OIL SPILL RESPONSE SUBMARINE AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

Abstract

The submarine has a plurality of oil spill detection and removal means, oil/water separating device and oil store tanks. Lights and camera sets are installed in a manner allowing a visual control over the movement of the submarine and over the process of oil removal. A telescopic boom, a sail suction platform and deck suction means are provided to collect the oil spill from the surface of water and from beneath the ice. A bottom suction compartment is provided to collect the oil spill rising from the sea floor to the surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application dams priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/854,653 filed Apr. 29, 2013; said application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for recovering hydrocarbons, including oil and oily substances, as well as other polluting chemicals floating suspended or moving within or on the surface of a body of water as a result of a spill and more particularly in the presence of ice, and to such a system using a autonomous manned submarine to remove spilled hydrocarbons from the body of water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With an intensified development of marine oil deposits the risks of accidental oil spill increase exponentially. The latest accidents in the Mexican Gulf, in Brazil and in Nigeria demonstrated that existing methods and equipment used to contain and neutralize oil spills are ineffective and insufficient. Before the surface spill response boats begin the proper operation to collect the spilled oil, would be often spread and dispersed even more on a wide territory by various vessels, or when corralled it would be partially burnt polluting the air in addition to polluting the water. The use of various dispersants was also proved to be non-effective and harmful for the environment and for the people. That becomes even more critical for the conditions of the Arctic seas when the body of water is infested with the ice and heavy storms may delay or impede the delivery or the use of the oil spill response means and equipment. At the same time the more rapidly an oil spill can be contained and removed from the affected area, the more effective the cleanup operation will be, and the more economic and environmental damages will be reduced. Thus, the time factor defining the speed of the deployment of oil spill equipment and the performance of the oil recovery system used in such conditions are the key elements on which the success and effectiveness of the cleanup operation depend.

Various systems and equipment have been developed for oil spill containment and removal from the surface of a body of water, however, there is no suitable apparatus for recovering or even properly detecting big volumes of polluting chemicals from the body of water heavily infested with ice. It will be necessary to locate and remove the polluting chemicals from their subsurface resting place under or within the ice and/or from the adjacent water in order to recover them, prevent them from migrating to other areas with the ice flow and from entering and contaminating the water and the environment with the ice melting, or to prevent surface recontamination resulting from components of the submerged polluting chemicals escaping back to the surface over time as a result of wave action.

The use of a system comprising a surface vessel may also be complicated by the presence of ice, poor visibility or storm. U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,387 discloses an apparatus designed for the recovery of oil from sunken vessels. The apparatus is lowered from a ship and is latched onto the sunken vessel containing the oil. The apparatus pumps the oil through a pipe to either a storage chamber within the apparatus or to a ship on the surface of the body of water. U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,811 discloses a submersible manned apparatus designed for the recovery of oil below the surface of the body of water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,290 discloses a submarine oil skimmer designed to remove oil from the surface of the body of water.

None of the above means has the ability, however, to recover oil accumulated below or/and within the ice or to recover oil plumes rapidly rising in heavy volumes from the bottom in case of a blowout nor they have a autonomous versatility for removing oil in the conditions of the Arctic sea regardless of the weather conditions and of the time of the day.

EP 2532577 A1 discloses a submarine with a oil sonar detection device, a oil separating device and having a suction/discharging trunk to collect oil accumulated under the ice plate, but that does not provide means for collecting oil pollutant from the sea surface, from the slush ice, from within the ice, from the body of water regardless of the position of the submarine, or from the bottom. It does no provide means for collecting carbohydrates rising from the sea floor as a result of a blow-out. Neither it provides means for a visual control of operation and relies on sonar only.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is therefore addressed toward a versatile method and apparatus for recovering both surface and subsurface polluting chemicals, such as oil, which avoids the need for use of a surface vessel supporting the operation of a submersible work unit, either manually or remotely operated, by providing a manned, fully autonomous, self-sufficient, self-propelled apparatus which can hover above, below, near or amid the oil spill and pick up the oil using a plurality of versatile intake means, mounted within the apparatus and uniquely positioned and operable to remove the oil in various conditions and locations within the body of water. The operators can view the body of water, the intake means and the working area and can operate the intake means to pick up the oil within the reach simultaneously in various locations in various conditions of weather and visibility.

The present invention due to the unique construction overcomes a problem of restricted technical capacities of numerous existing oil spill skimmers and oil spill response means used to remove the oil and oil-based chemical pollutants from the body of water. Furthermore, the present invention creates a possibility of a rapid deployment of a powerful and versatile oil spill response vehicle in remote and hard to reach areas because such submarine possesses operative and functional on-surface and submarine autonomies untypical for existing surface vessels. Ideally at least one submarine should be on a patrol mission in the area of oil exploration and another on a stand-by position in the nearest port suitable for the moorage.

Though it may be either nuclear or conventional type submarine, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the submarine is conventional powered and such as is typically used for military purposes except for weaponry and other specific combat equipment. It comprises a substantially cylindrical pressure hull, a larger then normal sail, a deck equipped with suction means and intake means. It will navigate and approach the operation area by using a combination of data from the navigation and ice detection radars and a real time visual signal received from a plurality of lights and cameras installed in various points of the submarine's hull providing a effective visual observation of the space around the submarine in various directions. Similar underwater camera systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,761, U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,126 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,139,125. Several sets of underwater search lights may be installed on the sail and on the deck for add tonal illumination.

The full size submarine provides sufficient space and operational capabilities for mounting in it a plurality of powerful versatile suction and intake means allowing the removal of oil or/and other polluting chemicals from any depth of the water column within the submarine's operational depth including plumes rising from the bottom or oil and/or polluting chemicals trapped under the ice. Pumping capacity of the suction means in combination with the high pressure steam/hot water jets will allow recovery of oil or other polluting chemicals with various viscosity. En particular pumps such as produced by FLOWESERVE, Inc. from Irving, Tex. or WASTECORP, Inc. from New York.

Depending on the concrete spill situation and on the ice and weather conditions a bottom suction compartment, a deck intake means, a hydraulic boom or a sail suction platform or their combination may be used. In case of a rising of massive plumes from the sea floor the bottom suction compartment will open its doors forming a roomy collection chamber with the wide-open doors serving as oppositely positioned side walls of a giant chamber with a plurality of suction nozzles mounted inside at the upper part of the chamber. The nozzles may be extendable and retractable. A plurality of cameras with lights installed at various points on the doors and on the walls of the chamber will allow a real time visual control over the situation inside the suction compartment and in the vicinity in order to timely react to a possible change of the situation. The bottom suction compartment may be divided into several independently operable sections with separate doors to match the size of a concrete oil plume.

The vertical position of the submarine shall be altered with the help of the top and bottom thrusters in the bow and in the stern or/and by operating the ballast system.

The deck intake means shall be normally used whenever the ice is scarce or absent and there is a possibility of using the submarine's deck as a wide area suction platform with a adjustable buoyancy to remove a oil spill from the surface of the body of water. The submarine shall be positioned across the spill at the depth allowing the oil spill to float just above the upper surface of the deck with the intake devices open, and the submarine shall be laterally propelled by the side thrusters in the bow and in the stern in the direction opposite to the movement of the spill, at a speed commensurate with the removal of the oil spill coming within the suction range of the deck intake means. The deck intake means may be equipped with a grid to prevent entry of various objects and with a debris recovery system. The control system will serve to operate a plurality of the deck intake means allowing its engagement individually, by groups or of all units available simultaneously.

The telescopic boom will be similar to one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,180, U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,292 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,118, and will be normally used when the ice is dense and a wide-angled viewing of work area is required to ensure a proper removal of pollutants, or when conditions of the sea surface would not allow the use of the deck or of the sail platform intake and suction means. There may be more than one telescopic boom with various types of work heads installed in the deck as well as in a separate compartment in the bottom.

Inside the boom there will be hydraulic hoses, steam/hot water hoses, a conduit for transferring pollutants drawn by suction from the work head and wiring for lights and cameras mounted on the work head. The telescopic booms are preferred to be hydraulically operated, though electric or combination operation is also optional.

The telescopic suction platform shall be used whenever there is a need and conditions for a wide area suction operation with ice present on the surface of the body of water. The platform is preferably hydraulically operated and all hydraulic, steam/hot water and oil suction conduits may be inside its telescoping sections to prevent them from a potential damage by moving ice. There may be various types of ice scrapers, crushers, grinders and steam jets installed on the work heads and on the suction platform varying in their dimensions and ice elimination method. On board of a submarine there are expected to be several types of replaceable work heads and of ice scrapers/crushers and drills used in accordance with a concrete type of ice encountered during oil spill response operation—from slush ice to small icebergs.

The suction pumps shall be such that would allow removal of all types of oil that may be encountered during a oil spill. Oil sucked up by the negative pressure generated in the intake entry opening first enters a debris recovery structure where high-density particles will be separated.

