Installation of an emergency casing slip hanger and annular packoff assembly having a metal to metal sealing system through the blowout preventer

A slip hanger running tool assembly that is adapted to be inserted through a blowout preventer, the slip hanger running tool assembly comprising:

• a casing slip hanger assembly comprising a slip bowl and a plurality of slips releasably coupled to said slip bowl, wherein said casing slip hanger assembly is adapted to be positioned around a casing in a wellhead and landed on a support shoulder of said wellhead;
• a slip bowl protector releasably coupled to said casing slip hanger assembly;
• a plug assembly releasably coupled to said slip bowl protector, wherein said plug assembly is adapted to uncouple said plurality of slips from said slip bowl by imposing a pressure thrust load on said slip bowl protector;
• and
• a tubular support coupled to said plug assembly, wherein said tubular support is adapted to support said slip hanger running tool assembly during installation of said casing slip hanger assembly into said wellhead through said blowout preventer and has an outer surface that is adapted to sealingly engage rams of said blowout preventer when a pressure is introduced in an annular space above said plug assembly and below said rams so as to impose said pressure thrust load on said slip bowl protector.

A method for installing a casing slip hanger assembly in a wellhead through a blowout preventer, the method comprising:

• releasably coupling a plurality of slips to a slip bowl comprising said casing slip hanger assembly;
• releasably coupling a slip bowl protector to said casing slip hanger assembly;
• lowering said casing slip hanger assembly into said wellhead through said blowout preventer so as to position said casing slip hanger assembly around a casing and to land said casing slip hanger assembly on a wellhead support shoulder;
• dropping said plurality of slips into contact with an outside surface of said casing, wherein dropping said plurality of slips comprises:
• releasably coupling a plug assembly to said slip bowl protector, wherein said plug assembly is supported by a tubular support and creates a pressure-tight seal against an inside surface of said wellhead;
• closing rams of said blowout preventer on said tubular support, wherein said rams create a pressure-tight seal against an outside surface of said tubular support;
• and
• introducing a pressure in an annular space above said plug assembly and below said rams so as to impose a pressure thrust load on said slip bowl protector, wherein said pressure thrust load uncouples said plurality of slips from said slip bowl;
• setting said slips so as to support said casing;
• and
• retrieving said slip bowl protector from said wellhead through said blowout preventer.