Subsea level gas separator of crude petroleum oil

Abstract

The devised modular of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) precludes giant gas entrainment entering the rig. The effluent, past the BOP, is diverted by gravity through a ‘diversion’ tube, into the bottom of 1-3 ‘gas separator’ tanks, creating fountain-like flow. The downstream, syphoned from an ‘oil passage tank’, joins the partitioned collection system past the ‘diversion’ tube. The large top outlets of ‘all’ tanks let off ‘instantly’ rising gases.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are innumerable petroleum oil wells bored into the oceanic floor by highly evolved modern technological devices to tap the petroleum (crude oil) reservoirs. Many oil wells are clustered in the Gulf of Mexico, Arabian sea and such oceanic grounds, often of significant distance from the coast line, such wells bored through the ocean floor as far deep as a mile from the surface waters, to find their way into the underground oil containments spread many miles in area. Oil is collected from the wells into surface tanks in moderate containers, or into receptacles as large as ships.

Historically, the production of petroleum oil from the earth's mantle in the ocean floor has shrouded risk and great hazard to the natural environment that includes both the marine life forms and the terrestrial ecosystem adjacent. The greatest hazard is the ignition of the entrained highly inflammable gases like Methane, causing dangerous fires, coupled with the risk of oil spewing and polluting the sea water. Such two man-made calamities at the same time can be uncontrollable with available resources, and utterly devastating to the healthy existence of the earth's planetary life forms. For these reasons, error-proof safety systems in under water bore well digging, and highly trained personnel are required by law in all countries engaged in significant oil production. Despite such stringent laws, system failures and catastrophic results did occur historically and still occurring), though derived remedial measures through each ‘adverse-event experience’ uniquely different from the other in some form or other, are still nascent and less than perfect.

Recent event in the gulf shores of Mexico (involving BP oil company's oil well under construction, the Deep Water Horizon), wherein the ignition of the entrained Methane gas and its fire that continued unstopped for 36 hours, culminated in collapse of the surface structure of the oil well, resulting in an ever increasing gusher from the source. Several different attempts by the BP oil company's technical team to contain the spewing geyser from finding its way into the body of water, and into the gulf shores had failed, mostly due to the inherently limited robotic attempts involved in a moderately deep aquatic habitat.

As any unforeseen adversity can happen at any time before the completion of the well to its last functional detail, safety measures to weather off such events at any step of the construction have to be in place, before beginning to undertake such operation. This CIP application enumerating a model of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE) includes means and methods to be incorporated, beneficially at the most proximate site of the well, and at the earliest, for preventing a giant gas bubble formation so as to keep the rig from being a venue of danger, difficult to contain. This is one of the plurality of diverse measures described in the parent application by the Inventor Applicant, said measures however working in synchrony, to weather off any unforeseen event throughout the well construction and well operation. For the information of the said devices otherwise operative, the original application may be consulted. The original application is also a parent application for yet another CIP, detailing a ‘Detachable Island Rig’ (DIR), a subject matter that is contextually relevant being also preventive in scope, of otherwise catastrophic and totally devastating consequences, in the event of a rig-fire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is drawn to a model of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE), devised to be structured about the venue of a well head vicinity. An ‘effluent’ herein generally refers to admixed emanations from an underground oil containment, substantially in its natural form, containing gaseous hydrocarbons like methane, liquid and semisolid crude of petroleum analogs, and produced water, extracted in such natural state thereof, usually through a conduit of ‘production tubing’. In particular, the present invention is designed to separate the components of gas from the liquid and semisolid crude of petroleum analogs whereby a highly inflammable gas entrainment is precluded to find its way into the rig, a known venue of danger.

The instant SLGOE model incorporated thereto in the oil collection system, beneficially most proximate to the well head, shall mitigate the occasional failure of the ‘Blow Out Preventer’ (BOP) to resist the entrained gas under immeasurable pressure, the devised operations of the SLGOE being not to resist such force, but to instantly dissipate it thereof, by a scheme of ‘gas diversion’ altogether, whereby relatively gas-free elements of petroleum analogs will reach the venue of oil collection receptacles.

