ENHANCED HYDROCARBON WELL BLOWOUT PROTECTION

• US 20110297396A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catherine G. Lin-Hendel, Rudolf H. Hendel
• Original Assignee: Catherine G. Lin-Hendel, Rudolf H. Hendel
• Inventors: Hendel, Rudolf H., Lin-Hendel, Catherine G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,057,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/379
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/10 Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/035 specially adapted for underwater installations E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/0122 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 Class Codes: F16K 15/033 spring-loaded

Abstract

Protection at a hydrocarbon well is enhanced by placing a blowout preventer over a well head. An adapter is connected to the blowout preventer. The adapter includes a valve that when turned off prevents non-production flow from the blowout preventer to a riser pipe.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enhancing well protection, the apparatus comprising:

a blowout preventer placed over a well head; and

,

an adapter connected to the blowout preventer, the adapter including;

a flange,

a valve, which when shut prevents a non-production flow from entering a riser pipe from the blowout preventer,

a valve control mechanism, and

a control command receiving mechanism.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter includes:

a hydrocarbon detector which shuts the valve when the hydrocarbon detector detects hydrocarbon coming into the adapter.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the valve can be controlled by a command signal from a rig.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the valve can be controlled by a command signal from a remotely operated vehicle.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is located between the blowout preventer and a riser pipe.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is located between the well head and the blowout preventer.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is connected to a riser pipe by a top flange of the adapter.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is connected to the blowout preventer by a bottom flange of the adapter.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a top flange of the adapter is connected to a flexible pipe and the top flange of the flexible pipe is connected to a riser pipe.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is connected to the blowout preventer by a plug placed into a pipe extending out from the blowout preventer.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter is connected to the blowout preventer by a pipe sleeve lined with pliable material.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter includes a branch, the branch including:

a second valve which when open provides a channel for hydrocarbons to flow away from the well;

a second valve control mechanism; and

a second control command receiving mechanism.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the branch is equipped to pipe a hydrocarbon flow to a hydrocarbon collection facility.

14. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the branch is equipped to pipe the hydrocarbon flow to a storage unit at the seafloor.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14, the storage unit includes a manifold connecting to a storage tank, wherein when the storage tank is filled, the manifold shuts the hydrocarbon flow to the storage tank and closes a valve of the filled storage tank so that the storage tank is ready to be transported.

16. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the storage unit includes a gas outlet pipe at a top location of the storage unit and an oil outlet pipe at a bottom location of the storage unit.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein an outlet pipe additionally connects to at least one storage tank.

18. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein an outlet pipe connects to the storage tank through a manifold.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein when the storage tank is filled, the manifold shuts flow to the filled storage tank and closes a valve of the filled storage tank so that the filled storage tank is ready to be transported.

20. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the branch is equipped with a pressure sensor, and connected with a casing pipe annular space and a fluid overflow bladder, and wherein the apparatus regulates pressure in the annular space by conducting drilling fluid in and out of the annular space.

21. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein at least one branch conducts drilling fluid up-flow to the rig.

22. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the branch comprises:

a separator that separates oil from gas;

a first sub-branch that receives gas from the separator; and

,

a second sub-branch that receives oil from the separator.

23. An apparatus as in claim 22 wherein the first sub branch and second sub branch each includes a valve.

24. An apparatus as in claim 1 additionally comprising:

an assembly driver string passing through the adapter.

25. An apparatus as in claim 24 additionally comprising:

a well plug located at the bottom of the assembly driver string for plugging the well at the bottom of the well bore.

26. An apparatus as in claim 1 additionally comprising:

an assembly drill pipe string passing through the adaptor, wherein the assembly drill pipe string is equipped with a one-way check valve that prevents hydrocarbon up flow through the assembly drill pipe string.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the one-way check valve is constructed using a shutter plate.

28. An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the one-way check valve is a tubal shutter plate check valve.

29. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the valve is an iris shutter valve.

30. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a top of the adapter is capped.

31. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the adapter includes:

a branch that includes a second valve which when open provides a channel for hydrocarbon to flow away from the well; and

,

a hydrocarbon detector which, when the hydrocarbon detector detects hydrocarbon coming into the adapter, shuts the valve of the adapter and opens the second valve.

