US3003322A - Oil storage - Google Patents

Description

J. K. JORDAN Oct. 10, 1961 OIL STORAGE Filed June 6, 1958 INFLATABLE FIG 5 INVENTOR.

JAMES K. JORDAN,

ATTORNEY.

SALT DONE United States Patent 3,003,322 OIL STORAGE James K. Jordan, Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 6, 1958, Ser. No. 740,459 1 Claim. (Cl. 61-.5)

This invention concerns method and apparatus for delivery of fluids. More particularly, the invention concerns method and apparatus for the storage of oil in subterranean cavities located offshore and delivery of the oil therefrom.

The development of large oil reserves ofishore has introduced many problems relative to the transportation and storage of produced oil. In one known practice the oil is produced and then moved by pipe line or barge to a shore terminal. From the terminal the oil is sent to a central tanker loading terminal or refinery. This practice is disadvantageous because movement of oil by barge is expensive and subject to weather conditions; costly oflshore tank battery installations are required for the dis position of separator gas; and laying oflshore pipe lines from the tank battery installations to shore installations is expensive and prohibitively so for installations in producing areas far from shore.

On the other hand, the ability to handle offshore oil at or near the production area provides many advantages. For example, barge loading facilitiese both on shore and oflishore are eliminated or the necessity for laying offshore pipe lines to shore terminals is eliminated; shore terminals and large storage and tanker loading facilities at deep water ports are eliminated; and the time required for tankers to enter, load and leave the deep water ports is reduced.

One method for handling oil production ofishore at or near the area of production is the construction of an oil?- shore underground storage in conjunction with a tanker loading terminal. Thus, for example, an underground salt cavity of suflicient size to hold many days oil production may be leached out and facilities may be installed for handling this oil at a tanker loading terminal near the salt cavity.

One desirable method for bringing the oil stored in the salt cavity to the surface at high flow rates is by displacement with the readily available sea water. However, since the sea water used is relatively fresh with respect to a saturated brine solution, each time the fresh sea water is used to displace the oil in the salt cavern, an additional portion of the salt cavity is leached out. This operation would ruin the salt cavity eventually.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a method and system for storing oil in underground cavities and in displacing the stored oil with water whereby a continuous leaching process is avoided.

In a broader aspect an object of the invention is to provide improved method and apparatus for displacing a fluid contained in a receptacle by another fluid wherein the latter displacing fluid is maintained separate from the fluid being displaced.

Briefly, the method of the invention provides for removing fluids from a subterranean cavity which comprises injecting a first fluid into the cavity to force a second fluid contained in the cavity to the surface while maintaining the first fluid separate from the wall of the cavity and separate from the second fluid.

The system of the invention for removing fluids from a subterranean cavity comprises at least a first conduit extending from the surface into the cavity, at least a second conduit extending from the surface into the cavity,

and an inflatable bag arranged in the cavity, the neck thereof being arranged in the second conduit.

The above objects and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a more detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical view through a section of the subsurface showing the bag in deflated position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical view through a section of the subsurface and showing the bag partially inflated;

FIG. 3 is a vertical view through a section of thesubsurface and showing the bag substantially completely inflated;

FIG. 4 is a vertical view of the inflatable bag in lowering-in position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical view of the coupling connecting the inflatable bag to the cable landed in the pipe.

FIGS. 1 through 3 show a cavity 15 formed in a salt dome 10 located in the ground 11 underlying a body of water 12. Concentric pipes 13 and 14 are arranged to extend from above the surface of the water to the upper part of cavity 15 and a pipe 16 is arranged to extend from above the surface of the water into cavity 15, as shown. An inflatable bag 17 is arranged in cavity 15 and is connected to a cable 18 which extends through the upper end of pipe 16. A conduit 19 is connected to pipe 16 and a conduit 20 is connected to pipe 13 and fluidly communicates with the annulus between pipes 13 and 14.

Valves 7, 8, and 9 are provided on conduits 14, 19, and 20, respectively, to control the flow of fluid through these pipes. A coupling provided with a stuifing box 21 which seals off around cable 18 is connected to the upper end of pipe 16.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the bag in deflated lowering-in position arranged in pipe 16.