In one embodiment, the devised model has means for a diversion tube, directing the well effluent from the main oil-collecting tube about the well head, into a set of 3-4 gas separator tanks located past the well head. Each gas separator tank has its own oil inlet tube forking thereof from the diversion tube, said oil inlet tube rising few inches into the tank, with its terminal creating a fountain-like down flow of oil into the tank, set forth to be maintaining a level optimally lower than the raised terminal, a measure aided through a flow control clamp set forth about the oil inlet tube. Furthermore, each gas separator tank has perforations to its bottom, said perforations devised to be wider than the production tubing, for therefrom letting the down-streaming fountain of crude oil to flow away lower down into yet another compartment having an outlet tube, directing the oil out from the tank. Each tank further has two or more sufficiently large gas outlet pipes in the top, for letting out the natural up-flow of gases into a separate gas collecting system, leading to specially designed gas receptacles thereof, situated in a safe distance away from the rig. The gas separator tanks further contain means to disrupt a block to the flow down-stream, of liquid and semisolid crude oil of the effluent.

In yet another embodiment, there may be only one tank structured, whereby all the elements in the control and operational measures therein, are effectively minimized.

The invention further provides a model of tubing directed to all the tubular systems, said tubing structured to be having a threaded configuration on the inside or the outside, the threading encompassing the entire lengths of all the tubular systems, facilitating instant joining or closing of a broken or intact system following a catastrophic event, aided by means of—

(1) ‘instant joint structures’ with complimentary threading, shaped as I, T, J, L, C, U etc. and having straight or nested configuration, (2) closing caps with also complimentary threading, to be threaded thereto, for closing a system terminal, when system joining is of no option.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: ‘A schematic diagram of a model of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’, designed to separate the components of gas from the liquid and semisolid crude of petroleum analogs. The device of FIG. 1 also illustrates the incorporated spiral coil-churner designed to disrupt the globs of semisolid crude that may occasionally block the flow down-stream.

FIG. 2: ‘A schematic diagram of a model of a disc device’—to be incorporated thereof in a model of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE), said disc device configured to disrupt the globs of semisolid crude that may occasionally block the flow down-stream, and devised to be an alternate element thereto, in the place of the spiral coil churner of the SLGOE.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed elaboration of what was earlier briefed in the section foregoing. A model of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE), conforming to what are illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, is an unit structured on the ocean floor about the vicinity of the well head, particularly designed to separate the gas components thereof, from the liquid and semisolid crude of petroleum analogs. It is conformed to mitigate any occasional failure of a ‘Blow-Out Preventer’ (BOP) to resist a giant bubble in formation by an entrainment of inflammable gases under high pressure, never to find their way into the rig, destined by past experiences as a natural venue of danger, igniting an incessant fire by an otherwise insignificant spark. The model of SLGOE herein described is a general outline of an exemplary prototype model to which technological needs well known to the industry, may be incorporated therein. By virtue of its sheer simplicity of operation coupled with a design wherein ‘nothing is left to chance’, the SLGOE can be easily constructed on the oceanic grounds about the vicinity of the well head. The proposed model is distinguished by an unsurpassed benefit, if incorporated thereof at a site most proximate to the well head, the source of the well effluent in its formation.

FIG. 1, as illustrated, shows such outlined model which is simple in its operation, but is devised to be, as can be seen in the drawing, contrastingly different from the basic model of flow control by a ‘valve’ mechanism, because such valve mechanism at times failed to contain, and let out the inflammable gases under high pressure. Though the valves are proven ingenious inventions, in certain set ups, as in oil wells, at times with immense pressures not elsewhere encountered, the valves inherently lack provisions thereof, to ‘resist’ these pressures, an example that ‘nature's might’ is yet to be conquered despite the growing technological sophistications. The valves are probably better suited to resist pressures originating from within the narrow caliber conduits, such as a ‘production tubing’, at least in few instances of unexpected pressures. However, when the innermost casing is the oil conduit, as—(1) is mandated before a well completion to its last functional detail, a situation similar to Deep Water Horizon Oil Well blow out, and (2) in high production wells, when high flow is planned without the well destined for the incorporation of a ‘production tubing’—the resistance of the BOP to be exerted in both instances, is against a well containment under greatest pressure. It can be compared to a narrow door controlling a main entry vs. wide gates fully open when the flood of onslaught thereto, is naturally through a higher dimension. Most, though not all BOP failures probably happened/happen under such circumstance. Henceforth, it is prudent that yet another mechanism in conjunction be also set in place, to mitigate the BOP failures and the resulting calamity, especially for a so far insurmountable situational calamity, before a well completion.

