MODULAR PRESSURE MANAGEMENT OIL SPILL CONTAINMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A modular pressure management oil spill containment system is constructed on the floor of an ocean to contain an oil spill caused by a wild well blowout. A base containment module including a hollow wall and at least one pressure relief valve is submerged below a surface of the ocean, positioned on a portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well and its hollow wall is reinforced. At least one additional containment module including a hollow wall and at least one pressure relief valve is submerged below the ocean surface, positioned on top of the base containment module and its hollow wall is also reinforced. A plurality of riser assemblies are connected between at least a portion of the pressure relief valves of the containment modules and at least one containment vessel. The pressure relief valves are controlled to manage the containment of the oil spill.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application generally relates to a method and apparatus for containing an oil and/or gas spill originating from the bottom of an ocean.

BACKGROUND

An offshore platform, often referred to as an oil platform or an oil rig, is a large structure used in offshore drilling to house workers and machinery needed to drill wells in the ocean bed, extract oil and/or natural gas, process the produced fluids, and ship or pipe them to shore. Depending on the circumstances, the platform may be fixed to the ocean floor, may consist of an artificial island, or may float.

Remote subsea wells may also be connected to a platform by flow lines and by umbilical connections. These subsea solutions may consist of single wells or of a manifold center for multiple wells.

FIG. 1 shows a deep sea drilling rig 100 on an ocean surface 105 that processes oil and/or gas 110 obtained from below an ocean floor 115 via a blowout preventer (BOP) stack 120 and a riser assembly 125.

FIG. 2 illustrates a deep sea drilling rig 100′ after exploding due to a defective BOP stack 120′, causing an oil and/or gas spill 210 that pollutes the ocean and needs to be contained. The explosion may further cause the riser assembly 125 to break into portions 125′ and 125″.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also called the BP oil spill, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill or the Macondo blowout, was a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and is considered the largest offshore spill to ever occur in U.S. history. The spill stemmed from a sea floor oil gusher that started with an oil well blowout on Apr. 20, 2010. The blowout caused a catastrophic explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil drilling platform that was situated about 40 miles (64 km) southeast of the Louisiana coast in the Macondo Prospect oil field. The explosion killed 11 platform workers and injured 17 others. Another 98 people survived without serious physical injury.

Although numerous crews worked to block off bays and estuaries, using anchored barriers, floating containment booms, and sand-filled barricades along shorelines, the oil spill resulted in an environmental disaster characterized by petroleum toxicity and oxygen depletion, thus damaging the Gulf of Mexico fishing industry, the Gulf Coast tourism industry, and the habitat of hundreds of bird species, fish and other wildlife. A variety of ongoing efforts, both short and long term, were made to contain the leak and stop spilling additional oil into the Gulf, without immediate success.

After the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion on Apr. 20, 2010, a BOP should have activated itself automatically to avoid an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill originated from a deepwater oil well 5,000 feet (1,500 m) below the ocean surface. A BOP is a large valve that has a variety of ways to choke off the flow of oil from a gushing oil well. If underground pressure forces oil or gas into the wellbore, operators can close the valve remotely (usually via hydraulic actuators) to forestall a blowout, and regain control of the wellbore. Once this is accomplished, often the drilling mud density within the hole can be increased until adequate fluid pressure is placed on the influx zone, and the BOP can be opened for operations to resume. The purpose of BOPs is to end oil gushers, which are dangerous and costly.

Underwater robots were sent to manually activate the Deepwater Horizon's BOP without success. BP representatives suggested that the BOP may have suffered a hydraulic leak. However, X-ray imaging of the BOP showed that the BOP's internal valves were partially closed and were restricting the flow of oil. Whether the valves closed automatically during the explosion or were shut manually by remotely operated vehicle work is unknown.

BOPs come in a variety of styles, sizes and pressure ratings, and usually several individual units compose a BOP stack. The BOP stack used for the Deepwater Horizon is quite large, consisting of a five-story-tall, 300-ton series of oil well control devices.

The amount of oil that was discharged after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion is estimated to have ranged from 12,000 to 100,000 barrels (500,000 to 4,200,000 gallons) per day. The volume of oil flowing from the blown-out well was estimated at 12,000 to 19,000 barrels (500,000 to 800,000 gallons) per day, which had amounted to between 440,000 and 700,000 barrels (18,000,000 and 29,000,000 gallons). In any case, an oil slick resulted that covered a surface area of over 2,500 square miles (6,500 km²). Scientists had also discovered immense underwater plumes of oil not visible from the surface.