The debris recovery structure may further comprise a centrifugal system to separate the oil/water suspension from the debris. The pump intake is preferably located downstream of the debris recovery structure and the output of the pump feeds a pipe, which delivers the oil/water suspension to a processing tank with a separator for recovery of the oil components and possible return of the non-oil component (water) to the body of water. Such separation apparatus are well disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,800, U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,839. After the removal of debris and water the oil would be fed by pumps to the store tanks.

The store tanks will be built in a manner allowing a maximum use of the inner space of the body. Additional removable store tanks could be installed outside the submarine's original body. Whenever possible the oil from the store tanks would be transferred to an outside oil tank. Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a highly simplified, partially sectional side view of an inventive submarine while submerged under the ice flow with the telescopic boom and sail suction platform deployed;

FIG. 2 is a highly simplified top view of an inventive submarine while submerged with the telescopic boom in a transport position (compartment doors open) and sail suction platform deployed;

FIG. 3 is a highly simplified view of an inventive submarine while submerged with the bottom suction compartment doors open;

FIG. 4 is a highly simplified sectional view of the submarine aft the sail with the bottom suction compartment doors open.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the invention employs a conventional powered submarine, though a nuclear powered submarine may also be used for such purposes and would give more relative advantages like longer time submerged and a bigger operational depth, but the risks associated with oil spill may greatly jeopardize the situation by adding a threat of a radioactive contamination in case of an accident involving a nuclear submarine. Either nuclear or conventional oil spill response submarine is expected to be much less expensive due to the absence of requirements for low noise, expensive military equipment, armament, etc.

By using the inner space of the submarine typically occupied by the combat elements it will be possible to install large capacity store tanks 8 for collected oil and highly powerful oil pumping and/or processing equipment ensuring a operational flexibility and a autonomous performance of the ship in spill response operations.

Beside the on-board equipment the submarine may carry at least one remotely operated vehicle for specific missions like spill site search and reconnaissance, water column analysis, etc.

The oil spill response submarine will have all basic non-combat elements of the military submarine necessary to ensure its proper functioning: propulsion system 7, navigation systems with respective elements, including a radar/sonar system 6, command and control room 18, crew quarters, rescue system, etc.

One of the options is to consider a possibility of converting a decommissioned nuclear submarine into a conventional powered non-military submarine for oil spill response operations if a risk of a residual radiation could be completely eliminated.

In addition to the main propulsion system the submarine should have at least four pairs of oppositely installed thrusters 24, namely two in the bow and two in the stern to allow a increased body maneuvering capability along two mutually perpendicular axis.

Due to the fact that the submarine would have to eventually conduct operation both in a surfaced and submerged position the outer hull 5 and the pressure hull 4 need to be ice-strengthened all-around to increase its survivability in the arctic conditions in the presence of the ice of at least 40-60 inches thick.

The rudders and propellers should be also either strengthened or protected from moving broken ice by either the shape of the submarine or by a protective casing or ribs.

The submarine is meant to be equipped with a GPS buoy system for marking the area affected by the spill and for tracking the movement of the buoys together with the water current and ice and oil spill respectively.

The submarine is equipped with video cameras and lights assemblies 19 installed in a manner allowing a constant real time visual control over the movement of the submarine, over the space surrounding it, over the spilled area the submarine approaches and over the position and operation of the oil spill response equipment.

The submarine deck 1 comprises a plurality of deck intake means 16 mounted within the submarine and equipped with shutter means to close the intake openings when the intake means are not in use, and with a grid to prevent a entry of various objects. The deck intake means is normally used to remove the oil from the surface of the body of water adjacent to the deck 1 of the submarine. Pipes connect the deck intake means with suction pumps 20 installed beneath the deck within the pressure hull.

Suction pumps transfer the oil and water mix to the processing tank 22 comprising a oil/water separator such as the one represented in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,839 or those manufactured by the Water Planet Engineering, Los Angeles, Calif. or by the Skimoil, Inc., Carrboro, N.C. After the oil is separated it is transferred to the store tanks 8 and the cleaned water after proper purity analysis performed is pumped outside. In a situation when it's impossible to overhaul the collected oil, some of the properly adopted ballast tanks may be used for storing the oil.

The bottom suction compartment 11 is used when the oil is accumulated or is moving below the surface or is rising after a blowout. The weight and the dimensions of the submarine would allow it to be positioned on top of the rising plumes and to contain at least a major portion of oil before it comes to the surface. If the oil settles on the bottom or within the water column close to the bottom within the submarine's operational depth the submarine is capable of locating the oil mass, its position, volume, movement, then approaching and gradually removing the oil by opening doors 28 and operating the retractable nozzles of the bottom suction compartment intake means 12.

