Deepwater Oil Containment Methods and Structures, Underwater Oil Containment Bubbles, Domes, Tents, Bags and Other Flexible Structures

Abstract

Large-volume oil containment bubbles, domes, tents, silos and other flexible structures are provided, especially using an oil-impermeable, water-permeable material such as uncoated nylon. A relatively light-weight flexible structure can be arrayed at sea surface, and dispatched downwards to deepwater such as by adding weighting pellets in hollow region(s).

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . An open-ended oil containment structure useable to contain an underwater oil discharge at a sea floor, comprising:
 an oil-impermeable container section;   an open bottom end,   
       wherein when the containment structure contacts the sea floor, a containment volume is formed,
 at least one hollow shaft into which may be received weighting pellets or other masses. 
 
     
     
         4 . The oil containment structure of  claim 3 , comprising weighting pellets or other masses. 
     
     
         5 . The oil containment structure of  claim 3 , comprising at least one port that is connectible to tubing or piping through which oily water exits from the containment volume and/or connectible to an underwater oil containment bag that receives oily water exiting from the oil containment volume. 
     
     
         6 . The oil containment structure of  claim 3 , comprising a plurality of ports. 
     
     
         7 . The oil containment structure of  claim 3 , wherein the oil-impermeable container section is water permeable. 
     
     
         8 . The oil containment structure of  claim 3 , the container section being sized and shaped that the containment volume when the containment structure contacts the sea floor is at least a million gallons. 
     
     
         9 . A method of containing an underwater oil discharge, comprising:
 from a starting point above the underwater oil discharge, lowering a containment product comprising an oil impermeable, water-permeable material and at least one hollow section into which may be received weighting pellets, including adding weighting pellets into the at least one hollow section and thereby dispatching the containment product progressively downwards to deepwater;   disposing the containment product to enclose the underwater oil discharge.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the containment product is essentially without a base or floor, and the method includes lowering the containment product from the starting point above the underwater oil discharge until the containment product and a sea floor in a vicinity of the oil discharge form a closed shape and define a contained volume. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , including containing an active oil discharge at sea floor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , including a step performed relative to an underwater oil discharge and selected from the group consisting of: doming over; tenting over; forming a bubble and forming a silo over. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising evacuating oily water or oily product from the contained volume via a port in the containment product. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , including lowering the containment product from a sea surface downwards towards the underwater oil discharge. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the containment product comprises a weighted skirt and the disposing includes the containment product traveling from a sea surface downwards towards the underwater oil discharge. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , including an assembling step before the disposing step, wherein the assembling step is performed at a sea surface or in shallow water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , including an assembling step performed in shallow water followed by transporting the containment product to be used in the disposing step towards the underwater oil discharge. 
     
     
         18 . A method of containing an underwater oil discharge, comprising:
 lowering a container that consists substantially of an oil-impermeable flexible material into place to form a containment volume, thereby containing oil.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the lowering step comprises doming-over, tenting-over, bubbling-over or bagging-over the underwater oil discharge. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , including performing the lowering step and thereby containing a deepwater oil discharge in which failed or damaged equipment is involved, without performing direct work on the equipment. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising, for a containment product that has been arrayed at sea surface, adding weighting pellets in the at least one hollow region wherein the containment product is dispatched progressively downwards to deepwater. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 9 , including adding weighting pellets into hollow shafts that extend along the height of the containment product.