The FIG. 1, not drawn to scale, is a schematic model of ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil well Effluent’ (SLGOE), to be preferably effectuated on the ocean grounds, in the vicinity of the well head, shows the oil diversion tube 70 beyond its origin about the well head. The said tube 70 is structured to further fork into 3 oil inlet tubes 72, each leading into a moderately large tank 74. Typically, the bottom of each tank 74 has wide sieve-like perforations 76 throughout, whereas the top of the tank is fitted with widely configured gas outlet tubes 78. They can be studded all around the circumferential periphery of the top. The FIG. 2 though illustrating two, obviously a real model is more accommodating. Each tank contains a relatively smaller additional compartment 82 below the level of the sieved bottom, and the said compartment is fitted with a large bottom outlet tube 84, its diametric configuration devised, preferably, wider than the incorporated ‘production tubing’. The forked oil tubes 72 entering the tanks 74 are structured to rise few inches (about 8-10) thereof, from the bottom of the tanks, to facilitate a fountain like drop-flow into the bottom of the tanks, as the oil overflows out of the tubes 72. Due to such structural arrangement, as soon as the oil gas effluent enters the tanks 74 through the tubes 72, it over-flows to be tossed into the aerial milieu of the spacious tank, whereby the gaseous components of the effluent are fated to instantly ascend to the top of the tank, and the liquid and the semi-solid crude fated to instantly gravitate down, as dictated by the laws of natural properties. This separation is instantaneous, in marked contrast with a voluminous column of an effluent occupying the tank (an otherwise typical model) wherein even with regard to a liquid gusher, its force is attenuated by instant separation of the gases, whatever be their proportion, yet deemed to he contributing to the force, whereby such gusher can be at least tackled by the surface BOP. The crude petroleum analogs overflowing down the tubes 72, finds its way through wide perforations 76 in the bottom of the tanks to the compartments 82 below. The compartments 82 fitted with outlet tubes 84 let the oil out continuously from the bottom. The gaseous components of the effluent rising to the top of the tank and led into the outlet tubes 78, further flow into a sufficiently large and sturdy common tube, and then into separate gas collection system diverted away from the rig. The gas collection system is connected to specially devised receptacles with provision thereof to deal with gases under high pressures. The outlet tubes 84 from all tanks join a single collecting tube 86, just outside the tanks.

The tanks 74, to be best suited for their functional demands, should be located at a lower ground thereof, than the point of origin of the effluent ‘diversion tube’ 70 about the well head structure. The ground level is deemed optimal if the terminals of the inlet tubes 72 into the tanks are at lower horizontal level than the originating, generally horizontally positioned diversion tube 70.

The separated crude petroleum analogs flowing out into the collection tube 86 are diverted into yet another ‘oil passage tank’, effectively located at a lower level, wherein the oil from the tube 86 flows down, from the top. From this tank, oil is returned to the main collection tube about the well head, by mechanical means thereof. Such means, for example, are aided by laws of hydraulics, similar to the ‘siphon’ principle. In this instance, a tube originates from the bottom liquid column of the ‘oil passage tank’, to then reach a higher level about the well head, directing the return of oil flow by ‘siphoning’ principles. This incorporated model of ‘oil passage tank’ completely alienates the gas separation tanks 74 from the ‘natural drawing force’ (the latter as an effect of the siphoning principle), whereby the gaseous components will not be otherwise sucked into the down-stream liquid oil collection system, from the tanks 74. Such drawing force created by siphoning principle is exclusively directed to the ‘oil passage tank’, in effect, returning the oil to higher grounds about the well head. The ‘oil passage tank’ can also be fitted with one or more optimally sized gas outlet tubes in the top (to join the main gas collection system), whereby any gaseous components of significance can be furthermore separated. A ‘transition tank’, also located at a lower level, to receive the well effluent first, and then to direct it to the gas separator tank(s) 74, can also be incorporated into the system to buffer the transition, and further to make needed interventions smoother. It is obvious that these different functional tanks are arranged stepwise, to facilitate the forces of gravity, and once these natural forces are structurally made operational, they need no further mending or monitoring, except what is the ‘security routine

The tubes 72 are fitted with external control on/off devices 73 to stop entry of the effluent into any tank 74, when desired. The control devices 73 can also regulate the quantitative oil inflow thereto in such a manner that the level 80 of the oil in the tanks 74 is kept optimally below the terminals of the tubes 72 in the tanks 74, under usual circumstances, as shown in the FIG. 1. For new wells with very high flow therein, all tanks 74 are operational. When flow slows down, only 1 or 2 functioning tanks are sufficient.

The perforations 76 of the sieved bottom of the tanks 74 are devised to be slightly wider than the diameter of the production tubing wherein the globs of crude oil that could flow through the production tubing may not be generally expected to block the openings 76.

