A ball valve is provided. The ball valve includes a housing, a ball seat arranged in the housing, a ball member mounted within the housing and being rotatable relative to the ball seat between open and closed positions, the ball seat and ball member defining respective through bores, the ball member including a sealing surface, a bore surface and a leading edge surface extending between the sealing surface and the bore surface, the leading edge surface being configured to cut a body extending at least partially through the valve upon closure of the ball member, wherein said leading edge surface is truncated. The ball member may include a relief region proximate the leading edge surface.

There is provided systems, methods and apparatus for the use of directed energy, including high power laser energy, in conjunction with mechanical shearing, sealing and closing devices to provide reduced mechanical energy well control systems and techniques.

A subsea connection system for connecting to a hub has a body with an interior passageway, a collet having a plurality of collet segments, an outer sleeve overlying the collet, and a poppet valve assembly positioned within the interior passageway of the body. The plurality of collet segments are movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The poppet valve assembly is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the open position allows a fluid to flow through the interior passageway and the closed position blocks a flow of fluid through the interior passageway. The outer sleeve is movable so as to cause the plurality of collet segments to join to a hub.

A subsea connection system for connecting to a hub has a body with an interior passageway, a collet having a plurality of collet segments, an outer sleeve overlying the collet, and a poppet valve assembly positioned within the interior passageway of the body. The plurality of collet segments are movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The poppet valve assembly is movable between an open position and a closed position in which the open position allows a fluid to flow through the interior passageway and the closed position blocks a flow of fluid through the interior passageway. The outer sleeve is movable so as to cause the plurality of collet segments to join to a hub.

A device for cutting and plugging underwater pipes, the device includes a frame with one or more clamps for securing the device to the pipe. Attached to the frame is an arm having a first end and a second end. The first end is attached to an actuation element that in combination with a support bar can pivot and extend the arm. A motor is attached to the second end of the arm. A saw blade and pipe plug is concentrically mounted to the motor. The motor powers the saw blade to cut the pipe transversely. The arm then positions the pipe plug concentric with the cut pipe, and in combination with rotation of the motor, plugs the cut pipe with the pipe plug.

A system is provided to perform various wellbore operations, including retrieval and replacement of solid internal tree caps, for example. The system may include an open water lubricator having a piston assembly disposed therein. The system may also include a well control package connected to a distal end of the open water lubricator. The piston assembly is configured to extend through the well control package. Method using systems disclosed herein may be performed while maintaining at least two testable pressure barriers during each of the retrieving and replacement steps.

A method for tying back a subsea well assembly to a surface platform and a tieback connector used to perform this operation. The tieback connector includes a mandrel having an axis, external threads, an upward facing lip on an external lower end portion of the mandrel, a backup ring having internal threads engaged with the external threads of the mandrel, a sleeve carried on an outside diameter of the backup ring. When the mandrel is rotated relative to the backup ring, the mandrel moves axially upward relative to the sleeve, deforming an annular seal assembly between the upward facing lip of the mandrel and the load bearing surface of the sleeve, thereby creating a seal between the apparatus and the wellhead housing.

In one system, there is an emergency pipe stroker tool, wherein the emergency pipe stroker tool is configured to act as a first mechanical barrier for a well. Further, there is an emergency quick disconnect tool in communication with the emergency pipe stroker tool, wherein the emergency quick disconnect tool comprises a connector assembly and a fluid conduit in communication with the well, and further wherein the connector assembly is configured to simultaneously detach from the well and to seal the well. Further still, there is a cement retainer in communication with the emergency quick disconnect tool and the emergency pipe stroker tool, wherein the cement retainer is configured to act as a second mechanical barrier for the well, wherein, the emergency pipe stroker tool, the emergency quick disconnect tool, and the cement retainer act in coordination to seal a well while establishing the multiple mechanical barriers.

The compensating device has a through passage that goes to the borehole tool. There is a lateral passage to a piston housing. Through the use of a differential piston area on the outer housing, a net uphole force results from backpressure as a result of flow pumped through a section mill that mills in an uphole direction. If the vessel goes down the mill is just pushed away from the tubular being cut. If wave action takes the vessel up fluid is displaced back into the mandrel but the constant force up that is dependent on the existing backpressure in the tubing keeps a steady uphole force on the mill. The tool can be reversed for applications that require a net down force during milling. Rotational locking between the mandrel and the outer housing can be used. Ports are sized to prevent damping responses.

The compensating device has a through passage that goes to the borehole tool. There is a lateral passage to a piston housing. Through the use of a differential piston area on the outer housing, a net uphole force results from backpressure as a result of flow pumped through a section mill that mills in an uphole direction. If the vessel goes down the mill is just pushed away from the tubular being cut. If wave action takes the vessel up fluid is displaced back into the mandrel but the constant force up that is dependent on the existing backpressure in the tubing keeps a steady uphole force on the mill. The tool can be reversed for applications that require a net down force during milling. Rotational locking between the mandrel and the outer housing can be used. Ports are sized to prevent damping responses.