Various solutions have been attempted to control or stop an undersea oil and/or gas spill. One solution is to use a heavy (e.g., over 100 tons) container dome over an oil well leak and pipe the oil to a storage vessel floating on the ocean surface. However, this solution has failed in the past due to hydrate crystals, which form when gas combines with cold water, blocking up a steel canopy at the top of the dome. Thus, excess buoyancy of the crystals clogged the opening at the top of the dome where the riser was to be connected.

Another solution is to attempt to shut down the well completely using a technique called “top kill”. This solution involves pumping heavy drilling fluids into the defective BOP, causing the flow of oil from the well to be restricted, which then may be sealed permanently with cement and/or mud. However, this solution has not been successful in the past.

It would be desirable to have a method and apparatus readily available to successfully contain oil and/or gas spewing from a defective BOP stack, until an alternate means is made available to permanently cap or bypass the oil and/or gas spill, or to repair/replace the defective BOP stack.

SUMMARY

A modular pressure management oil spill containment system is constructed on the floor of an ocean to contain an oil spill caused by a wild well blowout. A base containment module including a hollow wall and at least one pressure relief valve is submerged below a surface of the ocean, positioned on a portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well, and its hollow wall is reinforced. At least one additional containment module including a hollow wall and at least one pressure relief valve is submerged below the ocean surface, positioned on top of the base containment module, and its hollow wall is also reinforced. A plurality of riser assemblies are connected between at least a portion of the pressure relief valves of the containment modules and at least one containment vessel. The pressure relief valves are controlled to manage the containment of the oil spill.

The containment modules may be configured to circulate chemicals to prevent the formation of methane hydrates inside the containment modules and the pressure relief valves without releasing the chemicals into the ocean.

The wild well blowout may be caused by a defective blowout preventer (BOP) that is circumvented by the base containment module.

Each of the pressure relief valves may be configured to be remotely controlled, either wirelessly or via a wired or hydraulic connection, to maintain an open position, a partially open position or a closed position.

The hollow wall of each containment module may comprise a reinforcement cavity between an inner wall and an outer wall.

Each of the pressure relief valves may selectively allow oil and/or gas spewing from the wild well to flow through the hollow wall at a controlled rate.

The reinforcement cavity may be filled with reinforcement material (e.g., cement) in order to reinforce the hollow wall and to form a seal between the containment modules.

The base containment module may include a bottom opening that is positioned on the portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well. The base containment module may comprise an annular rim that connects the bottom of the inner wall to the bottom of the outer wall.

The base containment assembly may be fastened to the ocean floor via a seabed connection to provide a seal with the ocean floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more detailed understanding may be had from the following description, given by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a simplified diagram of a deep sea drilling rig on a surface of an ocean that processes oil and/or gas received from a BOP stack located on a floor of the ocean;

FIG. 2 shows a deep sea drilling rig after exploding due to a defective BOP stack, and causing an oil and/or gas spill that needs to be contained;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of a base pressure management oil spill containment assembly that is configured in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the base pressure management oil spill containment module of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the defective BOP stack and an outline of the outer wall of a base pressure management oil spill containment module circumventing the defective BOP stack on a portion of the ocean floor;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a reinforcement cavity in a hollow wall of the base pressure management oil spill containment assembly of FIG. 4 while being filled with reinforcement material (e.g., cement);

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a modular pressure management oil spill containment system that is configured in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a procedure for controlling the containment of an oil spill caused by a wild well blowout on a floor of an ocean by using the modular pressure management oil spill containment system of FIGS. 7A and 7B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention described herein proposes the undertaking of a potentially expensive oil spill containment system and method, due to the substantially large size of a defective BOP stack that must be circumvented and sealed under thousands of feet of water in response to a catastrophic event, such as the 2010 BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which constitutes a wild well, (i.e., a well which has blown out of control and from which oil, water, or gas is escaping with great force). However, it has recently been discovered that there are currently no procedures or apparatus available for effectively dealing with such events, and that the consequences of other similar events occurring over a period of time have the potential to destroy life on Earth as we know it.

Instead of tapping off various points of the defective BOP stack 120′, a modular pressure management oil spill containment system is used to substantially isolate the BOP stack 120′ from the ocean by completely circumventing and encasing the defective BOP stack 120′. Thus, the amount of ocean that mixes with the spewing oil and/or gas 210 is minimized and the spewing oil and/or gas 210 can be better controlled and contained.

