Method of preventing hydrate formation in open water capture devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9752416-B2
Application number	US-201515110794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 13, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

An open water capture device comprising a structure, wherein the structure comprises an open bottom, a top, and one or more injection primary ports.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An open water capture device comprising:
a structure, wherein the structure comprises an open bottom, a top, and one or more primary injection ports;
a secondary chamber, wherein the secondary chamber comprise an open bottom, one or more secondary injection ports, one or more pumps, and one or more outlets, wherein the one or more outlets of the secondary chamber are in fluid communication with the primary injection ports and wherein the one or more pumps are capable of pumping fluid from the secondary chamber through the one or more outlets into the structure via the one or more primary injection ports.

2. The open water capture device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more primary injection ports are disposed on the structure such that they are capable of inducing circulation within the structure when fluid is injected into the structure.

3. The open water capture device of claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises one or more tertiary injection ports.

4. The open water capture device of claim 3 , wherein the one or more outlets of the secondary chamber are in fluid communication with the one or more tertiary injection ports.

5. An open water containment system comprising:
an open water capture device, wherein the open water capture device comprises:
a structure, wherein the structure comprises an open bottom, a top, and one or more primary injection ports and
a secondary chamber, wherein the secondary chamber comprise an open bottom, one or more secondary injection ports, one or more pumps, and one or more outlets, wherein the one or more outlets of the secondary chamber are in fluid communication with the primary injection ports and wherein the one or more pumps are capable of pumping fluid from the secondary chamber through the one or more outlets into the structure via the one or more primary injection ports;

a flow line attached to the top of the structure; and
a leak source, wherein the open water capture device is located above the leak source.

6. The open water containment system of claim 5 , wherein the flow line is a riser.

7. The open water containment system of claim 5 , wherein the leak source is a leak from the sea floor or a leak from a piece of subsea equipment.

8. A method of limiting the formation of gas hydrates in an open water capture device comprising:
providing an open water capture device, wherein the open water capture device comprises:
a structure, wherein the structure comprises an open bottom, a top, one or more primary injection ports, and one or more tertiary injection ports and
a secondary chamber, wherein the secondary chamber comprise an open bottom, one or more secondary injection ports, one or more pumps, and one or more outlets, wherein the one or more outlets of the secondary chamber are in fluid communication with the primary injection ports and wherein the one or more pumps are capable of pumping fluid from the secondary chamber through the one or more outlets into the structure via the one or more primary injection ports;

positioning the open water capture device over the leak source;
allowing fluid from the leak source to flow into the open water capture device;
and injecting fluid into the open water capture device through the one or more tertiary injection ports.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fluid injected into the open water capture device comprises water and/or hydrocarbons.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the fluid injected into the open water capture device lowers the concentration of hydrate forming gas in the open water capture device.

Assignees

• Shell Oil Co

Inventors

• Anderson Karl Gregory
• Bhatnagar Gaurav
• Degaleesan Sujatha
• Hatton Gregory John

Classifications

• E02B15/04

  Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials ({stopping water-borne material in artificial water canals E02B5/085; stopping water-borne material at barrages or weirs E02B8/023}; other treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F; materials for treating liquid pollutants, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat, C09K3/32 {; separation of oil in sewage conduits E03F5/16}) · 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

• E02B2015/005

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

• E02B15/0814

  with underwater curtains · CPC title

• E02B15/08

  Devices for reducing the polluted area {with or} without {additional devices for} removing the material · CPC title