Apparatus and methods for mechanically coupling a sealing system around the opening to cellar formed around a hydrocarbon exploration or production well

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9790758-B2
Application number	US-201514666584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2015
Priority date	Oct 10, 2013
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

Apparatus useful for providing a liquid-tight seal around cellar formed around a hydrocarbon exploration or production well includes a reusable load-supporting surface having at least two mats surrounding and spaced-away from the borehole opening. At least one spanner is configured to extend between the cellar wall and mats. At least one elongated spanner support is used to mechanically couple one or more spanners to the cellar wall. At least one elongated lip support is used to mechanically couple one or more spanners to the mats.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus useful for providing a liquid-tight seal around a cellar formed around a hydrocarbon exploration or production well, the cellar having an opening and a wall formed of wood, cement, metal or other material extending around its opening, the apparatus comprising:
a reusable load-supporting surface including at least two reusable, load-bearing mats configured to support the weight of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon, said mats being positioned at least partially adjacent to one another relative to the cellar opening and spaced away from and at least partially surrounding the cellar opening;
at least one planar spanner configured to extend between the cellar wall and said mats;
at least one elongated spanner support that is separate and distinct from said at least one elongated spanner, and is configured to be positioned atop part of at least one said spanner proximate to the cellar wall and mechanically couple said at least one spanner to the cellar wall to assist in forming a liquid tight seal therebetween; and
at least one elongated lip support configured to be positioned atop or below part of at least one said spanner proximate to at least one said mat and spaced away from said at least one elongated spanner support and the cellar wall, said at least one elongated lip support being separate and distinct from said at least one elongated spanner and said at least one elongated spanner support, arranged and adapted to mechanically couple said at least one spanner to at least one said mat and assist in forming a liquid tight seal therebetween, wherein liquid exiting the cellar through the cellar opening is prevented from contacting the earth's surface around the cellar opening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said spanner is constructed of poly-liner material, each said lip support is constructed of thermoplastic material and each said spanner support is constructed of metal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including at least one platform-clamp unit configured to sealingly engage the cellar wall, wherein said at least one spanner support is configured to releasably mechanically couple said at least one spanner to said platform-clamp unit to form a liquid tight seal between said at least one spanner and the cellar wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each said platform-clamp unit is constructed at least partially of angle iron.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each said platform-clamp unit includes a clamp configured to extend around the cellar wall, a platform extending from said clamp away from the cellar and an extension extending from said clamp toward the cellar.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least one said spanner is configured to be coupled to said platform and said extension is configured to extend at least partially over the top of the cellar wall to assist in positioning said platform-clamp unit relative to the cellar wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 further including at least one elongated seal member sandwiched between each said platform-clamp unit and the cellar wall.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including at least one elongated spanner support seal configured to be sandwiched between each said spanner support and at least one said spanner.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further including at least one elongated lip support seal configured to be sandwiched between each said lip support and at least one said spanner.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further including at least one removable cover configured to rest atop and protect said at least one spanner.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said removable cover includes at least one rubber mat.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of releasable locking pins, at least one said locking pin configured to releasably mechanically couple each said lip support to at least one said spanner and at least one said mat.

13. Method of providing a liquid-tight seal around a cellar formed around a hydrocarbon exploration or production well, the cellar having an opening and a wall formed of wood, cement, metal or other material extending around its opening, the method comprising:
positioning at least two load-bearing mats of a reusable load-supporting surface at least partially adjacent to one another relative to the cellar opening and around, and spaced-apart from, the cellar opening, the mats being configured to support the weight of personnel, vehicles and equipment thereupon;
extending at least one planar spanner between the cellar wall and at least one mat;
positioning at least one elongated spanner support atop part of at least one spanner proximate to the cellar wall, the at least one elongated spanner support being separate and distinct from the at least one spanner;
releasably mechanically coupling each spanner support to its associated spanner(s) and the cellar wall to assist in forming a liquid tight seal between its associated spanner(s) and the cellar wall;
positioning at least one elongated lip support atop or below part of at least one spanner proximate to at least one mat and spaced away from the at least one elongated spanner support and cellar wall, the at least one elongated lip support being separate and distinct from the at least one spanner and the at least one elongated spanner support; and
releasably mechanically coupling each elongated lip support to the at least one spanner and at least one mat associated therewith to assist in forming a liquid tight seal between the at least one associated spanner and mat, wherein liquid exiting the cellar through the cellar opening is prevented from contacting the earth's surface around the cellar opening.

14. The method of claim 13 further including sealingly engaging at least one platform-clamp unit to the cellar wall, wherein each spanner support releasably mechanically couples at least one spanner to at least one platform-clamp unit to form a liquid tight seal between the spanner and cellar wall.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein each platform-clamp unit includes a clamp, a platform extending from the clamp away from the cellar and an extension extending from the clamp toward the cellar, further including
the clamp extending around the cellar wall, and
the extension extending at least partially across the top of the cellar wall to assist in positioning the platform-clamp unit relative to the cellar wall, wherein the spanner is mechanically coupled to the platform.

16. The method of claim 14 further including sandwiching at least one elongated seal member between each platform-clamp unit and the cellar wall.

17. The method of claim 13 further including sandwiching at least one elongated spanner support seal between each spanner support and at least one spanner.

18. The method of claim 17 further including sandwiching at least one elongated lip support seal between each lip support and at least one spanner.

19. The method of claim 13 further including positioning at least one removable cover atop and each spanner.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein each mat includes an upper lip extending along at least one edge thereof and a lower lip extending along at least one edge thereof, wherein when the lower lip of a mat is closest to the cellar opening, the elongated lip support is positioned atop the associated spanner and lower lip of the mat.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein when the upper lip of a mat is closest to the cellar opening, the elongated lip support is position

Assignees

• Newpark Mats & Integrated Services Llc

Inventors

• Dugas Aaron William
• Durio Kenneth Edward
• Mcdowell James Kerwin
• Bordelon Randy Paul
• Edwards Jr Richard Lamar

Classifications

• E21B33/02

  Surface sealing or packing · CPC title

• E21B33/03 Primary

  Well heads; Setting-up thereof · CPC title