In a different embodiment, there may be only one structured tank 74, wherein all the operative components, control components, and monitoring components, in effect, can be substantially minimized. However, the outlet flow downstream yet shall go through the ‘oil passage tank’, and then be returned to the collection system by siphoning principle, as described in the foregoing. Structuring only two tanks can also be an option.

The Pressure Principles Governing the SLGOE Operations ‘Water seeks its own level’ was the essence of Aristotle's principle long ago. In five words it had effectively summated volumes. Contextually, the principle was directed to the hydraulics governing the ‘siphoning’ principle. It connotes that an isolated but connected body of water maintains, in all its containments, the same horizontal level from the ground, and in effect, water may not be diverted to a higher level thereof, except by means of the siphoning principle. This forms the basis for the SLGOE unit and all its extensions need be located at a lower level than the point of origin of the diversion tube 70 about the well head. It is for the reason that the terminal flows of the inlet tubes 72 are part of the isolated body of water, yet connected to the point of origin of the diversion tube 70 about the well head, and hence will not rise and emanate the fountain flow unless the tubes 72 in their entirety are at or about a lower horizontal level. It is functionally assuring to be at a lower level. The fountain flow need not be a formation of a typical up flowing jet, but there should be rise of the effluent column, with a profusion of overflow therefrom. The flow into the inlet tubes 72 are best achieved by the natural forces of gravity in this setting, whereas the flow of the oil up stream, into a higher ground, from the ‘oil passage tank’, in effect, is best achieved by siphoning principle. It may be understood that the diversion tube 70 shown in the FIG. 1, positioned at a lower level than the oil inlet tubes 72, is the most distally drawn oil tubing reaching the tanks, and may not conform to the diversion tubing at its point of origin thereof, about the well head. One of the fore going paragraphs also contained a related subject matter. Those skilled in the hydraulic engineering are well versed with these governing principles that need no further enumeration.

The ocean grounds may need some excavation to accommodate the SLGOE unit, as it in turn needs to accommodate the ‘oil passage tank’ also, at even a lower level. It should not be hard for the oil explorers, as digging even deeper being their expertise.

In any model of embodiment, the gas separator tank 74 will need be provided with a monitoring video device, a sonar device if indicated, and a light source, to visualize the state of affairs within the tank, all operated by solar battery power source.

The Coil-Device of the SLGOE

As a pro-active measure, or as a measure that ‘nothing should be left to chance’, each tank 74 of the ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE), is fitted with a spirally wound ‘dispersion coil’ 88, preferably in steel, suspended from a top structure of the tank by two rods about a ring structure, the latter attached to its top coil. The spiral coil is designed in an inverted funnel configuration, its bottom coil devised to be the widest, and the uppermost coil the smallest. The ‘dispersion coil’ 88 moves up and down when operational (in case a block to the down-stream oil flow from the tanks 74 is noted or suspected), its spring-action with axial downward thrust of all coils disrupting any semisolid crude thereof, blocking the bottom perforations 76 of a tank. The inner diameter of the uppermost coil (with the smallest diameter of all) of the spiral is optimally designed to be wider than the outer diameter of the oil inlet tube 72, as the said coil traverses in closest proximity around the tube 72, in its downward axial motion, when the device is operative. The coil-device can also be operational in continuum at preset intervals thereof, however only infrequently, that is, at about every 1-2 hour intervals, in effect conforming to 4-5 axial motions each time. The two suspension rods from the top of the tank attached to the uppermost coil of the device, as illustrated in FIG. 1, are designed to be mostly positioned outside the tank as when the ‘dispersion coil’ is nearer to the top, whereby the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls, structured therein outside the tank.

The Disc-Device of the SLGOE

In yet another embodiment, the coil device of each gas separator tank 74 is replaced by a metal disc device 580, shown in FIG. 2. The disc device is preferably made of steel. It consists of a disc 584, with a central aperture 582, the diameter of the aperture configured to be far wider than the outer diameter of the oil inlet tube 72. The disc 584 has an upper superior surface, and a lower inferior surface, and it is suspended from a top structure of the tank 74 by two rods 588 attached to its superior surface. The rods 588 are positioned in equidistance, and are designed for axial motion downward and upward in a pre-configured manner at frequent intervals, or as required when a block to outflow of the tank 74 is suspected down-stream. The inferior surface of the disc 584 is structured to have multiple spikes 586 located in a positional configuration thereof that corresponds to the position of the bottom perforations 76 of the tank. The cross sectional diameter of the spikes 586 is devised to be optimally smaller than the perforations 76, as, in the axial downward motion of the disc device 580, the spikes 586 are designed to pass through the perforations 76 of the tank, wherein any globs of the semisolid crude blocking the perforations, is thereby disrupted. The central aperture 582 of the disc is sized far wider, whereby, in the axial motion of the device 580, it is positioned around the oil inlet tube 72 in an easy accommodating manner, as also to letting the easy ascent of the up flowing gases. The disc-device when operational in continuum at preset intervals thereof, however only infrequently, that is, at about every 1-2 hour intervals, it conforms to deliver a series of 4-5 axial motions each time. The metal disc 584 as devised in the invention has an incline, rather than the flat design, as of a CD-ROM disc. That is, it is suspended from the top of the tank 74 like a lamp shade with a little downward incline. In this preferred configuration the semisolid crude of the effluent falling on to the top of the disc 584 in its axial motion about the level of the oil inlet tube 72, will flow down and not settle on the surface, by virtue of the downward incline. Accordingly, to be in conformity with the function, the spikes 586 that are centrally located about the disc 584, are structured longer, whereby all the spikes in their lower free ends are in a same horizontal plane.

