Blowout preventer with a Bernoulli effect suck-down valve

A blowout preventer, comprising:

• a funnel having a smaller end and a larger end, with the larger end being dimensioned and configured to be placed over an open end of a pipe through which a first fluid is escaping;
• a return pipe connected to the smaller end of the funnel;
• a high pressure pipe passing outside the return pipe and through a side of the funnel, suitably dimensioned and configured to be insertable into the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping;
• and
• jets on an exterior surface of the funnel, through which a second fluid may be released to move the funnel into alignment with the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping;
• wherein, when the second fluid is pumped through the high pressure pipe at a pressure greater than that of the first fluid, the first fluid will be separated by the second fluid in a space adjacent to an end of the high pressure pipe that has been inserted into the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping, and a portion of the first fluid that is not held back by the greater pressure of the second fluid will flow through the funnel and the return pipe at an accelerated velocity, but at a reduced pressure due to the Bernoulli effect, thus sucking the funnel down onto the pipe from which the first fluid is escaping.

A method of preventing blowouts, comprising the steps of:

• placing a larger end of a funnel adjacent to an open end of a pipe through which a first fluid is escaping, the funnel having a smaller end that is connected to a return pipe;
• moving the funnel into alignment with the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping using jets on an exterior surface of the funnel, by releasing a second fluid from the jets;
• inserting a high pressure pipe into the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping;
• pumping the second fluid, at a higher pressure than that of the first fluid, through the high pressure pipe into the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping;
• separating the first fluid by the second fluid in a space adjacent to an end of the high pressure pipe that has been inserted into the pipe through which the first fluid is escaping;
• and
• accelerating a portion of the first fluid that is not held back by the greater pressure of the second fluid, causing it to flow through the funnel and the return pipe at an increased velocity, but at a reduced pressure due to the Bernoulli effect, thus sucking the funnel down onto the pipe from which the first fluid is escaping.