Importance

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Abstract

A method and system for stopping the flow of petroleum from a location along a pipe extending from an underground petroleum deposit, when the location is at, below, or above the surface of the earth. Initially, the location is identified of at least one underground segment of the pipe between the deposit and said location along the pipe. Then, a fluid flow path is established from at least one point on the surface of the earth displaced from the identified point along the pipe to the underground region adjacent to at least one of the underground segments. A flow of a coolant is established in or along the fluid flow path and that flow is controlled whereby sufficient heat is extracted from the underground segment, in effect lowering the temperature of the flowing oil, so that the flow rate of petroleum flowing through the segment is reduced substantially to zero. The blockage may be removed by heating frozen oil in the segment so that flow of oil may be re-established in the well pipe.

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First Claim