The disc 584 is sized to be not spreading through the whole of the tank top, the gas outlet tubes 78 being positioned to occupy a wide outer circumferential dimension. The suspension rods 588 are devised to be mostly positioned outside the tank 74 as when the disc 584 is nearer to the top, wherein the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls structured outside the tank 74.

In yet another embodiment the disc device 580 is made with hemi structures of the disc 584. In this model, the device otherwise conforms to the similar structural and functional design of the whole disc, except in the following—1. the circular central aperture of the whole disc is herein structured as a semi-circle; 2. the downward motion of the hemi structures alternate (i.e. timed differently) with each other, and so is the upward motion. The design has an added advantage that the effluent semi-solid crude will mostly slide down and not settle on the top of the disc devices, the hemi structure aiding rather a better dissipation thereof.

The Vulcanized Rubber as the Structural Constituent

It can be noted that all the rubber washers or any assembly devices of rubber incorporated in the oil gas separator model is made of vulcanized rubber, the only type of rubber that can resist the degrading attack of the petroleum analogs.

The Utilitarian Merits of the Invention

The proposed model as a whole encompasses a simple method that can be effectuated on the oceanic grounds in the vicinity of the oil well, to separate the regularly encountered oil gas mixture, or occasionally encountered greater amount of admixed gas under significant pressure. The target is to mitigate dangerous calamities by whatever means thereof, rather than 100% refining measures of oil gas separation that is otherwise pursued by the ‘oil production plants’ engaged in exclusive crude-oil separation (the ‘Oil Refineries’) by means of a highly involved process of ‘Fractional Distillation’.

The SLGOE device is obviously intended to preclude possible entrainment of inflammable gases into the petroleum collection system, and then into the rig thereof, setting up dangerous fire by an otherwise insignificant ignition spark, inherent to the rig for whatever reason. Compared to the enormous resistance exerted by the conventional BOP the means and method steps described as in the SLGOE seems too simplistic, but there is an inherent difference that is taken advantage of, to propose such a model. The principal involved in the BOP is to ultimately resist the well pressure when needed, especially if it is a giant gas bubble of entrained gases—but that it can fail to resist, as in the BP's Deep Water Horizon Oil Well blow-out. The SLGOE device makes no effort to contain such gas pressure simply for the reason that at certain thresholds, it is clearly uncontainable. Accordingly, it is prudent to let out such pressure, totally if possible, and in case it is only partial, at least the opposing pressure is optimized, for the surface BOP near the rig level to be able to control, and prevent a blow-out. Obviously, it is generally not a sure plan of the SLGOE device to control a high pressured liquid oil-gusher from the oil well. However, if the SLGOE unit is incorporated about the well head, that oil-gas separation occurs at the earliest in the collecting system, that even a high pressured liquid-gusher with admixed gases of any proportion is thereby attenuated for the surface BOP to tackle, with its occasional failure possibly precluded.

The SLGOE device can be incorporated into the oil collection unit anywhere in a manner feasible, the ocean grounds about the well head being the most beneficial venue, as thus far emphatically suggested. The oil conduit about the well head, by any suitable means, can be structured to have a diverting oil-outlet tube, and a merging oil-inlet tube, so incorporating the SLGOE unit into the oil collecting system, subject to separating the oil and the gas at the source, at the earliest, precluding a giant gas bubble entering the rig at any time through-out the rig operation.