The modular pressure management oil spill containment system contains oil from a subsea oil and/or gas blowout. An apparatus constructed from this design will mitigate the spread of oil slicks from subsea oil and/or gas blowouts, with the benefit of allowing oil and/or gas exploration to proceed with diminished risk of environmental damage. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system has particular application where coastal wetlands or other delicate ecosystems may potentially be damaged by an oil spill. There currently appears to be no alternative method or apparatus for containing the oil from such blowouts. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system has market potential in basins subject to offshore oil exploration where deepwater rigs are active.

The formation of methane hydrates due to the pressure and/or temperature conditions at the source of the well is a common occurrence, and may block the riser valve. Methane hydrates are implicated in both the initiation of the 2010 BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as well as in the failure of an attempt to contain the oil spill by encasing the defective BOP with a containment dome. In the later case, the hydrates formed quickly within the riser construct and continued to form along the walls of the containment dome. The lower density of the hydrates finally buoyed the entire containment dome, which lifted off the BOP. Hence, these hydrates must be suppressed in order to ensure proper function. Unfortunately, the chemicals required to reduce or eliminate methane hydrates may potentially cause more damage to the environment than the actual spill. Unlike the containment dome, the present invention may be configured to circulate large amounts of these chemicals, (e.g., methanol or other surfactactants), around the source of a subsea oil spill, (e.g., a defective BOP), without leaking the chemicals into the surrounding waters and harming the environment.

The reinforcement material mentioned herein, such as cement, is used underwater for many purposes including, for example, in pools, dams, piers, retaining walls and tunnels. There are many factors that must be controlled for successful application of cement underwater. Of these, the hardening time, that between mixing and solidification, is particularly important because, if it is too long, the cement does not solidify at all but simply dissolves in the surrounding water, herein the environmental water. Compositions containing exothermic micro particles have been found very advantageous for underwater cement applications. The exothermic micro particles produce very high rates of exothermic heating when combined with base cement and water. The exothermic heat produced is sufficient to raise the reaction temperature to a point where the cement composition solidifies underwater, even in cold environmental water.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of a base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A that is configured in accordance with the present invention. The base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A has a hollow wall 302 comprising a reinforcement cavity 304 between an inner wall 306 and an outer wall 308. The reinforcement cavity 304 is configured to be filled with reinforcement material (e.g., cement). The inner wall 306 and the outer wall 308 may be steel-reinforced, or consist of any other metal of a suitable strength and thickness.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A includes a plurality of pressure relief valves 310 that are used to selectively allow oil and/or gas spewing from a wild well (e.g., caused by a defective BOP stack 120′) to flow through the hollow wall 302 at a controlled flow rate and be routed to a storage tanker, (i.e., a containment vessel), floating on the ocean surface 105 via a flexible riser assembly. The pressure relief valves 310 may be remotely controlled, either wirelessly or via a wired or hydraulic connection, from a vessel floating on the ocean surface 105 to maintain an open position, a partially open position or a closed position.

Various communication techniques, such as very low frequency radio techniques coupled with digital signal processing and digitally modulated radio communications methods, may be implemented to facilitate communications used to control the pressure relief valves 310. Alternatively, various types of radio frequency (RF), optic and acoustic communication methods, as well as wired (umbilical) technologies, may be implemented for deep water communications between the vessel floating on the ocean surface 105 and the pressure relief valves 310 of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A, or any additional containment module.

Although only two pressure relief valves 310 are shown in FIG. 3, one of ordinary skill in the art would realize that any number of pressure relief valves 310 may be included in the design of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A.

