Oil collector for subsea blowouts

Patent · Tue Jun 26 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6608421

Milgram, J H

A collector apparatus and collection method are disclosed for use with a blown-out seabottom wellhead. The collector apparatus, including a collector element with an extended, open base and an upper portion enclosing a volume to receive fluid (substantial quantities of gas and lesser quantities of oil) rising, in the water, from the wellhead, and a riser connected to the collector element and extending thereabove to conduct fluid therefrom, is characterized in that the collector element is adapted for fixable attachment to the ocean floor about the seabottom well head prior to any blow-out, and the upper portion of the collector element further includes a relief passage from its interior to the exterior of the collector apparatus, the release passage adapted to vent excess gas from the collector apparatus during initial stages of any blow-out. In preferred embodiments, the relief passage is valved to allow the passage to be closed after the initial stages of any blow-out to limit escape of released oil and reduce the amount of water collected and the collector includes a drilling port adapted to allow drilling operations to proceed therethrough.

• Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Patent Number(s): US 4456071
• OSTI ID: 6608421
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACCIDENTS
BLOWOUTS
CONTAINMENT
CONTROL
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
MARINE RISERS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
OIL POLLUTION CONTAINMENT
OIL SPILLS
OIL WELLS
PIPES
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
WELLS