DETACHABLE CAPPING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AN OIL/GAS WELL UNDER BLOWOUT CONDITIONS

• US 20150090461A1
• Filed: 08/30/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrascal, Jorge Fernando, Liliana Carrascal
• Original Assignee: Carrascal, Jorge Fernando, Liliana Carrascal
• Inventors: Carrascal, Jorge Fernando, Carrascal, Liliana
• Granted Patent: US 9,562,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/363
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/062 with sliding rams
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/04 in underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0085 Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes

Abstract

Offshore and onshore oil well blowouts can bring serious environmental damages which can cause serious economic loses. Oil wells under blowout conditions can be gushing fluids for months before the well is capped and plugged. Placing a capping device on the top of the well head can be challenged. In this paper it is presented a detachable capping device and a method that will help to control the well, or to plug it. The gushing fluids will be redirect through pipe to a surface vessel where they will be collected.

Claims

1. :

A detachable capping device for an oil/gas well under blowout conditions comprising;

Two housing members, a sealing block, or, any suitable valve that can close the flow of fluids to the outside environment, no limited to one sealing block or ram, but as many as needed, relief holes to redirect the fluids to surface, and as an option the relief hole may have a choke, or, a valve to restrict the flow of fluids where the detachable capping device can be attached to a flange in the blowout preventer, or, it can be attached to any external part of the blowout preventer by fitting any external profile in the blowout preventer, or it can be attached to the flange in a casing, or to the outside part of the casing, or riser.

2. :

The capping device from claim one wherein the detachable capping device has rollers that will facilitate the closing or opening of the sealing blocks so fluids can go to the relief pipes which are connected to a surface vessel.

3. :

The capping device from claim one wherein the detachable capping device may have a motor or a turbine which will transform the energy of the downhole fluids in electricity which can be used to warm the capping device, or where the energy can be used to choke the oil gas well, herein the detachable capping device has embedded electrical resistances that will warm the capping device in order to avoid paraffin to get solidified.

4. :

A method to take control of a blowout from an oil/gas well with a detachable capping device comprising;

Placing a detachable capping device on the place where the riser was connected into the BOPs, or, at the base where the BOPS were connected, or at any suitable place in the BOPS, if the pressure is too high and a killing string of pipe cannot be run into the well, move to closed position the sealing block and redirect the downhole fluids to surface through relief pipes;

if the pressure allows to run a killing string, run a killing string into the well, close the sealing block that will make hermetic seal with the pipe to try to take control of the gushing well using any well-known method of well control in the oil industry.

5. :

The method of claim 4, here in a sealing block can be moved to closed position to stop the flow of fluids to the outside environment, a new riser string is connected to the top of the capping device, a killing string is lowered inside the new riser, heavy fluids will be pumped to fill the pipe and the riser;

after this is done, the sealing block from the capping device will be moved to open position and a the killing string can be lowered to a position near the bottom of the well, and control of it can be taking using any well-known method for well control pumping heavy fluids and chocking the well;

if the killing string cannot be lowered near the bottom of the well, moved to closed position of the upper sealing block of the detachable capping device and start to take control of the well using a new relief well that will intercept the gushing oil/gas well near the bottom of it.