Underwater drilling pollution control curtain

Claim 2

Apparatus for production of liquids lighter than water and immiscible therewith through offshore wells which comprises a. a conduit for conveying said liquids from beneath the ground through a body of water to a point above the surface of the water, b. a float enclosing an area surrounding said conduit on the surface of the water, c. a curtain extending from said float to a point essentially above the floor of the body of water thereby defining a passageway and enclosing a volume surrounding said conduit beneath the surface of the water, said volume being in fluid communication with the water surrounding said curtain via said passageway thereby equaling inside and outside pressure, said curtain further comprising a flexible upper portion and a lower portion, d. a support member surrounding said conduit at a fixed level, e. a flexible upper portion of said curtain which extends from said float to said support member whereby the float can vary in vertical location with respect to the support member as the surface level of the body of water changes, f. a lower portion of said curtain extending downwardly from said support member to a point above the floor of said body of water, the cross-sectional area defined by said float being different than the cross-sectional area defined by said member, g. a plurality of inwardly opening slots positioned in the walls of said lower portion to allow water from outside the curtain to flow into the curtain and thereby be in fluid communication with water flowing through the passageway at the bottom of said curtain thereby equaling inside and outside pressure and h. means for anchoring the lower end of said curtain to the sea floor to maintain its vertical position whereby liquid leaking from said conduit into said body of water rises through said volume and collects at the surface of the water in said area in a body of said liquid confined by said float.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area defined by said float is greater than the cross-sectional area defined by said member.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area defined by said float is less than the cross-sectional area defined by said member.

Claim 5

Apparatus for production of liquids lighter than water and immiscible therewith through offshore wells which comprises a. a conduit for conveying said liquids from beneath the ground through a body of water to a point above the surface of the water, b. a float enclosing an area surrounding said conduit on the surface of the water, c. a curtain extending from said float to a point essentially above the floor of the body of water thereby defining a passageway and enclosing a volume surrounding said conduit beneath the surface of the water, said volume being in fluid communication with the water surrounding said curtain via said passageway thereby equaling inside and outside pressure, said curtain further comprising a flexible upper portion and a lower portion, d. a support member surrounding said conduit at a fixed level, e. a flexible upper portion of said curtain which extends from said float to said support member whereby the float can vary in vertical location with respect to the support member as the surface level of the body of water changes in a random cantilever type action, f. a lower portion of said curtain extending downwardly from said member to a point above the floor of said body of water, the cross-sectional area defined by said float being essentially the same as the cross-sectional area defined by said support member, g. a plurality of inwardly opening slOts positioned in the walls of said lower portion to allow water from outside the curtain to flow into the curtain and thereby be in fluid communication with water flowing through the passageway at the bottom of said curtain thereby equaling inside and outside pressure and h. means for anchoring the lower end of said curtain to the sea floor to maintain its vertical position whereby liquid leaking from said conduit into said body of water rises through said volume and collects at the surface of the water in said area in a body of said liquid confined by said float.

Claim 6

Apparatus for production of liquids lighter than water and immiscible therewith through offshore wells which comprises a. a conduit for conveying said liquids from beneath the ground through a body of water to a point above the surface of the water, b. a float enclosing an area surrounding said conduit on the surface of the water, c. a curtain extending from said float to a point essentially above the floor of the body of water thereby defining a passageway and enclosing a volume surrounding said conduit beneath the surface of the water, said volume being in fluid communication with the water surrounding said curtain via said passageway thereby equaling inside and outside pressure, said curtain further comprising a flexible upper portion and a lower portion, d. a support member surrounding said conduit at a fixed level, e. a flexible upper portion of said curtain which extends from said float to said support member whereby the float can vary in vertical location with respect to the support member as the surface level of the body of water changes in a random cantilever type action, f. a lower portion of said curtain extending downwardly from said member to a point above the floor of said body of water, the cross-sectional area defined by said float being essentially the same as the cross-sectional area defined by said support member, g. a plurality of inwardly opening slOts positioned in the walls of said lower portion to allow water from outside the curtain to flow into the curtain and thereby be in fluid communication with water flowing through the passageway at the bottom of said curtain thereby equaling inside and outside pressure and h. means for anchoring the lower end of said curtain to the sea floor to maintain its vertical position whereby liquid leaking from said conduit into said body of water rises through said volume and collects at the surface of the water in said area in a body of said liquid confined by said float.