When removing the oil accumulated beneath or within the ice the submarine opens the sail suction compartment 15 and uses the sail suction platform 23 by rising it to the required level to be positioned adjacent to the oil spill and operating the ice crusher 25 and steam jets 26. the water and oil mix enters the intake opening and is drawn through the conduits 10 to the suction pipe 20 and further to the processing tank 22 where the oil is separated from the water and transferred by a transfer pump to the store tank. The telescopic suction platform is normally used when the area affected by the spill is rather wide and requires and allows to conduct a suction operation using a large device like the sail suction platform.

When the access of the submarine to the spill zone is restricted by the physical conditions like a presence of ice keels or any other obstacles protruding from the above, the telescopic suction device 14 mounted within the deck suction compartment 13 is used.

When deploying the telescopic boom or returning it to the transport position within the deck suction compartment 13 the suction hose and other conduits are rendered and recovered by the render-and-recover reel 21. The oil and ice removing elements of the telescopic suction device 14 work head 27 are similar to those of the sail suction platform 23 and operate in the same manner and order.

The light and camera assembly installed on the suction platform and on the work head allow a real time control over the process of the oil removal. Due to the risk of camera lenses and lights being covered with the oil the lenses and lights are protected with replaceable transparent covers.

All deck intake means 16, bottom suction compartment intake means 12, sail suction platform, telescopic suction device work head comprise a steam jet system operable to prevent a formation of the ice and of methane hydrate crystals at the entry openings, and to reduce the oil viscosity before it enters the conduits 10 connecting them with the suction pumps 20.

While have herein above described and illustrated in the drawings, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A manned, fully autonomous, self-sufficient, self-propelled apparatus, more particularly a submarine for the recovery of oil and other polluting chemicals disposed within the body of water, on and/or beneath the surface including in the presence of ice, comprising:

a body comprising a deck, a sail rising above the deck, a bottom;

a body comprising at least a pressure hull and a outer hull;

a body comprising a radar and a sonar system to navigate and to locate objects and oil spills under the surface of the ice-infested waters;

a body having a propulsion system operative to position the body within the body of water, below or partially bellow the surface, adjacent to or reasonably distant from, below, above or amid the oil and/or other polluting chemicals;

a system operative to control the position of the apparatus within the body of water;

a plurality of suction means mounted within the body of the apparatus operative to remove the water or/and ice containing oil and/or other polluting chemicals from the body of water adjacent to and/or reasonably distant from the apparatus, above or/and below the apparatus;

a plurality of intake means operatively mounted within the body of the apparatus to remove the stationary located or moving oil and/or water or/and ice containing oil and/or other polluting chemicals from the body of water adjacent to and/or reasonably distant from the apparatus, above or/and below the apparatus;

a plurality of store or/and processing tanks operative to contain or/and process the water to remove chemical pollutants;

a boiler operative to produce high pressure heat and/or hot water and supply it to the intake means;

a plurality of conduits operative to transfer water containing oil and/or polluting chemicals from intake means to store and/or processing tanks;

at least one bottom suction compartment comprising intake means operative to remove the polluting chemicals adjacent to or within a reasonable distant from the bottom of the apparatus;

at least one deck suction compartment operative to contain a telescopic suction device mounted within the body of the apparatus;

at least one sail suction compartment comprising intake means mounted within the body of the apparatus and operative to remove and/or process ice or/and water containing polluting chemicals within a reasonable distance above the apparatus;

a deck serving as the common elongated base platform for a plurality of the deck intake means operatively mounted within the deck to remove chemical pollutants from the body of water;

a plurality of ballast tanks operative to serve as supplementary storage tanks for polluting chemical or/and polluting chemicals and water mix;

a system operative to control and adjust buoyancy and stability of the body during operation;

a system operative to provide control of simultaneous and/or a separate operation of all suction and intake means within one control room;

a system operative to offload chemical pollutants processed and/or stored on board;

a plurality of underwater lights and camera assemblies mounted within the body and operative to provide real time visual control in various directions over the body of apparatus and over the environment at a reasonable range;

a plurality of underwater lights and camera assemblies mounted within the intake means and operative to provide real time visual control in various directions over the working area at a reasonable range;

