The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 27, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 15, 1999
James D. Brugman, Spring, TX (US);
Hubert L. Elkins, Kingwood, TX (US);
Mark A. Merit, Spring, TX (US);
Varco Shaffer, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A subsea hydraulic control system,supplies hydraulic fluid to operate subsea equipment SE, which in exemplary application may be a blowout preventer having an opening port and a closing port. A hydraulic control system includes a fluid storage vessel,for storing a selected quantity of hydraulic fluid, and a separation member,separating subsea water from hydraulic fluid while pressurizing the hydraulic fluid in response to the hydrostatic head of the water. A fluid supply line,interconnects the fluid storage vessel and the subsea equipment, and a fluid exhaust line,interconnects the subsea equipment with a subsea hydraulic fluid reservoir vessel,. A vent line,extends from the fluid reservoir vessel to the surface. A subsea pump periodically exhausts fluid from the fluid storage vessel to the water. The method of the invention provides reliable actuation of subsea equipment, and is particularly well suited for operating subsea equipment in deep water at depths in excess of 6,000 feet.