# US 2014/0190702 A1 · Subsea Connection Apparatus for a Surface Blowout Preventer Stack

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- Number: US 2014/0190702 A1
- Document ID: US20140190702A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/202,975
- Filed: 2014-03-10
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2002-11-26
- Assignees: Cameron International Corporation
- Applicants: Cameron International Corporation
- Inventors: Johnnie E. