Closing down burning oil wells with min. danger to personnel - uses tunnelling and excavating technique to clamp and insert valve remote from oil well head

摘要

A process and appts. for shutting down burning oil wells, where oil is under pressure. The process claims to reduce the danger to personnel. The novelty is the technique of tunnelling beneath the oil pipe, excavating a subterranean gallery around the pipe, and closing the pipe at that point. The oil pipe may be simply closed by means of hydraulic clamps pressing the walls of the pipe together. To ensure complete safety if the pipe material is too brittle, a collar with oil pressure seals is clamped around the pipe. An extension piece securely attached to the collar and sealed, carries a borer to cut hole in the wall of the pipe. Once the pipe is cut, the borer is withdrawn, allowing a slide valve to be inserted in the oil pipe, thus shutting off the oil flow. Alternatively the face of the cutter can be backed with a round block, the dia. of the oil pipe, which is pressed into the pipe after the pipe is completely bored through and thereby blocking off the oil flow. ADVANTAGE - Allows burning oil feed pipes, partic. oil well fires to be brought under control in complete safety.