Blowout preventer-backup safety system

Abstract

This design/system addresses the problem of failed Blowout Preventers that lock an independent backup safety system when encountering a oil/gas well “kick” or blowout and is not reliant on any of the complex, multiple components of the previously claimed safeguards that the B O P's were supposed to prevent such as; the Horizon disaster, but failed drastically, resulting in loss of lives, environmental pollution of the sea, destruction of the marshes/wetlands, thus causing a massive cleanup effort and reconstruction of the damaged areas that was an important link to the various species of habitat such as fowl and the aquatic groups in their food chains and fisheries. This design/system provides a double manifold, double bypass device that is a supplemental connection between the well head and the inlet of the B O P that allows for relief both temporary and /or extended until repairs, replacement or capping procedures are complete.

1 . A self-contained double manifold/double by-pass assembly that serves as a Blow Out Preventer Backup/Safety System to enhance the oil drilling process in deep water conditions while encountering a faulty/malfunctioning B O P that has not completely failed, but requires maintenance, repairs and/or ultimate replacement. This First Preferred Embodiment device/invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1A through 8 . 
     
     
         2 . The bottom or inlet manifold is comprised of ASME/PVP specifications for heavy duty oil drilling applications and includes; two main auto/manual shutoff valves, one on each end of the horizontal manifold chamber and provides for a connection in the center bottom, inlet to the drill pipe/casing configuration and a top vertical pipe stub out for a connection in vertical alignment with the bottom inlet to the drill pipe/riser that includes an optional manual/auto shut off valve and is connected to the inlet of a/any B O P device above. 
     
     
         3 . The bottom manifold in  claim 2  has two additional vertical/parallel risers in the same place as the main center riser that loop around the B O P and are controlled by the respective main shut off valves on each end of the bottom manifold and contain a separate stub out shut off valve each, connected, horizontally, to the respective right and left vertical, loop around, risers. 
     
     
         4 . The two vertical parallel risers of  claim 3  connect to a top second horizontal double valved manifold in the same plane as the bottom manifold and their distal ends connect to the manifold chambers' bottom. 
     
     
         5 . The B O P device outlet of  claim 2  connects to the vertical riser optional second isolation manual/auto valve inlet whose distal end connects to the center inlet of the second manifold top assembly and is in direct vertical alignment with the manifold discharge outlet that connects to another optional manual/auto valve inlet whose distal end outlet connects to the vertical riser that exits into the drilling rig ships' operational mechanisms. 
     
     
         6 . The isolation and stub out shut off valves of  claims 2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  all connect to respective components via heavy duty ASME approved flanged couplings as well as to the welded pipe stub out extensions of the bottom and top manifolds. 
     
     
         7 . As noted in  claim 1 , the first preferred embodiment deals with a faulty B O P that still can be repaired, maintained and returned to basic operation. Also, the -first preferred embodiment is designed to implement a procedure that necessitates a failed B O P be capped with a containment capping device such as a Cap Stack to prevent uncontrolled flow of oil/gas into the sea causing environmental damage and risk to human lives, due to total failure 
     
     
         8 . Whereby, the first preferred embodiment includes the same basic designs that illustrate the bottom and top manifolds and piping/valves contained in  claims 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  and includes some additional designs and components which allows for the adoption and adjustments incorporated into the pre-assembled mechanism that is flexible and suited to enable the transition and installation of the capping device while at the same time allows salvaging/capture of the oil/fluids and control of discharges to a great extent with the bypass system in operation during the interim of the B O P failure and the transporting and installation of the containment stack. 
     
     
         9 . After the containment capping device (cap stack) is installed, the decision to proceed with capturing the oil/discharges via the by pass safety system with it's multiple options which includes utilizing the twin connections that would alleviate the drilling of relief wells as well as the option of cementing/closure of the well that would result in great economic as well as environmental savings. 
     
     
         10 . The devices of  claim 8  including those exhibited in drawings of  FIGS. 1A-8  are isolation shutoff flanged valves that can be serviced and controlled by R O V's that allows for disassembly of the top manifold section and separation from the lower manifold section and set aside to provide the space for the capping stack to be installed on top of the failed B O P. 
     
     
         11 . The shutoff valves in the first preferred embodiment of  claims 8  and  9  are the point of separation/isolation and are parallel in the vertical plane of the drill pipe riser and B O P and are above the twin parallel vertical riser lines that include a set of left and right stub out shut off valves just above the bottom manifold that provide for connections to the capturing flexible lines of the surface boats when bypass operations are utilized during and/or after separation from the top manifold section. 
     
     
         12 . These same two (left and right) stub out shut off valves of  claim 11  afford the option of providing the means for mud cementing of the well while resulting as unnecessary, the option to drill relief wells. 
     
     
         13 . The design of this invention includes pre engineered concepts for the first preferred embodiment including the manufacture, pre assembly and installation as per ASME (PVP) guidelines/rules for each individual well drilling permit for conditions existing in the confined area including; depth, temperatures, formations beneath the sea floor etc. These proposed improvements are related and necessitated by the exhibited failures of the repeated attempts of the Horizon disaster that extended far beyond reasonably expected time frames caused by improper preparation, implementation and supervision which contributed to deaths, destruction and long term environmental destruction, cleanup and reconstruction of the wetlands, as well as a demand for revised rules and permitting with strict guidelines for inspections, logs, and reports and supervision which are especially more demanding with the extended drilling depths of unknown proportions including the untested new containment devices/remedies under these new virgin conditions and prescribed by the oil industry; and should require adequate back up safety systems, as well.