AMENDED CLAIMS[Received by the International Bureau on 30 August 2004 (30.08.04): original claims 1 - 21 replaced by amended claims 1 - 22 (10 pages)]
1. A submersible compressor apparatus comprising: a gas liquid separator (22) defining a raw material opening, a gas opening, and a production liquid opening; a gas conduit (34) connected to said gas opening; a first gas valve (36) connected to said gas conduit; a first compressor tank (38) defining a first opening and a second opening; a production conduit (44) attached to said first opening and to said first gas valve; a first liquid conduit (48) attached to said second opening; a first gas production valve (46) connected to said production conduit; a first inlet valve (50) connected to said first liquid conduit; a first tank valve (52) connected to said first liquid conduit; an evacuation conduit (54) attached to said tank valve (52) ; and a pump (56) connected to said evacuation conduit.
2. A submersible compressing apparatus comprising: a first compressor tank (38) defining a first opening and a second opening said first tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said first tank; a production conduit (44) attached to said first opening of said first compressor tank; a first production gas valve (46) connected to said production conduit; a first gas valve connected to said production conduit; a first liquid conduit (48) attached to said second opening of said first compressor tank; a first inlet valve (50) connected to said first liquid conduit; a first tank valve (52) connected to said first liquid conduit; an evacuation conduit (54) attached to said first tank valve; a second compressor tank (72) defining a first opening and a second opening said second tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said second tank;
27 a second production conduit (78) attached to said first opening of said second compressor tank; a second production gas valve (82) connected to said second production conduit; a second gas valve (80) connected to said second production conduit; a second liquid conduit (84) attached to said second opening of said second compressor lank; a second inlet valve (86) connected to said second liquid conduit; a second tank valve (88) connected to said second liquid conduit; said evacuation conduit attached to said second tank valve; and a pump (56) connected to said evacuation conduit (54).
3. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a first liquid level detector (200) comiected to said first compressor tank (38) , and a second liquid level detector (204) connected to said second compressor tank (72).
4. A submersible compressing apparatus comprising: a first compressor tank (38) defining a first opening and a second opening said first tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said first tank; a production conduit (44) attached to said first opening of said first compressor tank; a first production gas valve (46) connected to said production conduit; a first gas valve (36) connected to said production conduit; a first liquid conduit (48) attached to said second opening of said first compressor tank; a first return valve (94) connected to said first liquid conduit; a first tank valve (52) connected to said first liquid conduit; an evacuation conduit (54) attached to said first tank valve; a second compressor tank (72) defining a first opening and a second opening said second tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said second tank; a second production conduit (78) attached to said first opening of said second compressor tank; a second production gas valve (82) connected to said second production conduit; a second gas valve (80) connected to said second production conduit; a second liquid conduit (84) attached to said second opening of said second compressor tank; a second return valve (96) connected to said second liquid conduit; a second tank valve (88) connected to said second liquid conduit; said evacuation conduit (88) attached to said second tank valve ; a pump (56) having an inlet and outlet,, said inlet connected to said evacuation conduit and said outlet connected to a return conduit (92) said return conduit being connected to said first and said second return valves.
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5. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a first liquid level detector (200) connected to said first compressor tank, and a second liquid level detector (204) connected to said second compressor tank.
6. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 5, wherein said first production gas valve (46), first gas valve (36), second production gas valve (82), and second gas valve (80) are automatically controlled and actuated valves.
7. Λ submersible compressing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first production gas valve (46), first gas valve (36), second production gas valve (82), and second gas valve (80) are check valves.
8. An apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an inlet valve (50) connected to said evacuation conduit.
9. An apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an exhaust valve (98) connected to said return conduit.
10. An apparatus of claim 5 further comprising an exhaust valve (98) connected to said return conduit.
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11. A submersible compressing apparatus comprising: a first compressor tank (130) defining first, second, third and fourth openings said first tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said first tank; a first gas inlet conduit (140) attached to said first opening of said first compressor tank; a first gas valve (170) connected to said first gas inlet conduit; a first production gas conduit (142) connected to said second opening of said first compressor tank; a first production gas valve (172) connected to said first production gas conduit; a first liquid inlet conduit (144) attached to said third opening of said first compressor tank; a first inlet valve (174) connected to said first liquid conduit; a first liquid exit (146) conduit connected to said fourth opening; a first liquid exhaust valve (176) connected to said first liquid exit conduit; a second compressor tank (150) defining first, second, third and fourth openings said second tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said second tank; a second gas inlet conduit (160) attached to said first opening of said second compressor tank; a second gas valve (1 0) connected to said second gas conduit; a second production gas conduit (162) connected to second opening of said second compressor tank; a second production gas valve (192) connected to said second production gas conduit; a second liquid inlet conduit (164) attached to said third opening of said second compressor; a second liquid inlet valve (194) attached to said second liquid inlet conduit; a second liquid exit (156) conduit attached to said fourth opening of said second compressor tank;
31 a second liquid exhaust valve (196) connected to said second liquid exit conduit; an evacuation conduit (178) connected to said first and second liquid exhaust valves; and a pump (180) connected to said evacuation conduit.
12. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a first liquid level detector (200) connected to said first compressor tank, and a second liquid level detector (204) comiected to said second compressor tank.
13. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first production gas valve (142), first gas valve (1 0), second production gas valve (1 2), and second gas valve (190) are check valves.
14. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first production gas valve (1 2), first gas valve (170), second production gas valve (162), and second gas valve (1 0) are automatically controlled and actuated valves.
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15. A submersible compressing apparatus comprising:
(a) a first compressor tank (38) defining openings for conduit means (44) said first tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said first tank; first gas conduit means (44, 140) for the flow of gas into and out of said first compressor tank connected to some of said openings of said first compressor tank; first gas valve means (36, 170) for controlling the flow of gas in said first compressor tank connected to said first gas conduit means; first liquid conduit means (48, 144) for the flow of liquid into and out of said first compressor tank connected to some of said openings of said first compressor tank; first liquid valve means (50, 52, 94, 174, 176) for controlling flow of liquid into and out of said first compressor tank connected to said first liquid conduit means;
(b) a second compressor tank (72, 150) defining openings for conduit means said second tank being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said second tank; second gas conduit means (78, 160) for the flow of gas into and out of said second compressor tank connected to some of said openings of said second compressor tank; second gas valve means (80, 190) for controlhng the flow of gas in said second compressor tank connected to said second gas conduit means; second liquid conduit means (84, 164, 156) for the flow of liquid into and out of said second compressor tank connected to some of said openings of said second compressor tank; second liquid valve means (86, 88, 96,196, 194)for controlling flow of liquid into and out of said second compressor tank connected to said second liquid conduit means; and (c ) pump means (56) for pumping liquid from said first compressor tank or said second compressor tank said pump means being in communication with said first and section compressor tanks.
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16. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a first liquid level detector (200) connected to said first compressor tank, and a second liquid level detector (204) connected to said second compressor tank.
17. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first gas valve means, and second gas valve means are check valves.
18. A submersible compressing apparatus comprising: n compressor tanks (38, 72, 130, 150, 102) each defining openings for conduit means said compressor tanks being free of any device intended to prevent the mixing of the inlet gas and the pumping liquid in said compressor tanks; n gas conduit means (44, 78, 108, 140) for the flow of gas into and out of each respective said n compressor tanks connected to some of said openings of each respective said n compressor tanks; n gas valve means (36, 80, 110, 170) for controlling the flow of gas in each respective said n compressor tanks connected to each respective said n gas conduit means; n liquid conduit means (48, 84, 114, 144) for the flow of liquid into and out of each respective said n compressor tanks connected to some of said openings of each respective said n compressor tanks; n liquid valve means (50, 52, 86, 88, 118, 116, 94, 174, 176) for controlling flow of liquid into and out of each respective said n compressor tanks connected to each respective said n liquid conduit means; evacuation conduit means (54, 48, 84 114 )for receiving liquid from said liquid valve means and delivery to a pump means; and pump means (56) for pumping liquid from each respective said n compressor tanks said pump means being in communication with said n compressor tanks, wherein n ~ an integer from 2 to 6 via the evacuation conduit means.
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19. A submersible compressing apparatus of claim 18 further comprising n liquid level detectors (200, 204) connected to each respective said n compressor tanks.
20. A method for compressing gas from an underwater well comprising: filling a tank with a predetermined amount of liquid from the surrounding water and; drawing gas produced by a well into said tank by pumping liquid from said tank to a predetermined level.
21. A method for compressing gas from an underwater well comprising: filling a first tank with a predetermined amount of liquid from the surrounding water; drawing gas produced by a well into said first tank by pumping liquid from said first tank to a predetermined level; filling said first tank with liquid to a predetermined level to compress the gas in said tank; pumping liquid from a second tank and drawing gas produced by a well into said second tank during at least a portion of the time that liquid is filling said first tank; and filling said second tank with liquid to compress gas therein during at least a portion of the time that liquid is being pumped from said first tank.
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22. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising: a gas liquid separator (22) defining a raw material opening, a gas opening, and a production liquid opening; a gas conduit (34) connected to said gas opening; said first gas valve means (36, ) connected to said gas conduit.
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