For the BOP to control pressures involving most powerful of ruptures, in all high volume wells where such events can be reasonably expected, it is a worth trying option to divide the oil line into multiple outlet conduits within the innermost casing and each outlet conduit structured to pass through its own stack of BOP, wherein each stack of BOP can tackle the divided power of the gusher, reduced to half, or to one third of its strength. It implies, it is a good practice to never allow a production casing (the innermost casing) to be a functioning oil-conduit in high volume wells, a practice that takes out at the outset, probably an unrecognized brewing recipe for danger.

Other incidentally happening advantage for the oil companies is—reclaiming substantial amount of gaseous components of the well effluent, instead of the oil refineries doing so. Why it is substantial is, once the effluent is thrown into the aerial milieu of the tanks, the gaseous elements can only rise up to the tank to be let off. Only small bubbles intimately admixed with semisolid effluent are left to be separated by the oil refineries. These seemingly unwanted elements are highly useful for other purposes that the gas companies can also invest on, which probably they are already doing, as indeed they extracted these from the underwater oil containments.

Threaded Instant Joint Configurations and Closing Caps

The invention further envisions a model of tubing directed to all tubular systems, and their methods of instant system joining or closing, for all future oil exploration units, or as a replacement-tubing for existing units. The model of tubular systems are structured to be having a deep threaded configuration on the inside or the outside, traversing the entire lengths of all the involved tubular systems, facilitating instant joining or closing of a broken or intact system, aided by means of—(1) ‘Instant joint structures’ shaped as I, T, J, L, C, U, Y etc. with complimentary threading, and having a straight or nested configuration, to be inserted thereto, for the system joining, when a conduit line is broken and interrupted. The middle part of the structures can be enlarged in circumference for easy handling even by the robotic maneuvers; or (2) ‘Closing caps’, also with complimentary threading to be threaded thereto, for closing a system, when system joining is of no option. The structure can have a stem of tubing with complimentary threading to connect, wherefrom it enlarges to a tubing double the size or more, ending in a very sturdy and massive closing cap to resist enormous pressure exerted by the tubular system, at the terminal, and the size of the cap ensures easy manipulation, even by the robotic maneuvers.

The tubing involved can be production tubing, oil collection tubing, tubular system involving the rig, the ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE), and any tubing wherein said configuration is deemed effective. Such structural mandate is as important as all the safety devices incorporated thereof, in case ‘fire and well surface blow-out’ happen, resulting in a ‘disconnect’ in the system—when instant joining anywhere necessary is accomplished, or else instant closing of the system anywhere necessary is similarly accomplished. The configured joint structures shaped as specified above, are used as one or multiple joints. I and/or T joints are usually needed to aid incorporating other joint structures, to restore a conduit line, or complex interconnections. It does not imply that the threaded tubing is novel, but implementing such system in the context of oil wells, especially involving all tubular systems and traversing their entire length is novel, as only such model can instantly join or close the system anywhere at any time mitigating catastrophic consequences. Said tubing deployed all through the well and rig structuring, wherein the SLGOE is incorporated, ensures an immediate restoration of SLGOE functioning, when a tubing system is disrupted for what so ever reasons. System upsets at and around, are unintended for the purposes of SLGOE functioning. It is a pertinent answer to the pertinent inquiry that how best the materials, methods, and the means plus steps functions limitations are chosen, in an unpredictable and difficult to contain deep sea habitat, wherein nothing may be left to chance. Moreover, what needs to be herein implemented is a small step forward in means familiar, however, with a big leap in functions achievable.