The base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A is submerged below the ocean surface 105 and positioned on a portion of the ocean floor 115 that circumvents a wild well. The base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A may consist of a plurality of sections and/or components that may be constructed and stored onshore close to areas where deepwater rigs are active. The sections and/or components may include seals, gaskets, fasteners and/or interlocking surfaces that mate and/or are adhered (e.g., cemented) together in a configuration that can withstand extremely high pressure over a large area, and may be assembled together as they are submerged just under the ocean surface 105.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A further comprises an annular rim 312 that connects the bottom of the inner wall 306 to the bottom of the outer wall 308. The annular rim 312 of the containment module 300A may be configured to have large openings (not shown) that allow reinforcement material to flow through and form a seal with the ocean floor 115 by forming a seabed connection/foundation. The base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A may further comprise a plurality of hoist rings 314 that may be used during the submersion and positioning of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A by a vessel floating on the ocean surface 105, and/or by at least one remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A may further comprise a bottom opening 316 and a top opening 318. In accordance with the present invention, the top opening 318 of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A is smaller than the bottom opening 316, thus forming the base of a conical structure.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of the defective BOP stack 120′ and a portion 320 of the ocean floor 115 that the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A may be positioned on to circumvent the defective BOP stack 120′. It would be desirable to grade the portion 320 of the ocean floor 115 surrounding the defective BOP stack 120′, which is to be circumvented by the outer wall 308 of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A, in order to optimize the reduction of the pollution of the ocean caused by the oil and/or gas 210 spewing from the defective BOP stack 120′. Such ocean floor grading may be performed by at least one ROV.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the reinforcement cavity 304 (above the annular rim 312 of the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A) being filled with reinforcement material (e.g., cement). The advantage of the present invention is that the extraordinary structural bulk and strength that is required to contain the pressure encountered under the ocean due to the spewing oil and/or gas 210 may be added after the components of an enormous oil/gas containment structure (see FIG. 7) are transported, submerged and positioned on the ocean floor 115.

FIGS. 7A and 7B show a modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 that is configured in accordance with the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7A, the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 includes the base pressure management oil spill containment module 300A described above, and an additional pressure management oil spill containment module 300B that is similar in structure to that of module 300A except that it has a bottom opening that is the same as the top opening 318 of the module 300A, and has a top opening that is smaller than its bottom opening. The containment module 300B is positioned and aligned on the top of the containment module 300A, and is reinforced by having its reinforcement cavity filed with reinforcement material (e.g., cement), The modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may further include another additional containment module 300C that is similar in structure to that of the containment modules 300A and 300B except that it has a bottom opening that is the same as the top opening of the containment module 300B, and has a top opening that is smaller than its bottom opening. The containment module 300C would be positioned and aligned on the top of the containment module 300B, and is reinforced by having its reinforcement cavity filed with reinforcement material (e.g., cement).

In a preferred embodiment, rather than being reinforced one at a time, the containment cavities of the containment modules 300A, 300B and 300C may be reinforced after they are assembled together as shown as in FIG. 7A, such that the reinforcement material (e.g., cement) is poured throughout the hollow walls of all of the modules 300 at once such that the modules are sealed together as one continuous assembly.

Referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may further include a riser interface 325, (i.e., a lower marine riser package (LMRP)), having a large diameter high pressure valve, (not shown), which is attached to the opening of the top module (e.g., 300C) after the hollow walls of the modules are reinforced, such that a riser 330 can be connected to receive the oil spill contained by the stack of containment modules 300 and route a portion of the oil spill to a storage tanker 335 floating on the ocean surface 105. The large diameter high pressure valve (not shown) is used to avoid being clogged with methane hydrate crystals. Additional risers 330 are connected to one or more of the pressure relief valves 310, which have smaller diameters than the large diameter high pressure valve. The risers 300 may be constructed from commercially-available flexible material.

In order to avoid having the pressure relief valves 310 and the large diameter high pressure valve in the riser interface 325 of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 from being clogged with methane hydrates, (i.e., methane hydrate crystals), which may form when methane gas released during an oil spill comes into contact with water at a high pressure 5000 feet below the ocean surface 105, a hydrate inhibitor such as ethylene glycol (MEG) or methanol may be introduced into one or more of the containment modules 300, which acts to depress the temperature at which hydrates will form, (i.e., similar to common antifreeze). Various other forms of hydrate inhibitors have been developed, such as kinetic hydrate inhibitors, which dramatically slow the rate of hydrate formation, and anti-agglomerates, which do not prevent hydrates forming, but do prevent them sticking together to block equipment. The design of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 is beneficial in that it manages gas hydrates, if formed, in an isolated containment system and does not pollute the surrounding ocean.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the containment modules 300 of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may be configured to allow for the circulation of chemicals to prevent the formation of methane hydrates inside the containment modules 300 and the pressure relief valves 310 without releasing the chemicals into the ocean. For example, one or more of the pressure relief valves 310 of one or more of the containment modules 300 may be configured to vent these chemicals into a hollow reinforced conduit which runs along the outer wall 308 of the containment modules 300 and terminates into a riser valve mounted near the top of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700, or within the riser interface 325.