Bag 17 is compressed as by wrapping, as shown. Split rings 22 retain the bag in wrapped position until the bag begins to inflate. Other devices such as frangible rings, releasable sheaths, etc. may be used in place of the split rings. The neck of the bag is connected to a coupling 23 which is a hollow member secured to cable 18 and provided with openings 24 Which openings fluidly communicate with the interior of bag 17. The lower end of bag 17 has attached thereteo a cup packer 25 which may be used to aid in moving bag 17 downwardly through pipe 16.

In FIG. 5 is illustrated coupling 23 and landing apparatus which restrains or prevents the coupling from moving out of the lower end of pipe 16. The landing apparatus includes a shoulder portion 26 formed on coupling 23 which is adapted to engage with or land on a shoulder 27 formed on the lower end of tubing 16.

Cavity 15 is formed by drilling a hole into salt dome 10 and setting pipe 13 therein. Pipe 14 is arranged to extend through pipe 13 and a portion of the salt dome is leached out by circulating water down one pipe and up the other pipe. After the cavity has been formed sufiiciently large a second hole is drilled to cavity 15 and pipe 16 is set in this hole. Then bag 17 is lowered through pipe 16 on cable 18 until shoulder 26 of coupling 23 is landed on shoulder 27 of pipe 16.

Cavity 15 is filled with oil by pumping oil through pipe 14. The water used in leaching will be displaced by the oil to the surface through the annulus between pipes 13 and 14. When it is desired to remove the oil from the storage cavity sea Water is pumped through pipes 19 and 16, through openings 24 and into the interior of bag 17. As bag 17 begins to inflate, retaining rings 22 release and permit continued inflation of the bag. Inflating of bag 17 displaces the stored oil through the annulus between pipes 13 and 14 or through pipe 14.

When it is desired to again store oil in cavity 15, oil is pumped downwardly through pipe 14 or through the the bag. The saltwater is-displaced through coupling 23 and pipe 16'to the surface. When it is desired to re-' move the deflated bag, it is pulled through pipe 16 by means of cable 18.

The operation of valves 7, 8,, and 9 is considered apparent consequently the manipulation of these valves during the storage-displacement cycle was not described. St-ufiing-box 21 is used to seal oft the annulus about cable 18 after the bag has been arranged in the cavity and bag inflating fluid is about to be pumpedthrough pipes 19 and 165 'A'lthoughionly onebag was illustrated in the description-of=the invention for sufiiciently large cavities more than onebag may beused and in accordance therewith an aocesshole'having a pipe 16 set therein would be employed for each bag.

The bag, is preferablyformed of a material vnot affected by hydrocarbons such as synthetic or neoprenerubber or a plastic material such as polyethylene. It is of' sufiicient thickness and ductility to prevent damage to it by contact with the rough wall of the cavity and by the continuous folding and unfolding required by the continual storing and displacement of the oil.

Aithough the 'mvention has been described with regard to displacement of oil by salt water, the scope of the invention is not to be considered limited to such use. The scope of'the invention encompasses displacement of any fluid by any other fluid. As an example, a gas such asair or natural gas may be used as the bag inflating mediumnto displace water.

Having fully described the method, apparatus and objects of'the invention, 1 claim:

A system for the storage of oil in a subterranean location underlying a body of sea water and 'for removal of oil stored in this location comprising an offshore subterranean salt dome provided with a cavity; at least a first conduit extending from above the surface of the water into the upper portion of said cavity; at least a second conduit extending from above the surface of the Water into said cavity and provided with a shoulder adjacent the lower end thereof; an inflatable, deflatable bag arranged in said cavity, the neck portion of said bag being provided with a coupling-having a shoulder en- 'gageable with said second conduit shoulder, said shoulders cooperating to prevent further downward movement throughsaid second conduit of the neck portion of said bag; a-- cable connected to said coupling adapted to lower said bag deflatedthrough said second conduit into said cavity; said first conduit being a conductor of'oil'from said cavity and saidsecond conduit being a conductor of sea water-into said bag when it is desired to displace oil stored in said cavity from said cavity-by supplying said bag-with sea water'and said conduit being a conductor of sea water from said bag and said first conduit being a conductor of oil into said cavity when it is desired to store oil in said cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 703,824 Quinn July 1, 1902 2,037,989 Macklanburg Apr. 21, 1936 2,387,598 Mercier Oct. 23, 1945 2,869,328 Gibson Jan; 20, 1959 2,942,424 Hoble June 28, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,661 Norway June 30, 1941 1,113,631 France Dec. 5, 1955

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