METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS FROM A WELL BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WATER

An apparatus and method is provided for controlling and/or halting the uncontrolled flow of petroleum and/or natural gas from an open well head on the sea floor in which the well head is in communication with a subterranean formation. The method includes lowering a fluid control device from a drilling ship to an alignment means positioned above an open well casing through which the petroleum and/or natural gas is flowing in an uncontrolled manner, then lowering the fluid control device through and/or adjacent to the alignment means and into the open well casing until a lower section of a fluid control device enters the open well casing. The fluid control device includes an elongated member at its tip, having a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the well head casing. A tapered section is in connection with the elongated section, the tapered section, or another section in connection with the tapered section, having a maximum diameter equal to or greater than the inside diameter of the well casing, and an end section in communication with the tapered section having a diameter greater than or equal to the outside diameter of the well head casing. The fluid control device can have a mass sufficiently great to overcome any upward forces created by flowing petroleum and/or natural gas, resulting in sufficient downward movement of the fluid control device and contact with the open well casing to seal same. Alternatively, a drilling rig in connection with the fluid control device can exert sufficient downward pressure thereon so as to overcome the pressure of the flowing petroleum, gas, etc., thereby creating a seal between the fluid control device and the well head. L'invention concerne un appareil et un procédé pour la régulation et/ou l'arrêt de l'écoulement incontrôlé de pétrole et/ou de gaz naturel depuis une tête de puits ouverte sur le fond marin, la tête de puits étant en communication avec une formation souterraine. Le procédé comprend l'abaissement d'un dispositif de régulation de fluide depuis un bateau de forage vers un moyen d'alignement positionné au dessus d'un tubage de puits ouvert à travers lequel le pétrole et/ou le gaz naturel s'écoule(nt) de manière incontrôlée, puis l'abaissement du dispositif de régulation de fluide à travers et/ou près du moyen d'alignement et dans le tubage de puits ouvert jusqu'à ce qu'une section inférieure d'un dispositif de régulation de fluide pénètre dans le tubage de puits ouvert. Le dispositif de régulatio