A ram for a blowout preventer, the ram having a top side and a bottom side, a front and a back; a first front seal face and a second front seal face provided on the front of the ram; a fluid communication channel extending through the ram from the front to the back thereof, the first front seal face being provided above and the second seal face below the fluid communication channel.

A tool for severing or assisting in the severing of a conduit is described. The tool comprises a housing defining a void, the void arranged, in use, to at least partially encircle a conduit and an at least one void access, the/each void access having an inlet and an outlet, the/each void access inlet being in fluid communication with the housing and the/each void access outlet being in fluid communication with the housing void. The tool further comprises an at least one propellant source located within the housing, an ignition mechanism for igniting the/each propellant source and an at least one modifying material. Upon ignition, the/each propellant source deflagrates, creating an at least one stream of combustion products, the/each stream of combustion products flowing out of the tool through the/each void access in to the void, the/each void access channelling the/each stream of combustion products towards the conduit, the/each stream of combustion products combining with the/each modifying material to sever or assist in severing the conduit.

A suspension head (11) is provided for connection between a high pressure riser (8) and a subsea wellhead (9), for use in drilling and completion operations in which a jack-up rig (1) is employed and a blowout preventer (7) is installed on the jack-up rather than on the wellhead. The use of the suspension head (11) offers improved safety and convenience, allowing the riser (8) to be isolated from the wellhead (9) in emergencies or for carrying out certain operations which would otherwise require the installation of a temporary plug. (FIG. 1)

A multi-metallic pressure-controlling component and a hot isostatic pressure (HIP) manufacturing process and system are disclosed. An example multi-metallic component for use in the oil field services industry includes a first metal alloy that forms a first portion of the multi-metallic pressure-controlling component, and a second metal alloy that forms a second portion of the multi-metallic pressure-controlling component. A diffusion bond is disposed at an interface between the first metal alloy and the second metal alloy that joins the first metal alloy to the second metal alloy within the multi-metallic pressure-controlling component.

A multi-metallic pressure-controlling component and a hot isostatic pressure (HIP) manufacturing process and system are disclosed. An example multi-metallic ram includes a first portion formed from a first metal alloy, a second portion formed from a second metal alloy, and a diffusion bond at an interface between the first metal alloy and the second metal alloy that joins the first metal alloy to the second metal alloy within the multi-metallic ram.

An apparatus and method for blowout preventer (BOP) control. The apparatus may include a first control station communicatively connected with and operable to control BOP equipment for controlling pressure within a wellbore at an oil and gas wellsite, and a second control station communicatively connected with and operable to control drilling rig equipment for drilling the wellbore within a subterranean formation at the oil and gas wellsite. The second control station may be communicatively connected with the first control station and operable to control the BOP equipment via the first control station.

Non-sealing casing shear rams are utilized in a blow out preventer (BOP) for shearing or cutting casing, but do not seal. The BOP with non-sealing casing shear rams with V-shaped blades has the shearing capabilities of a larger shear ram BOP while utilizing a smaller sized BOP to reduce the need for additional time, expense, and equipment. The non-sealing casing shear ram BOP may be used for drilling operations and during production without the need for swapping a larger shear ram BOP used for drilling to a smaller shear ram BOP for operations. The V-shape blade and back rake angle of the non-sealing casing shear ram blades produce the shearing force of the larger BOP in a smaller sized BOP.

A tubular string for a subterranean well comprises a first string that is located in the well and that can access or traverse horizons of interest, such as during drilling, completion, or workover. A second tubular string is assembled above this first tubular string and is selected so that only this second tubular string normally traverses a blow out preventer during periods when there is an elevated risk that the blow out preventer will be actuated. The second tubular string is made of a more easily shearable material than the first tubular string, such as a titanium alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a composite material. A third or further tubular strings may be assembled above the second tubular string, such as in subsea applications.

The invention relates to a well bore control apparatus, system and method for sealing a well bore. The invention relates to a well bore control apparatus comprising a housing having a guide element defining a path, the housing defining a throughbore for receiving a tubular, a first tapered gate and a tapered second gate located within the housing, the first and second gates being adapted to engage with the guide element. In use the first and second gates are moveable along the path defined by the guide element in a direction substantially transverse to the throughbore between an open position of the throughbore and a closed position of the throughbore. The well bore control apparatus comprises a first seal seat for forming a first seal with the first gate in the closed position to seal the throughbore. The well bore control apparatus may include a second seal seat. The second seal seat may be adapted for forming a second seal with the second gate in the closed position to seal the throughbore.

A supplemental sealing system for a blowout preventer (BOP) includes a fluid source configured to support a sealing fluid and a conduit fluidly coupled to the fluid source. The conduit is configured to deliver the sealing fluid from the fluid source to a bore of the BOP to enable the sealing fluid to supplement a seal formed by one or more primary seal elements of the BOP.