A system for operating a blowout preventer (BOP) includes a front piston positioned at least partially in a front chamber. The front chamber includes a front volume on a front side of the front piston, and a back volume on a back side of the front piston. The system also includes a back piston connected to the front piston. The back piston is positioned at least partially in a back chamber. The back chamber includes a front volume on a front side of the back piston, and a back volume on a back side of the back piston. The system also includes a first valve configured to permit fluid flow into the front chamber during a free closing stroke of the BOP. The system also includes a second valve configured to permit fluid flow between the front and back volumes of the back chamber during the free closing stroke.

A blowout preventer (BOP) assembly includes a body portion, a bore extending through the body portion, and a ram block assembly. The ram block assembly includes a first ram block being movable into the bore and a second ram block being movable into the bore. The ram block assembly also includes inserts arranged within each of the first ram block and second ram block, the inserts being movable to change a sealing diameter of the ram block assembly, wherein each insert includes a plurality of lips extending into voids formed between adjacent inserts, respective lips being positioned along intersecting regions of adjacent inserts

A blowout preventer includes a main body having a through bore and defining a passage transverse to the through bore. A seal is disposed in the main body and arranged to restrict fluid flow from the through bore to the passage. The seal comprises a seal body formed as a closed loop having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the seal body comprises an inner wall and an outer wall. The lower surface comprises at least one wing extending laterally from the outer surface to provide a lateral sealing surface. The upper surface comprises at least one raised portion to provide a sealing surface.

A ram block assembly enables a very high shearing, breaking, or parting force by utilizing guide rails and passageways within the ram block assembly to accept the rails and gird the rails against deviation from intended trajectory. The ram block rails and cavities enable application of extreme forces, opposing and concentrated within a small area, when actuating the ram block assemblies into the “open” or “close” positions. The ram block assemblies move in opposition, approaching each other and applying opposing forces against any material positioned between the ram block assemblies, and deforming, severing, breaking, shearing, parting, tearing and/or cutting, as the case may be, any said material positioned between the ram block assemblies. The severing of materials in the wellbore is known as “shearing,” and the apparatus performing this shearing operation as shear rams, shear ram blocks, shear blocks or shears.

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 method and apparatus for transporting a capping stack for use in a subsea structure includes a capping stack having a capping stack spool, a connector body connectable to the capping stack spool and at least one diverter leg connectable to the capping stack spool. A first skid receives the capping stack spool on a floor thereof. A second skid receives the connector body on a floor thereof. A third skid receives the diverter leg thereon. The first, second and third skids are adapted to be received within an interior of an aircraft. The skids and the connected components can then be flown by the aircraft to a desired location so as to be assembled at a location near a wellhead.

A wellbore intervention tool conveyance system includes an upper pipe injector disposed in a pressure tight housing. The upper injector has a seal element engageable with a wellbore intervention tool and disposed below the injector. The upper housing has a coupling at a lower longitudinal end. A lower pipe injector is disposed in a pressure tight housing, the lower housing has well closure elements disposed above the lower pipe injector. The lower housing is configured to be coupled at a lower longitudinal end to a subsea wellhead. The lower housing is configured to be coupled at an upper longitudinal end to at least one of (i) a spacer spool disposed between the upper pipe injector housing and the lower pipe injector housing, and (ii) the lower longitudinal end of the upper pipe injector housing.

A shear ram assembly for use in a BOP stack. The shear ram assembly includes a ram block disposed within the shear ram housing and having a forward end facing the bore, the ram block movable between an open position, in which the ram block is retracted away from the bore, and a closed position, in which the ram block is extended toward the bore. The blade has a forward surface, a rear surface, a lower shearing edge, and an upper edge, the blade attached to the forward face of the ram block by fasteners extending at an angle relative to an upper surface of the ram block through a portion of the ram block and into the rear surface of the blade, the rear surface of the blade angled so that it is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fasteners.

An angle-cut shear ram blowout preventer system containing an angle-cut shear ram inside a ram housing with a ram housing bore with an integral gas producing generator. A ram cylinder pressure housing can be secured to the ram housing, wherein the ram cylinder pressure housing can be fluidly connected to a hydraulic pressure source or a pneumatic pressure source. A piston in the ram cylinder pressure housing can be fluidly connected to the hydraulic pressure source or the pneumatic pressure source. A taper can be extended from the ram housing bore into a through bore to simultaneously sever a pipe in a well and seal the well once the pipe is severed without requiring additional downhole tools.

Blowout preventers having bodies without flanged necks are provided. In one embodiment, a blowout preventer stack includes first and second blowout preventers having independent and separable main bodies, each including a bore and a ram cavity transverse to the bore. The lower end of the main body of the first blowout preventer is fastened directly to an upper end of the main body of the second blowout preventer without a flanged neck extending the bore between the ram cavities of the first and second blowout preventers. In some instances, the main bodies of the first and second blowout preventers include external connection flanges that extend laterally from ram cavity body portions of the main bodies so as to enable connection of the two main bodies along the sides of the main bodies away from their bores. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.