Claims

1. A preferred prototype model of a ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) structured about the vicinity of an oceanic oil well, devised to prevent entrained giant bubbles of inflammable gases of an admixed effluent from the said oil well source entering into its ‘collecting system’ and therefrom to its terminal receptacles about a rig, the said SLGOE model unit embodying means and methods, as set forth below— (a) means of a ‘diversion’ tubing, directing the admixed effluent from a main oil-collecting tube about a well head: into a set of 3 ‘gas separator’ tanks, each tank receiving an independent oil ‘inlet tube’ forking from the said ‘diversion’ tubing; said means of ‘diversion’ tubing further having provisions thereof for the effluent to initially pass through a ‘transition tank’ before reaching the said ‘gas separator’ tanks,(b) each of the said oil ‘inlet tube’ having an open terminal, rising few inches into the said ‘gas separator’ tank creating a fountain-like up flow of oil (the ‘up flow’ model), its downstream collection in the tank maintaining a level lower than the raised terminal, optimally aided through a flow control clamp about the oil inlet tube,(c) each of the ‘gas separator’ tanks having perforations to its bottom, said perforations devised to be wider than an incorporated production tubing (thereby precluding any block by semisolid components of the effluent), letting the said down-streaming fountain of the oil-effluent to flow away into a smaller lower compartment having an outlet tube about its bottom,(d) each tank further having plurality of gas outlet pipes about the top, for letting out the natural up-flow of gases into a gas collecting system leading to specially designed gas receptacles, positioned at a safe distance away from the rig,(e) means for all the outlet tubes of liquid and semisolid effluent about the bottom of the tanks to join a single collecting tube, just outside the gas separator tanks, wherein incorporated rubber washers of all the tubing about the SLGOE unit conforming to be of vulcanized rubber, whereas the tubing itself having threading all through, to facilitate joining or closing the tubing system following a catastrophic event, the specially devised means of ‘closing caps’ and ‘joint structures’ of diverse configurations with complimentary threading, aiding said closing or said joining, either configured for robotic maneuvering also,(f) the said clamp about each oil inlet tube to the tank, for controlling volume flow, further aiding also in disconnecting a tank by its on/off control thereof, only high volume/high production wells subject to operating all the tanks,(g) means to be devised for the SLGOE unit to be incorporated into the oil collection system anywhere by any means, the ocean grounds about the well head being the most beneficial venue, subject to separating the gas most proximate to the source, past the ‘Blow Out Presenter’ (BOP), said unit also incorporated at the earliest time feasible, to preclude gas entrainment and well blow out at its earliest occasion about the well operations,(h) means to be devised for the SLGOE unit to be incorporated as the most proximal outlet past the BOP about the well head, so that the force of even a high pressured liquid-gusher with admixed gases of any proportion that a blow out preventer (BOP) occasionally fails to tackle, will be attenuated, to be further tackled by the surface BOP, about the rig,(i) each of the said gas separator tanks equipped to be having video and/or sonar monitoring device(s), to be aided by solar battery power source,(j) the SLGOE unit is positioned optimally lower on the oceanic grounds, whereby the terminals of the ‘oil inlet tubes’ of the ‘gas separator’ tanks are at a horizontally lower level than the origin of the ‘diversion’ tubing about the well head, the SLGOE unit, past the ‘gas separator’ tanks, further incorporating an ‘oil passage tank’ positioned in an yet lower level, the effluent oil from all ‘gas separator tanks’ flowing into, from its top, to be further returned to the collection system about the well head by a siphoning tube originating from the ‘oil passage tank’, whereas the incoming gas if any, leaves through its top outlets,(k) the ‘gas separator’ tank(s) of the SLGOE unit are structured at the top with an incorporated ‘oil dispersion’ device that disrupts any block to the flow downstream, by the semisolid components of the effluent,(l) the SLGOE unit may be structured as ‘SLGOE modular unit’ capsule of different reconfigured sizes to be stationed on the ocean rounds about the well head wherein: (1) the said modular capsule is lowered to a wide saucer shaped excavated ocean floor, with its inlet and outlet tubing temporarily capped, and in case of un-excavated grounds, the oil ‘diversion tube and the ‘merging’ tube are set forth at a higher optimal level; (2) a stepwise incline of the multiple tanks of the SLGOE unit is configured within the said modular, while its wheeled base conforms to be horizontal, for its easy and secure stationing onto the excavated grounds, to be anchored by metal chains to cement slabs by strategically placed hooks and rings; (3) the said ‘modular’ having access to the well's ‘drilling conductor’ lust above the base piece of the conductor, said access set forth through an upper terminal of an incorporated ‘SLGOE tubular’ of the ‘SLGOE modular’; (4) the said ‘SLGOE tubular’ at its lower terminal rests on the ocean grounds, while its lower opening accessing a side wall of the ‘SLGOE modular’; (5) the said ‘SLGOE modular’ capsule encompassing the ‘transition tank’, the ‘gas separation’ tank(s), and the ‘oil passage tank’, is made of metal and stationed at a lower level than the originating ‘diversion’ tube about the well head.

