at a level proximal to a highest level of the dome, said second phase being lighter than the first phase, and being for example a gas phase of the hydrocarbon fluid.

11. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the dome has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the wall.

12. The containment system according to claim 11 , wherein the dome level is lower than half the first level so as to form an annular cavity comprised between the wall and the dome.

13. The containment system according to claim 12 , wherein the dome further comprises a second injection device that inputs a second warm fluid into the annular cavity comprised between the wall and the dome.

14. The containment system according to claim 13 , wherein the second injection device comprises a plurality of output ports spread proximal to the peripheral lower end of the dome, said output ports being fed with the second warm fluid.

15. The containment system according to claim 12 , wherein the dome level is lower than one tenth of the first level.

16. The containment system according to claim 12 , wherein the dome level is lower than 1/20 of the first level.

17. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the extendable device is a flexible member that is adapted to partially cover the lateral portion.

18. The containment system according to claim 17 , wherein the flexible member is a thermally isolating material, having a thermal conductivity lower than 0.1 W·m −1 ·K −1 .

19. The containment system according to claim 17 , wherein the lateral rigid structure incorporates injection pipes so as to form a first injection device that inputs a first warm fluid into the cavity.

20. The containment system according to claim 17 wherein the lateral rigid structure is composed of a mesh of linked rigid beams, said rigid beam being formed of a structure material that is one of a list comprising a metal, a plastic, a material comprising fibres.

21. The containment system according to claim 1 , wherein the dome is adapted to be sealed above the wall, and the lower output opening is an over pressure valve that extract fluid out from the cavity into environment if a pressure difference between the cavity and the environment exceeds a predetermined pressure limit.

22. The containment system according to claim 21 , wherein the lower output opening is a ball check valve.

23. A method for using a containment system for recovering hydrocarbon fluid from a leaking device that is situated at the seafloor and that is leaking hydrocarbon fluid from a well, and wherein the containment system comprises at least:
a wall extending from a base level to a first level,
a dome forming a cavity under said dome,
said cavity being adapted for accumulating hydrocarbon fluid coming upwardly from the leaking device,
said dome comprising at least one upper output opening, and
wherein the wall further comprises a lower output opening, and
wherein the wall and the dome are independent members, and
wherein the method comprises the following successive steps:
a) installing the wall around the leaking device on the seafloor, so as the base level corresponds to the seafloor, and said wall being substantially sealed to the seafloor around said leaking device,
b) installing the dome above the wall,
c) connecting the upper output opening to a pipe for extracting the hydrocarbon fluid from the cavity, and
wherein the lower output opening is an over pressure valve that extracts fluid out from the cavity into an environment if a pressure differe

Assignees

• Total Sa

Inventors

• Vu Van-Khoi
• Bourguignon Jean-Claude

Classifications

• Y10S210/923

  using mechanical means, e.g. skimmers, pump · CPC title

• E21B43/0122 Primary

  Collecting oil or the like from a submerged leakage (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or the like E02B15/04) · CPC title

• Y10S210/922

  Oil spill cleanup, e.g. bacterial · CPC title

• E02B2015/005

  Tent-like structures for dealing with pollutant emissions below the water surface · CPC title

• E02B15/0814

  with underwater curtains · CPC title