# US 9,004,176 B2 · Marine well containment system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,004,176 B2 - Document ID: US9004176B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/188,330 - Filed: 2011-07-21 - Published: 2012-01-26 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-21 - Assignees: Marine Well Containment Company - Applicants: Calvin W. Crossley; Jeffrey W. Jones; Allen P. Allegra; Jonathan Bowman; Lloyd Brown; John Dagleish; Brian J. Fielding; Mitch Guinn; Joe Q. Jin; Wan Cai Kan; Roald T. Lokken; Mario R. Lugo; Peter G. Noble; Matthew J. Obernuefemann; Murray Smith; Paul M. Sommerfield; Charlie Tyrell; Richard Weser; Stephen Wetch - Inventors: Calvin W. Crossley; Jeffrey W. Jones; Allen P. Allegra; Jonathan Bowman; Lloyd Brown; John Dagleish; Brian J. Fielding; Mitch Guinn; Joe Q. Jin; Wan Cai Kan; Roald T. Lokken; Mario R. Lugo; Peter G. Noble; Matthew J. Obernuefemann; Murray Smith; Paul M. Sommerfield; Charlie Tyrell; Richard Weser; Stephen Wetch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9004176B2 ## CPC - E21B 33/064: specially adapted for underwater well heads - E21B 33/037: Protective housings therefor - E21B 43/0122: {Collecting oil or the like from a submerged leakage (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or the like E02B15/04)} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A system and method for rapidly responding to and regaining control of uncontrolled flow from offshore hydrocarbon wells, comprising a subsea containment assembly, optionally including a capture caisson assembly installed around the assembly, riser systems for production of hydrocarbons to capture vessels on the surface of the sea, and modularized subsystems facilitating communication between and fluid flow from the subsea containment assembly through the riser to the capture vessel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A marine well containment system capable of producing fluids from a marine oil and gas well comprising: a blowout preventer; a subsea containment assembly connected on top of the blowout preventer and located in substantially close proximity to the seabed; a riser assembly, wherein the riser assembly further comprises a vertical pipe riser and a flexible riser and wherein the riser assembly is connected to the subsea containment assembly; a capture vessel connected to the riser assembly; wherein the capture vessel is capable of receiving fluids produced by the blowout preventer, captured by the subsea containment assembly, piped through the riser assembly to the capture vessel or a combination thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The marine well containment system of claim 1, wherein the subsea containment assembly has a mechanical connection to the blowout preventer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The marine well containment system of claim 2, wherein the mechanical connection prevents fluids produced by the blowout preventer from escaping. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The marine well containment system of claim 1, wherein the subsea containment assembly further comprises a plurality of adaptors and connectors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The marine well containment system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of adaptors and connectors are capable of interacting with one or more of the following selected from the group consisting of a wellhead, a blowout preventer stack, a lower marine riser package and a casing string. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The marine well containment system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptors and connectors is configured to vent fluids, configured to provide a port through which an inhibitor may be injected, configured to accommodate at least one subsea gauge, configured to control well backpressure, configured to facilitate a well shut-in or a combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The marine well containment system of claim 1, wherein the subsea containment assembly further comprises three rams. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The marine well containment system of claim 7, wherein each ram has choke and kill ability. ### Claim 9 A marine well containment system capable of producing fluids from a marine oil and gas well comprising: a capture caisson; a blowout preventer capable of producing fluids wherein the blowout preventer is enclosed in the capture caisson; a subsea containment assembly installed on top of the blowout preventer wherein the subsea containment is exterior to the capture caisson and located in substantially close proximity to the seabed; a self-standing riser assembly, wherein the riser assembly further comprises a seabed foundation, a vertical pipe riser and a flexible riser and wherein the riser assembly is connected to the subsea containment assembly; a capture vessel connected to the riser assembly; wherein the capture vessel is capable of receiving fluids produced by the blowout preventer, captured by the capture caisson, captured by the subsea containment assembly, piped through the riser assembly to the capture vessel or a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The marine well containment system of claim 9, wherein the capture caisson is capable of forming a seal with the seabed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The marine well containment system of claim 9, wherein the capture caisson forms a mechanical connection with the blowout preventer, the subsea containment assembly or both. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The marine well containment system of claim 9, wherein there is no mechanical connection between the capture caisson and the blowout preventer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The marine well containment system of claim 9, wherein the subsea containment assembly has a mechanical connection to the blowout preventer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The marine well containment system of claim 13, wherein the mechanical connection prevents fluids produced by the blowout preventer from escaping. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The marine well containment system of claim 9, wherein the subsea containment assembly further comprises a plurality of adaptors and connectors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The marine well containment system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of adaptors and connectors are capable of interacting with one or more of the following selected from the group consisting of a wellhead, a blowout preventer stack, a lower marine riser package and a casing string. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The marine well containment system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptors and connectors is configured to vent fluids, configured to provide a port through which an inhibitor may be injected, configured to accommodate at least one subsea gauge, configured to control well backpressure, configured to facilitate a well shut-in or a combination thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The marine well containment system of claim 9, wherein the subsea containment assembly has a three ram design comprising three rams. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The marine well containment system of claim 18, wherein each ram has choke and kill ability. ### Claim 20 A method of controlling a well comprising the steps of: assembling components of a marine containment system wherein the marine containment system includes a subsea containment assembly; installing a capture caisson over the well to be controlled; and installing the subsea containment assembly on top of a blowout preventer connected to the well to be controlled after the step of installing the capture caisson, wherein the subsea containment assembly is located in substantially close proximity to the seabed. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20 wherein the step of installing the capture caisson further comprises the step of enclosing the blowout preventer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the subsea containment assembly installed on the well to be controlled is connected to the capture caisson. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of forming a seal between the capture caisson and the seabed. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of forming a mechanical connection between the capture caisson and the blowout preventer, the subsea containment assembly or both. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of forming a mechanical connection between the subsea containment assembly and the blowout preventer. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the marine well containment system prevents fluids produced by the blowout preventer from escaping. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 wherein the subsea containment assembly further comprises a plurality of adaptors and connectors. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein the plurality of adaptors and connectors are capable of interacting with one or more of the following selected from the group consisting of a wellhead, a blowout preventer stack, a lower marine riser package and a casing string. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein at least one of the plurality of adaptors and connectors is configured to vent fluids, configured to provide a port through which an inhibitor may be injected, configured to accommodate at least one subsea gauge, configured to control well backpressure, configured to facilitate a well shut-in or a combination thereof. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29 wherein the subsea containment assembly has a three ram design comprising three rams. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 wherein each ram has choke and kill ability. ### Claim 32 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of connecting a riser assembly to the subsea containment assembly, wherein the riser assembly further comprises a vertical pipe riser and a flexible riser. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of connecting the riser assembly to a capture vessel wherein the capture vessel is capable of receiving fluids from the well to be controlled.