Alternatively, a rectangular base may be positioned around a wild well, (i.e., a defective BOP stack), during an assembly phase of a containment structure in order to isolate the wild well from the ocean, and may be anchored and reinforced with quick cement so that it can support the weight and pressure of multiple conical modules being positioned on top of it. A first conical module is then placed on top of the rectangular base. The first conical module includes multiple pressure relief valves that are configured to divert some of the oil and/or gas spewing from the wild well to one or more containment vessels on the ocean surface, even during the assembly phase of the containment structure, to manage the internal pressure therein.

Additional conical-shaped modules may then be placed on top of the first conical module until the desired height of the containment structure is achieved. At this stage, the internal pressure of the containment structure is reduced to a point that the containment structure takes on the characteristics of a managed, not a blown-out, well.

The containment structure, with its plurality of pressure relief valves, slowly creates a pressure gradient. The initial base pressure of the spewing oil and/or gas mixture will decrease as it travels upwards. However, the pressure relief valves will further decrease the pressure, reducing the stress on the entire containment structure and thus making its internal pressure more manageable. The isolated containment structure allows chemicals to be added during the assembly phase to prevent gas hydrate formation. The pressure relief valves allow managed oil/gas collection, even during the assembly phase, thus reducing ocean pollution. By assembling the containment structure described above, a blown-out well can be managed within days, rather than months, thus preventing a repetition of what was observed during the 2010 BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill crisis.

Successful implementation of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may require both extensive computer modeling and simulation, as well as construction and testing of a small scale prototype. The construction and operation of the small scale prototype may be simulated for continuously changing conditions under the ocean that create mechanical and temperature gradients resulting in mechanical stress. Consequently, careful simulation of the process at both stages may be required. Numerous software packages have been developed for the well drilling industry, which may easily be modified for designing the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700. Such software may be used to simulate cement injection without simultaneous drilling, while the fluid flow simulations involve only the outward migration of the oil, without consideration of mud or water flows.

In order to design and build the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700, modeling may be performed that includes: 1) selection of the cement, 2) optimization of the cement injection parameters, and 3) simulation of the operating conditions. For example, a popular integrated software simulation platform is offered by Schlumberger, whereby through their programs, CemCADE, FlexSTONE, and i-Handbook, the entire process of selecting components, and constructing and operating the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may be modeled. The operation of the completed modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may also be modeled with the chemical engineering simulation software ASPEN, which may be used for optimization of the entire process. The aspenONE® software allows for modeling of oil flow, thermal transfer, pressure regulation, filtration and coordinated operations of the pressure relief valves 310 of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700, and chemical processes leading to hydrate formation. A specialized unit of the program aspenONE® specially designed for the oil exploration industry may also be adapted.

AutoCAD drawings of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may be produced, with varying number of sections and pressure relief valves 310 as input to the AutoFLEX program.

Parameters for the different geographical locations for subsea oil wells may be input from the i-Handbook database, and the stresses in each containment module 300 may be computed using the FlexSTONE model during construction and operation.

The simulation of operating conditions may include the analysis of material specifications under different conditions, and expected lifetime of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 for specific materials used, (e.g., compressive and tensile strength, specific heat, thermal conduction), and operating conditions, (e.g., temperature of the well, flow rates and pressures). The program CemCADE may be used to provide input regarding the materials properties of the cement, such as impact resistance, curing temperatures, and flexural and tensional modulii. The huge pressures which can build up inside the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700, as well as the ocean currents which are seasonal, may produce variable shear stresses on the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700. This can cause fracture in unpredictable manners, unless all aspects are modeled and failure specifications exceeded.

Once the materials and optimal design for the construction have been determined, various unit operation simulation software, such as aspenONE®, may be applied to model the operation and optimize the process. Operation optimization may be performed based on specific construction parameters, and each phase of the process lifecycle may be addressed. This may facilitate the analysis of trade-offs between different design alternatives, such as the number and spacing of the pressure relief valves 310, dimensions of the containment modules 300, taper angle of the overall conical structure of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700, and flow parameters of the oil. The program may also be used to determine potential operational problems and flow bottlenecks, which may assist in the design of protocols to ensure that the design meets the specifications for minimal release of contaminants into the open waters in the area.

