METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EVACUATING HYDROCARBONS FROM A DISTRESSED WELL

1 . A method of evacuating hydrocarbons from a plurality of nested tubulars of an underwater well pipe extending from an underwater well tree, comprising steps of:

a) attaching a first fluid transmission line to the underwater well tree, the fluid transmission line having one end portion forming an attachment to the tree and the other end portion attached to a pump that enables transmission of fluid under pressure to the tree and nested tubulars attached to the tree;

b) forming multiple aligned openings through the nested tubulars at a selected location;

c) attaching to the tubulars a fitting that seals the multiple aligned openings, the fitting having an expandable seal that is expandable responsive to rotation of a rotating member that rotates upon a saddle, the saddle surrounding a mandrel and bearing against an outer tubular of the nested tubulars;

d) wherein the fitting has a bore and enabling hydrocarbons to escape from the tubulars via the bore; and

e) transmitting the escaping hydrocarbons of step “d” to a collection vessel using a second fluid transmission line.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the fitting surrounds the mandrel and in step “c” the mandrel has a tapered section that slides relative to the seal.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the mandrel has an externally threaded portion and the rotating member is an internally threaded nut that engages said externally threaded portion of the mandrel.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the threaded nut has one or more handles and step “c” includes rotating the nut by rotating one or more handles.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the nested tubulars include a production flow line.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the nested tubulars include one or more casing sections surrounding the production flow line.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein in step “c” the fitting has a flow bore and a flow opening through which pressurized fluids can flow and wherein the seal contains pressurized fluid up to about 5,000 p.s.i. (34,474 kPa).

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the seal is of a rubber or rubber like material.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the nested tubulars include a central production flow line, a first casing surrounding the production flow line and a second casing surrounding the first casing and wherein there is a first annulus in between the production flow line and the first casing and a second annulus in between the first casing and the second casing, wherein each annulus is pressurized in steps “d” and “e”.

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

a) attaching a fluid transmission line to the underwater well tree, the fluid transmission line having one end portion forming said attachment to the tree and the other end portion attached to a pump that enables a working fluid under pressure to be transmitted to the assembly of tree and nested tubulars;

b) forming multiple aligned openings through the nested tubulars at a selected location;

c) attaching to the tubulars a fitting that seals the openings, said fitting having a flow bore;

d) wherein in steps “a” and “c”, hydrocarbons escape from the tubulars via the bore as the working fluid is pumped to the assembly of tree and nested tubulars.

11 . The method of claim 10 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.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the mandrel has a bore and in step “d” the hydrocarbons exit via the mandrel bore.

13 . The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a storage tank and transmitting the hydrocarbons to the storage tank via a flow line that connects between the fitting and the storage tank.

14 . The method of claim 10 further comprising providing a vessel and in step “a” the pump is on the vessel.

15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a vessel and the storage tank is on the vessel.

16 . The method of claim 11 wherein the fitting surrounds the mandrel and in step “c” the mandrel has a tapered section that moves relative to the seal.

17 . The method of claim 11 wherein the mandrel has an externally threaded portion and a rotating member is an internally threaded nut that engages said externally threaded portion of the mandrel.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the threaded nut has one or more handles and step “c” includes rotating the nut by rotating one or more handles.

19 . The method of claim 10 wherein the nested tubulars include a production flow line.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the nested tubulars include multiple casing sections surrounding the production flow line.

21 . The method of claim 10 wherein in step “c” the fitting has a flow bore and a flow opening through which pressurized fluids can flow and wherein the seal contains pressurized fluid up to about 5,000 p.s.i. (34,474 kPa).

22 . The method of claim 10 wherein in step “d” a return flow line transmits the escaping hydrocarbons to a collection tank.

23 . The method of claim 10 wherein the nested tubulars include a central production flow line, a first casing surrounding the production flow line and a second casing surrounding the first casing and wherein there is a first annulus in between the production flow line and the first casing and a second annulus in between the first casing and the second casing, wherein each annulus is pressurized in step “d”.