Safety off shore drilling and pumping platform

Claim 1

An off-shore drilling rig including a drilling platform supported above the surface of the water by support legs having foundation elements extending to the bottom of an ocean floor wherein the improvement comprises a catchment basin in the form of a vessel, mostly under the water surface, supported by said drilling rig and having a relatively large open bottom in free communication with the ocean and a closed top portion whereby any oil or gas discharged within said catchment basin will be held within said basin, said basin extending above the water surface and having an opening therein with means for drilling and pumping the well through said opening with sealing means around said drilling and pumping means whereby gas and oil cannot escape through said opening, said rig including pump means with the inlet for said pump means slightly below the water surface inside the catchment basin for withdrawing oil which may be contaminated with water, means for discharging said oil into a separation means, said separation means including a chamber whereby two phases are formed, namely, an upper oil phase and a lower aqueous phase with means for removing and recovering oil from said upper oil phase and means for discharging water from said aqueous phase to a point inside said catchment basin whereby any oil contained in the seParated water can separate from said water inside the catchment basin and be recycled.