A model of the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 may then be designed, whereby the actual operating processes predicted by the models may be tested using the materials determined during analysis. In this case, various sensors may be implanted in the containment modules 300 of the small scale prototype such that the flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and internal stresses may be monitored during operation, using the LabView integrated data acquisition system. Furthermore, a fiber optic sensor may be incorporated in the small scale prototype in order to measure the chemical composition of the oil, water, and possibly methanol flow streams, to determine the conditions leading to methane hydrate formation.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a procedure 800 for controlling the containment of an oil spill caused by a wild well blowout on a floor of an ocean by using the modular pressure management oil spill containment system 700 of FIGS. 7A and 7B. In step 805, a base containment module including a hollow wall and at least one pressure relief valve is submerged below a surface of an ocean. In step 810, the base containment module is positioned on a portion of the ocean floor that circumvents a wild well (e.g., caused by a defective blowout preventer (BOP)). In step 815, the base containment module is reinforced by filling its hollow wall with reinforcement material (e.g., cement). In step 820, at least one additional containment module including a hollow wall and at least one pressure relief valve is submerged below the ocean surface. In step 825, the additional containment module is positioned on top of the base containment module. In step 830, the additional containment module is reinforced by filling its hollow wall with reinforcement material (e.g., cement). In step 835, a plurality of riser assemblies are connected between at least a portion of the pressure relief valves of the containment modules and at least one containment vessel. In step 840, the pressure relief valves are controlled (e.g., open position, a partially open position or a closed position) to manage the containment of the oil spill.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the containment of an oil spill caused by a wild well blowout on a floor of an ocean, the method comprising:

(a) submerging a base containment module below a surface of the ocean, the base containment module including at least one pressure relief valve;

(b) positioning the base containment module on a portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well;

(c) submerging at least one additional containment module below the ocean surface, the additional containment module including at least one pressure relief valve;

(d) positioning the additional containment module on top of the base containment module;

(e) connecting a plurality of riser assemblies between at least a portion of the pressure relief valves of the containment modules and at least one containment vessel; and

(f) controlling the pressure relief valves to manage the containment of the oil spill.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the containment modules are configured to circulate chemicals to prevent the formation of methane hydrates inside the containment modules and the pressure relief valves without releasing the chemicals into the ocean.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wild well blowout is caused by a defective blowout preventer (BOP) that is circumvented by the base containment module.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the pressure relief valves is configured to be remotely controlled, either wirelessly or via a wired or hydraulic connection, to maintain an open position, a partially open position or a closed position.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the containment modules includes a hollow wall comprising a reinforcement cavity between an inner wall and an outer wall.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the pressure relief valves selectively allows oil and/or gas spewing from the wild well to flow through the hollow wall at a controlled rate.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

filling the reinforcement cavity with reinforcement material in order to reinforce the hollow wall and to form a seal between the containment modules.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the base containment module includes a bottom opening that is positioned on the portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the base containment module comprises an annular rim that connects the bottom of the inner wall to the bottom of the outer wall.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

fastening the base containment assembly to the ocean floor via a seabed connection to provide a seal with the ocean floor.

11. A modular pressure management oil spill containment system for controlling the containment of an oil spill caused by a wild well blowout on a floor of an ocean, the system comprising:

a base containment module including at least one pressure relief valve; and

at least one additional containment module including at least one pressure relief valve, wherein the base containment module is submerged below a surface of the ocean and positioned on a portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well, the additional containment module is submerged below the ocean surface and positioning on top of the base containment module, a plurality of riser assemblies are connected between at least a portion of the pressure relief valves of the containment modules and a containment vessel, and the pressure relief valves are controlled to manage the containment of the oil spill.

12. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 11 wherein the containment modules are configured to circulate chemicals to prevent the formation of methane hydrates inside the containment modules and the pressure relief valves without releasing the chemicals into the ocean.

13. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 11 wherein the wild well blowout is caused by a defective blowout preventer (BOP) that is circumvented by the base containment module.

14. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 11 wherein each of the pressure relief valves is configured to be remotely controlled, either wirelessly or via a wired or hydraulic connection, to maintain an open position, a partially open position or a closed position.

15. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 11 wherein each of the containment modules includes a hollow wall comprising a reinforcement cavity between an inner wall and an outer wall.

16. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 11 wherein each of the pressure relief valves selectively allows oil and/or gas spewing from the wild well to flow through the hollow wall at a controlled rate.

17. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of 15 wherein the reinforcement cavity is filled with reinforcement material in order to reinforce the hollow wall and to form a seal between the containment modules.

18. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 11 wherein the base containment module includes a bottom opening that is positioned on the portion of the ocean floor that circumvents the wild well.

19. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 14 wherein the base containment module comprises an annular rim that connects the bottom of the inner wall to the bottom of the outer wall.

20. The modular pressure management oil spill containment system of claim 19 wherein the base containment assembly is fastened to the ocean floor via a seabed connection to provide a seal with the ocean floor.