A modular well containment cellar system having a bottom portion, two co-planar half-panels joined to the bottom portion and separated by a through-channel portion, and a one side wall joined to a bottom portion and to the half-panels, forming a closed container with an open top for mating to another cellar component at the half-panels, wherein a well pipe may be received into the through-channel. A plurality of drip diverters prevent downward-moving liquid from running between the mated half-panels and between the well pipe and the through-channel to capture dripped and running liquids from above the containment cellar system.

The present invention generally relates to containment and control of an oil spill caused by a damaged or broken riser in deep water. More specifically, the present invention relates to a reusable unit that will contain oil spills to a specific location and will also allow oil to be harvested as it flows to the top of the unit while minimizing or even eliminating any environmental clean-up impact or cost. The unit of the present invention is dropped over a damaged or broken riser in a closed position, the unit is released and stabilized in sections until the surface is reached and the containment unit is completely erected.

A method of identifying in situ conditions of a hydrocarbon reservoir is disclosed. The method comprises, obtaining a sample from an area of interest, such as a sediment sample or water column sample near a hydrocarbon seep; analyzing the sample to detect nucleic acid signatures that are indicative of microbes associated with hypersaline aquifers; and using the signature to determine the salinity of the hydrocarbon reservoir.

A well cellar assembly, and a method of using same, with the well cellar including a base plate, the base plate having at least two well slot openings therein for receiving a conductor pipe, and at least one vertically extending side wall connected to the base plate with a fluid tight seal. The at least two well slot openings provide alternative locations for the conductor pipe and at least one of the at least two well slot openings is selected for placement of the conductor pipe.

A well cellar assembly, and a method of using same, with the well cellar including a base plate, the base plate having at least two well slot openings therein for receiving a conductor pipe, and at least one vertically extending side wall connected to the base plate with a fluid tight seal. The at least two well slot openings provide alternative locations for the conductor pipe and at least one of the at least two well slot openings is selected for placement of the conductor pipe.

A machine includes a spindle for storing wire, a wire passage structure having an interface coupline, a controllable drive system, a control system, and a pressure-resistant housing. The drive system is configured to feed the wire through the wire passage structure and through the interface coupling, under the control of the control system. The housing encloses the wire passage structure, the controllable drive system, and at least a portion of the control system.

An improved underwater oil, gas and water separator used as party of a hydrocarbon containment system for recovery of oil and/or gas subsea, especially from downed structures with leaking production wells.

A modular subsea fluid storage unit has a variable-volume inner tank having a rigid top panel and a peripheral wall that is flexible by virtue of concertina formations. The peripheral wall is extensible and retractable vertically while the horizontal width of the tank remains substantially unchanged. A side wall of a lower housing part surrounds and is spaced horizontally from the peripheral wall of the inner tank to define a floodable gap between the peripheral wall and the side wall that surrounds the tank. An upper housing part extends over and is vertically spaced from the top panel of the inner tank and overlaps the side wall to enclose the inner tank. The floodable gap and the upper housing part enhance thermal insulation and trap any fluids that may leak from the inner tank.

The present invention generally relates to containment and control of an oil spill caused by a damaged or broken riser in deepwater. More specifically, the present invention relates to a reusable unit that will contain oil spills to a specific location and will also allow oil to be harvested as it flows to the top of the unit while minimizing or even eliminating any environmental clean-up cost. The unit of the present invention is dropped over a damaged or broken riser in a closed position, the unit is released and stabilized in sections until the surface is reached and the containment unit is completely erected.

A resiliently deformable containment structure having an open bottom end and a raised center portion. A central hub, situated centrally in a textile containment sheet, is provided. A plurality of elongate inflatable beam members are arranged circumferentially around the central hub, each extending radially outwardly and in a downwardly-extending manner therefrom and each underlying or overlying the textile containment sheet to support, when inflated, the textile containment sheet in a downwardly-extending shape to form an enclosure having an open bottom end. Distal ends of the inflatable beam members are tethered to one or more anchor members situated below the open bottom end of the dome structure. The structure is suited for placement above and over a compromised sub-sea structure for collecting and recovering to surface fluids which may be leaking therefrom. A method for containing and recovering such fluids from a compromised sub-sea structure is further disclosed.