A blowout preventer system includes a lower blowout preventer (BOP) stack including a number of hydraulic components, and a lower marine riser package (LMRP) including a first control pod and a second control pod adapted to provide, during use, redundant control of hydraulic components of the lower blowout preventer stack where the first and the second control pods are adapted to being connected, during use, to a surface control system and to be controlled, during use, by the surface control system, wherein the blowout preventer system further includes at least one additional control pod connected to at least one additional surface control system and to be controlled, during use, by the additional surface control system. In this way, an improved blowout preventer system is provided.

An apparatus is disclosed as including a first material volume with at least a hardened portion and a second material volume that includes at least two layers. The first material volume is composed of at least a hardenable alloy of steel. The at least two layers is located adjacent to a first surface comprising the hardened portion of the first material volume. The at least two layers includes a first layer composed of at least a ductile low-carbon alloy of steel and a second layer composed of at least a cobalt-based hardfacing over the first layer. The apparatus is applicable in preparing shear ram blocks and shear ram blades to provide a hardened blade edge with an adjacent hardfacing surface.

A blowout preventer system including a lower blowout preventer stack comprising a number of hydraulic components, and a lower marine riser package comprising a first control pod and a second control pod adapted to provide, during use, redundant control of hydraulic components of the lower blowout preventer stack where the first and the second control pods are adapted to being connected, during use, to a surface control system and to be controlled, during use, by the surface control system. The blowout preventer system further including at least one additional control pod connected to at least one additional surface control system and to be controlled, during use, by the additional surface control system.

An autonomous BOP system is provided for stopping an uncontrolled flow of formation hydrocarbons comprising two or more sensors distributed along a length of a subsea blowout preventer to monitor a drill pipe inside a blowout preventer and measure critical parameters. A computer using predictive-software monitors a blowout preventer along with material critical parameters and calculates a blowout preventer configuration and sequence to arrest a well blowout. Blowout preventer components are fine-tuned and operational modes are added to aid an arrest of a well blowout under realistic conditions.

A replaceable seat seal is used to form a replaceable portion of the ram cavity in a BOP that allows the upper central portion of the ram cavity to be replaced when wear occurs. A method is provided to produce a BOP that with a replaceable portion of the ram cavity. The single piece insert, also referred to as a single insert, utilizes only the single insert to repair the BOP as compared to another design that comprised a top insert, bottom insert, and two side inserts. The top insert of the prior art is comparable in construction and mounting position to the single insert.

The invention relates to a ram assembly of a blowout preventer and particularly to a pipe ram front packer assembly (100) suitable for a single use, which includes a packing (110) formed of a metal material, where the metal material is sufficiently deformable to collapse around an outer periphery of a drill pipe to seal the annulus of a preventer bore.

An actuator is for use in petroleum exploitation and is configured for displacing a rod for engaging a well barrier device. The actuator has a housing for at least a portion of the rod; at least two roller screws rotatably arranged in the housing; rotational means connected to the roller screws via one gear systems for each roller screw for simultaneous rotation of the roller screws; and a roller nut engaging each roller screw. The roller screws and roller nuts are configured such that rotation of the roller screws result in displacement of the roller nuts relative to the roller screws. Each roller nut is coupled with one actuation element via spherical bearings, and each actuation element is configured for mechanical coupling to an end portion of the rod for displacing the rod in operational use.

In some embodiments, a method for executing an emergency disconnect sequence in shallow water depth includes unlatching a lower marine riser package (LMRP) of a blowout preventer (BOP) from a lower stack of the BOP. The BOP defines a wellbore fluidically coupled to the subsea wellhead. A tubular is disposed within the wellbore. The method further includes shearing the tubular and sealing the wellbore. In response to an indication that a vessel operably coupled to the BOP has failed to keep station, an unlatch sequence and a shear and seal sequence are initiated, such that each sequence occurs at least partially simultaneously. The unlatch sequence includes disconnecting the LMRP from the lower stack, and the shear and seal sequence includes activating the lower stack to shear the tubular in less than about one second and seal the wellbore.

A detection system and method for a well site is provided. The well site has a surface rig and a surface unit. The surface rig is positioned about a formation and a surface unit. The detection system includes a well site component deployable from the surface rig via a conveyance, well site equipment positioned about the well site and having a bore to receive the well site component therethrough; and base units. The base units include scanners positioned radially about the bore of the well site equipment. The scanners detect an outer surface of the well site component and generate combinable images of the well site component whereby the well site equipment is imaged.

A subsea processor may be located near the seabed of a drilling site and used to coordinate operations of underwater drilling components. The subsea processor may be enclosed in a single interchangeable unit that fits a receptor on an underwater drilling component, such as a blow-out preventer (BOP). The subsea processor may issue commands to control the BOP and receive measurements from sensors located throughout the BOP. The subsea processor may relay information to the surface for recording or monitoring. The subsea processor may also be programmed with a model from which to base operation of the BOP, such as in emergency conditions.