Method and apparatus for evacuating hydrocarbons from a distressed well

A method of evacuating hydrocarbons from a damaged assembly of a plurality of concentrically nested tubulars and an underwater well tree of an underwater oil well, comprising the steps of:

• a) attaching a fluid transmission line to the underwater well tree, the fluid transmission line having a first end portion forming said attachment to the underwater well tree and a second end portion attached to a pump that enables a working fluid under pressure to be transmitted to the plurality of nested tubulars;
• b) forming multiple openings through the tubulars of the plurality of nested tubulars at a selected location, each opening formed in a different one of said plurality of nested tubulars, said openings being aligned;
• c) attaching to the plurality of nested tubulars a fitting that seals all of the openings of step “b”, said fitting having a flow bore;
• d) pumping a working fluid into each tubular of the plurality of nested tubulars of the nested one or more tubulars;
• e) wherein in steps “a” through “d”, hydrocarbons escape from the plurality of nested tubulars via the flow bore of the fitting as the working fluid is pumped to the plurality of nested tubulars;
• and
• f) wherein the fitting includes a tapered mandrel and a seal member, and wherein in step “c” the tapered mandrel expands the seal member to seal said openings.

A method of evacuating hydrocarbons from a damaged assembly of a plurality of concentrically nested tubulars and an underwater well tree of an underwater oil well, comprising the steps of:

• a) attaching a fluid transmission line to the underwater well tree, the fluid transmission line having a first end portion attached to the underwater well tree and a second end portion attached to a pump that enables a working fluid under pressure to be transmitted to the plurality of nested tubulars;
• b) forming multiple openings through the tubulars of the plurality of nested tubulars at a selected location, each opening formed in a different tubular of the plurality of nested tubulars, said openings being aligned;
• c) attaching to the plurality of nested tubulars a fitting that seals all of the openings of step “b”, said fitting having a flow bore;
• d) pumping a working fluid into each tubular of the plurality of nested tubulars;
• e) wherein in steps “a” through “d”, hydrocarbons escape from the plurality of nested tubulars via the flow bore of the fitting as the working fluid is pumped to the plurality of nested tubulars;
• f) wherein the fitting includes a tapered mandrel and a seal member, and wherein in step “c” the tapered mandrel expands the seal member to seal said openings;
• and
• g) wherein the fitting surrounds the tapered mandrel and in step “c” the tapered mandrel has a tapered section that moves relative to the seal member.