received by the International Bureau on 20 Jun 2016 (20.06.2016)

CLAIMS

1. A leakage plugging device for sealing a leakage at a remote site in a pipe, the device comprising:

a. a porous carrier plug of a deformable material comprising pores, said material of a density of 15-30 kg/m , carrying a first density enhancing dried composition; and

b. at least one sealant composition disposed in said pores, said at least one sealant composition comprising at least one filler, a premixed hardening agent, at least one surfactant, and at least one resinous agent, wherein said porous carrier plug is adapted to transport said at least one sealant composition from a first site to a remote site and to plug said leakage at said remote site.

2. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said device is of a first dimension and said leakage is of a second dimension.

3. A leakage plugging device according to claim 2, wherein said first dimension is in a range of 0.1 mm to 100 mm.

4. A leakage plugging device according to claim 3, wherein said first dimension is in a range of 1 mm to 60 mm.

5. A leakage plugging device according to claim 5, wherein said first dimension is in a range of 2 mm to 15 mm.

6. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said porous carrier plug or a multiplicity of porous carrier plug filled with at least one sealant composition adapted to penetrate said remote site.

7. A leakage plugging device according to claim 6, wherein said porous carrier plug or a multiplicity of porous carrier plug are adapted to fill at least one of a hole, a crack and breakage causing said leakage at said remote site.

8. A leakage plugging device according to claim 7, wherein said porous carrier plug or a multiplicity of porous carrier plug are adapted to be condensed at said remote site to form a condensed carrier plug.

9. A leakage plugging device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one sealant composition resides within said condensed carrier plug or plugs to fill said at least one of a hole, a crack and breakage causing leakage at said remote site.

10. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said porous carrier plug or plugs are of a shape selected from the group consisting of wedge-shaped, rhomboid, cubic, polygon, spherical, ovular, egg-shaped, diamond- shaped and pyramid- shaped.

11. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said porous carrier plug or plugs comprise a polymer selected from the group consisting of a foamed material, a polyurethane material, an expanded material, a natural material and a biodegradable porous material.

12. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sealant composition comprises two sealant compositions.

13. A leakage plugging device according to claim 12, wherein said deformable material comprises polyurethane and said at least one sealant composition further comprises a fatty acid liquid composition.

14. A leakage plugging device according to claim 13, wherein said fatty acid liquid composition comprises a vegetable oil.

15. A leakage plugging device according to claim 13, wherein said vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, olive oil, canola oil and rapeseed oil.

16. A leakage plugging device according to claim 7, wherein said porous carrier plug is adapted to form a narrow head part and wider tail part, wherein said head part is lodged within said remote site.

17. A leakage plugging device according to claim 16, wherein an average density of said device is increased at least twofold after plugging said site.

18. A leakage plugging device according to claim 17, wherein an average density of said narrow head part is increased at least threefold after plugging said site.

19. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said first density enhancing dried composition comprises at least one polymer, at least one filler and at least one gelling agent.

20. A method for sealing a leakage at a remote site in a pipe, the method comprising: a. introducing a fluid carrier comprising a plurality of leakage plugging devices according to claim 1, into the pipe at said first site under pressure; and

21 b. allowing said fluid carrier to transport said devices to said remote site, wherein at least one of said devices penetrates said leakage thereby sealing said leakage.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising:

c. curing said at least one sealant composition within said devices at said remote site, thereby forming at least one hardened increased- density device.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:

d. removing excess plugging devices and sealant compositions from said pipe after said allowing step.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein said sealing comprises a curing step which takes 0.2 to ten hours.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said curing step occurs within twenty minutes to 4 hours.

25. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said carrier plug or plugs are adapted to conform at least in part to a shape of said leakage at said remote site.

26. A leakage plugging device according to claim 25, wherein said carrier plug or plugs are adapted to conform to said shape of said leakage at said remote site.

27. A leakage plugging device according to claim 25, wherein said carrier plug or plugs are adapted to form a wedge shape.

28. A method according to claim 20, wherein said allowing step further comprises condensing said at least one of said devices at said leakage.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said condensing step concentrates said at least one sealant composition at said remote site.

30. A leakage plugging device according to claim 3, wherein said second dimension is in a range of 0.1 mm to 60 mm.

31. A method according to claim 20, wherein said leakage is selected from the group consisting of a hole, a crack, a vein, a crater and combinations thereof.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein said leakage leaks 10 to 30,000 L/hr.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said leakage leaks 50 to 5000 L/hr.

34. A method for sealing multiple leakages at remote sites in a pipeline, the method

22 comprising:

a. introducing a fluid carrier comprising a plurality of leakage plugging devices according to claim 1, into the pipeline at said first site under pressure; and

b. allowing said fluid carrier to transport said devices to said remote sites, wherein at least one of said devices penetrates at least some of said leakages thereby sealing at least some of said leakages.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said allowing step comprises sealing all of said leakages.

36. A method according to claim 34, further comprising:

c. curing said at least one sealant composition within said devices at said remote sites, thereby forming a plurality of hardened increased-density devices.

37. A method according to claim 36, further comprising repeating steps a and step b.

38. A method according to claim 37, further comprising repeating step c after said steps a and step b.

39. A method according to claim 20, further comprising

d. flushing said fluid carrier from said pipe.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein said flushing step comprises creating a high speed flow of a fluid normally carried in said pipe to flush out said fluid carrier and said plurality of leakage plugging devices from said pipe.

41. A method according to claim 40, wherein said flushing step leaves said pipe sealed with said cured devices.

42. A leakage plugging device according to claim 1, wherein said porous carrier plug comprises said pores in a plurality of at least partially fluidly interconnected elements.

43. A leakage plugging device according to claim 42, wherein said plurality of at least partially fluidly interconnected elements is maze-like.

44. A leakage plugging device according to claim 3, wherein said third dimension is in a range of 0.1 mm to 30 mm.

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