Method and apparatus for removing plugs from subsea equipment through the use of exothermic reacting chemicals

Abstract

A method of servicing subsea equipment comprising positioning a reaction chamber about the subsea equipment having a plug therein, wherein positioning the reaction chamber substantially isolates an area about the subsea equipment from an environment external to the reaction chamber, providing one or more reactants to the reaction chamber, and allowing a reaction to proceed between the reactants, wherein the reaction produces sufficient heat to eliminate the plug. A system for removing plugs from subsea equipment comprising a support vessel, a reaction chamber supported by the support vessel and positioned adjacent the subsea equipment having a plug therein, wherein the reaction chamber is configured to substantially isolate an area about the subsea equipment having a plug therein from an environment external to the reaction chamber, and one or more exothermically-reacting chemical reactants present within the reaction chamber.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.