With Self-control Patents (Class 91/195)
  • Patent number: 8464525
    Abstract: Systems and methods for recovering power fluid used to power a device under water and for pumping the recovered power fluid to a fluid container above a surface of the water, the method in certain aspects including: flowing fluid from a subsurface apparatus to a subsurface recovery system, the fluid initially provided to the subsurface apparatus to power the subsurface apparatus; and the subsurface recovery system including a pump system for selectively pumping recovered power fluid to a fluid container above a surface of the water, the pump system having at least one pump and, in some aspects, a first pump, a second pump, and a valve system; the valve system controlling the first pump and the second pump to allow only one pump of the first pump and the second pump to pump recovered power fluid to the fluid container above the surface of the water; and pumping recovered power fluid to the fluid container with only one pump at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
    Inventors: Frank Benjamin Springett, Eric Trevor Ensley