a system operative to control the plurality of lights and camera assemblies.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction means comprises a plurality of suction pumps forming at least one pumping station operative to draw the water or/and ice containing polluting chemicals entering the intake means operatively mounted within the body of the apparatus and to move the oil and/or polluting chemicals through the conduits within the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the telescopic suction device mounted within the body of the apparatus comprises a boom platform; and a telescopic boom; and a plurality of conduits; and a render-recover reel system; and storage means operative to move and store conduits.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the telescopic boom further comprises at least three sections; and at least one work head.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the telescopic boom is hydraulically and/or pneumatically operated allowing the movement between a storage position and a work position along three mutually perpendicular axes.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the telescopic boom has the first section pivotally connected to the second section and serving as a support guide for conduits inside the boom sections.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the telescopic boom has the second section pivotally connected to the boom platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the telescopic boom further comprises a plurality of replaceable work heads operable in different conditions of the ice and water and of the polluting chemicals.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the conduits inside the boom sections comprise a plurality of pipes and/or hoses for drawing water with polluting chemicals from the work head; and pipes and/or hoses for delivering high pressure steam and/or hot water from the boiler to the work head; and conduits operative to serve the light and camera system installed on the boom and within the work head.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the boom platform mounted within the deck suction compartment is moveable within the compartment.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 having the pivotally connected work head comprising means operable to crush and melt the ice and to remove water with polluting chemicals from the work area at a reasonable distance from the deck.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the means operable to crush and melt the ice comprises the hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically driven crusher with steam jets.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the intake means further comprises a bottom suction compartment operable to remove the stationary accumulated or moving oil and other polluting chemicals from the body of water within a reasonable distant from the bottom of the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the bottom intake compartment comprises at least one suction nozzle.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the bottom intake compartment comprises watertight doors operative to serve as sidewalls of a intake opening to direct the flow of polluting chemicals.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the suction nozzles are operatively connected by the pipes to the suction pumps mounted within the body of apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the intake means further comprises a sail suction compartment.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the sail suction compartment comprises a telescopic suction platform operative to eliminate the ice and to remove oil and/or polluting chemicals from the body of water within a reasonable distance above the sail.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the upper surface of the sail suction compartment comprises doors operative to allow movement of the telescopic suction platform.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the telescopic suction platform is operable to allow the movement between a storage position and a work position along three mutually perpendicular axes.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the telescopic suction platform comprises at least one hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically driven crusher with steam jets.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the telescopic suction platform contains a plurality of means serving to operate the crusher with steam jets and to remove the pollutant chemicals from the work zone.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the intake means further comprises a plurality of the deck intake means operatively mounted within the deck operable to remove the oil and other polluting chemicals from the body of water adjacent to the upper surface of the deck of the apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the plurality of the deck intake means is operatively connected to the suction pumps mounted within the apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the plurality of deck intake means further comprises shutter means serving to close the intake means when not in use.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the plurality of deck intake means have a control system allowing their simultaneous and/or individual operation.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer hull is ice strengthened.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the propulsion system comprises at least 4 oppositely located thrusters in the bow operative to position the apparatus vertically and/or horizontally.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the propulsion system comprises at least 4 oppositely located thrusters in the stern operative to position the apparatus vertically and/or horizontally.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising control and communications channels for operating light and camera system and for relaying images obtained from said light and camera system to the control room within the apparatus.

31. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a system to deliver steam and/or heat to the suction means, said steam and/or heat operative to melt the ice and/or methane hydrate crystals adjacent to or located close to the intake means.

32. A method for the recovery of oil and/or other polluting chemicals stationary concentrated or moving within and/or on top of the surface of the body of water comprising:

moving the oil spill response submarine to the area of suspected or confirmed oil spill;

conducting sonar scanning and visual search using cameras/lights to find affected area;

moving the submarine around the spill to identify the area affected by it;

identifying water temperature, currents and characteristics of the spill;

marking the boundaries of the spill with GPS buoys;

positioning a oil spill response submarine depending on the type and character of the spill within, below or partially above the surface of the body of water and above, below or amid the polluting chemicals at a reasonable distance, permitting an effective use of the intake means, using the propulsion system for movement and using lights and cameras as a visual means of navigation;

positioning the intake means mounted within the apparatus adjacent to the polluting chemicals using lights and cameras as a visual means for target spot search and acquisition;

deploying and activating proper intake means depending on the oil and/or other chemical pollutants condition and location;

scraping, crushing and/or melting the ice polluted by the oil or other polluting chemicals using the intake means;

drawing the polluting chemicals and/or slush ice with oil into and through the intake means by means of suction generated by a plurality of pumps;

pumping the collected oil and/or other polluting chemicals through a pipe to the oil separator;

storing the collected oil and/or other polluting chemicals in the apparatus;

transferring the collected oil and/or other polluting chemicals to an outside storage or container on or below the surface of the body of water;

performing a visual control over cleaned area and performing other analysis whenever required to confirm in a cooperation with the on-surface oil spill response team whenever applicable, a removal of oil and/or other polluting chemicals from the body of water;

removing GPS buoys from their position;

moving the submarine to another location as required.