ESPRIZ funnel system

Abstract

The current system was initially designed to help reduce the environment impact on in the Gulf of Mexico, when an operation rig exploded in April 2010 and the BOP over the well did not react to cutoff of the Oil spill from the well to the sea. The leakage of oil at such depth in sea is hard to assess. In such cases controlling and collection of the spill is the first thing to do. The Espriz Funnel system is based on simple and logical principles and the operation is low cost and fast. The goal of the system consists of collecting the maximum quantity of leaked oil at seabed level to reduce environment impact. By implementing this idea between 90%-100% of leaked oil will be gathered under a funnel and conducted by pumps through a flexible pipe on sea level and then loaded into FPSO or tankers. The loaded fuel may be accompanied by sea water and separating is easy to do. By this method the contact between the leaked oil and the sea water will be reduced to minimum possible and practically the whole leaked oil will be collected, without contaminating the sea water. We can design and manufacture different models of ESPRIZ Funnels for different sea levels to increase the safety level of drilling operation and we suggest using this system as an essential safety regulation

Description

Key Points

ESPRIZ Funnel System can be used in any leakage point; including BOP, well or any part of a conduit or pipe. Whereas no principal change is required and only by changing the mechanical design according to the place, shape, depth and size of the leakage point, the funnel can be installed and collection of leaked oil will be feasible.

Channelizing and conducting the flow of oil mixed from the seabed to sea level.

The basics of the idea remain on the principle of difference of weight of two liquids; Oil and water.

Method (Figures B, C, D, E)

1- In this method, the leaked oil will be gathered under a funnel. Then the Oil will be conducted to the surface by one or several pumps to surface.

2- The difference of weight of oil and water will naturally drive the oil to the surface. This flow comes to help the task of pumps driving the oil to the surface.

3- The collected oil under the funnel will be pumped by a hydro pump installed on the top of the funnel to the sea level into a flexible tube.

4- A second pump installed on the sea level will load the oil into a FPSO or a tanker. This will also help in better performance of this flow.

Warnings:

The Funnel must most of time be floating and must not touch the seabed to stabilize the conditions of pressure and temperature and avoid the formation of hydrates. Although we need to use some other solutions like injecting Alcohol for preventing hydrate formation depending on the depth of water and temperature.

The whole system can be kept floated by a crane barge instead of using buoys.

Components required (Figure A):

1- Funnel: a funnel made of steel sheet with pyramidal form for ease of assembly and storage. The funnel can be in other forms too.

2- Buoys to keep the funnel and tubing or piping system floated.

3- Heavy anchors for fixing the funnel at required position.

4- Cables

5- Flexible tube or pipe(with or without flexible joints)

6- Valve

7- Hydro pump

8- Pump

9- FPSO, tankers

Engineering Specifications and Installation Procedure:

1- The funnel can be made of steel sheet in pyramid shape with rectangular base for easy and fast manufacturing and assembly. The funnel can be made in shipyards and assembled in target area.

2- The weight of funnel and anchors and the size of buoys must be calculated in a way to fix the floated funnel on top of leakage point.

3- As soon as all equipments are in place, the funnel will be immersed to the leakage area.

4-The immersion shall continue up to fixing the funnel over the leakage area.

5- The funnel must not touch the seabed.

6- The oil will be collected on topper part of funnel after installation. The pumping rate shall be regulated according to the conditions of leakage such as pressure, temperature and leakage rate per minute.

7- If any re-enforcement in pumping is necessary, one floating pump station can be installed in mid way also.

8- In deep seas whereas heavy weight of the flexible tube may cause troubles of being torn off or burst creating unsafe conditions, a steel belt or ring is to be put round the flexible tube at calculated distances and held by a steel wire, like a steel basket (as depicted in the picture below) to support the weight and further floating buoys to be fixed to the steel belts. (Figure D detail b)

9- To impeach hydrate formation in some cases, additives like alcohols/ steam or hot water can be thrown under the funnel

Claims

1. ESPRIZ Funnel System is a recovery system whereas, the oil, gas and any liquid mineral resources or any leakage can be collected/exploited from seabed or different sea levels through a funnel and conducted through pipe (with flexible or fixed joints) or flexible tube system to surface by suction/pumping/gas pressure/difference of temperature, to be collected in FPSO or other storages, in emergency conditions such as leakages of wells or well accessories, and even exploitation in seabed/deep sea/shallow sea.

2. ESPRIZ Funnel System, of claim 1 is a recovery system whereas a Funnel in variant size with rectangle/circular/conic shape is used to be adjusted over the leakage point, fixed on seabed or be pending by buoys, through which, the oil and gas and liquid mineral resources or any kind of floating liquid in seabed or different sea levels can be collected and conducted to the surface through a pipe or tube/flexible tube system with/without help of pumps/ suction/ gas pressure or difference of temperature/pressure flow.