2. The preferred prototype embodiment of a ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) of claim 1, wherein incorporated into the top of each ‘gas separator tank’ tank is an inverted funnel shaped, and spirally wound ‘dispersion coil’ of a malleable metal, the latter having means and methods as set forth below— (a) the unit encompassing the ‘dispersion coil’ being incorporated into a top structure of the tank by its two vertical rods, positioned in equidistance about a ring structure attached to its uppermost coil, and is designed for an axial downward and upward motion,(b) the said uppermost coil of the spiral ‘dispersion coil’ having a smallest dimension of all the coils, in their circular planes,(c) the spiral coil having its lowermost coil devised to be having a widest dimension about its circular plane,(d) when operational, the axial downward motion of the unit, and thereby the spring action of the ‘dispersion coil’ with an axial downward thrust of all the coils as far as to the bottom of the tank, is devised for disrupting any semisolid effluent blocking the bottom perforations of the tank,(e) the said uppermost coil of the spiral, configured to be positioned around and in closest proximity to the oil inlet tube, is optimally sized with its inner dimension sufficiently wider than the outer diameter of the oil inlet tube, conforming to an easy movement in its axial motion,(f) the said incorporated rods of the ‘dispersion coil’ unit are devised to be mostly positioned outside the tank, as when the spiral coil is nearer to the top, wherein the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls structured outside the tank,(g) the ‘dispersion coil’ unit is devised to be having the axial motion in pre-configured intervals as a continuum, or as required when an outflow block to the tank is suspected.

3. The preferred prototype embodiment of a ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent (SLGOE) of claim 2, wherein the coil device of each ‘gas separator’ tank is substituted by yet another embodiment of a metal disc device, preferably in steel, with its means and methods as below— 1. the ‘disc device’ may be set forth as a ‘whole circular disc’ device, wherein the whole circular disc is having a configuration of a lamp shade with very little downward incline, as also having, a lower surface and an upper surface,2. the said circular disc is supported in a top structure of the tank by two rods positioned in equidistance, and attached to the said upper surface of the disc about its circumference,3. the said rods having axial motion downward and upward in pre-configured intervals, or as required, as when an outflow block to the tank is suspected,4. the said circular disc is devised to having a central aperture, the latter with a diameter far wider than the configured outer diameter of the oil inlet tube,5. said lower surface of the circular disc is structured to have multiple spikes located in a positional configuration corresponding to the positions of the bottom perforations of the tanks, each spike having a diameter optimally smaller than the said perforations,6. the disc's centrally located spikes are structured longer, whereby all the spikes in their lower free ends are in a same horizontal plane,7. in an axial downward motion of the disc device, all the spikes are devised to pass through the bottom holes of the tank, whereby any semisolid crude blocking the holes is disrupted,8. the said circular disc is sized to be not spreading through the whole of the tank top, the gas outlet tubes of the tank being located to be occupying a wide outer circumferential dimension,9. the said supporting rods are devised to be mostly positioned outside the tank, as when the disc device is nearer to the top, wherein the axial motion of the rods conform to external controls structured outside the tank,10. the disc device when made with hemi structures of the disc, it otherwise conforms to similar structural and functional design of the whole circular disc, except that the complete upward and downward motion of the hemi structures alternate.

4-5. (canceled)

6. A preferred prototype model of a ‘Subsea Level Gas Separator of Oil Well Effluent’ (SLGOE) structured about the vicinity of an oceanic oil well, the said SLGOE unit being devised as a ‘down flow’ model with no designed oil ‘dispersion device’, or a ‘hybrid’ model, and embodying the means and methods as set forth below— (a) means for an oil ‘diversion tube’ from the well head entering from the side of a first ‘gas separator’ tank near its top, or from its top itself, through an oil ‘inlet tube’ far larger than the ‘production tubing’, with the effluent flowing down into the tank (the ‘down flow’ model),(b) means for the first ‘gas separator’ tank to have an oil ‘outlet tube’ at the bottom, large sized as the ‘inlet tube’, with also large sized multiple gas outlet tubes in the top, to join a large gas collection tube,(c) means for the oil of the first tank to be flowing from its ‘outlet tube’, into a second tank positioned at a lower level so that it enters also from the surface level of the said second tank through its ‘inlet tube’, with provision also for multiple large gas outlet tubes at the top, ensuring complete separation of gaseous components at the source,(d) the said second ‘gas separator’ tank having a ‘syphoning tube’ rising from the bottom of oil effluent column, to reach the said oil collection system about the well head as a ‘merging tube’, to join above the said ‘diversion’ tube,(e) means for the model to be configured as a ‘hybrid’ model, wherein: (1) the first ‘gas separator’ tank with oil down flowing from a peripheral inlet of its top, has an incorporated effluent ‘dispersion’ device also at the top; (2) a sieved bottom with an oil outlet tube; (3) large sized multiple gas outlet tubes at the top; (4) the second gas separator’ tank with a ‘siphoning tube’ being unchanged from the fore going ‘down flow’ model,(f) the devised ‘down flow’ model or the ‘hybrid’ model of the SLGOE unit is structured as a ‘modular’ capsule, its means being similar to the ‘up-flowing’ model of the SLGOE modular capsule.