32. An apparatus as in claim 31 wherein the hydrocarbon detector is combined with a bleed valve.

33. An apparatus as in claim 32 wherein the bleed valve is an iris shutter valve.

34. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a branch and a storage unit, wherein the branch provides a channel for hydrocarbon to flow to the storage unit.

35. A method for enhancing protection at a hydrocarbon well, the method comprising:

placing a blowout preventer over a well head; and

,

connecting an adapter to the blowout preventer, the adapter including a valve, a valve control mechanism, and a control command receiving mechanism that when the valve is shut prevents a non-production flow from the blowout preventer to a riser pipe.

36. A method as in claim 35 wherein the adapter is connected between the well head and the blowout preventer.

37. A method as in claim 35 wherein the adapter is connected to the blowout preventer by a plug placed into a pipe extending out from the blowout preventer.

38. A method as in claim 35 wherein the adapter is connected to the blowout connector by a pipe sleeve lined with pliable material.

39. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

providing a channel for hydrocarbons to flow away from the well when the valve is shut.

40. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

providing a channel for hydrocarbons to flow away from the well when the valve is shut, including separating oil from gas so that the oil and the gas flow into different sub-channels.

41. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

providing a channel for hydrocarbons to flow to a hydrocarbon collection facility.

42. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

providing a channel for hydrocarbons to flow into a storage unit at sea floor.

43. A method as in claim 42, wherein the hydrocarbons flow through a manifold into a storage tank.

44. A method as in claim 43, wherein when the storage tank is full, the manifold shuts the hydrocarbon flow to the filled storage tank and closes a valve of the filled storage tank.

45. A method as in claim 42, wherein the storage unit separates gas from oil, wherein methane gas exit out the unit from a gas pipe located at a top location of the storage unit, and oil exit out of an oil pipe located at a bottom location of the storage unit.

46. A method as in claim 45, wherein an outlet pipe additionally connects to a storage tank.

47. A method as in claim 45, an outlet pipe additionally connects to the storage tank through a manifold;

wherein when the storage tank is full, the manifold shuts flow to the filled storage tank and closes a valve of the filled storage tank to prepare the storage tank for transport.

48. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

shutting the valve when hydrocarbon is detected coming into the adapter core space.

49. A method as in claim 35 wherein the adapter is connected between the blowout preventer and the riser pipe.

50. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

providing a channel for conducting drilling fluids back up to the rig.

51. A method as in claim 35 additionally comprising:

providing a channel for managing annular pressure buildup.

52. A well safety system, comprising:

a blowout preventer placed over a well head; and

,

an anchored infrastructure that protects the well head and the blowout preventer.

53. A well safety system as in claim 52 wherein the anchored infrastructure includes anchoring piers driven into the sea floor, the anchoring piers anchoring the blowout preventer and the well head to the sea floor.

54. A well safety system as in claim 52 wherein the anchored infrastructure includes a pier anchoring disc and an anchoring pier, the anchoring pier being driven through a center hole of the pier anchoring disc into the sea floor.

55. A well safety system as in claim 52 wherein the anchored infrastructure includes a platform above the blowout preventer, the platform being anchored to the sea floor by anchoring piers.

56. A well safety system as in claim 52 wherein the anchored infrastructure includes a containment and protection chamber that covers the blowout preventer and the well head.

57. A well safety system as in claim 52 wherein the containment and protection chamber includes a hydrocarbon collection pipe adaptor.

58. A well safety system as in claim 52 wherein the anchored infrastructure includes a base plate located under the blowout preventer on the sea floor, the well head and the blowout preventer being anchored to the base plate.

59. A well safety system as in claim 58 wherein the anchored infrastructure includes a blowout preventer support framework anchored to the base plate.

60. A system for enhancing well safety, the system comprising:

a well casing pipe equipped with a one-way check valve preventing hydrocarbon up flow into the well casing pipe.

61. A system as in claim 60, the one-way check valve is a tubal shutter plate check valve.

62. A system as in claim 60, the one-way check valve is an iris shutter check valve.

63. A system as in claim 60, the one-way check valve is constructed using a shutter plate.

64. A system as in claim 60, the one-way check valve is a tubal shutter check valve.

65. A system as in claim 60, the system additionally includes:

a drill pipe equipped with the one-way check valve preventing hydrocarbon up flow into the drill pipe.

66. A system as in claim 65, the system additionally includes:

a production pipe equipped with a safety valve, which reduces its opening when detecting a flow above a safety threshold.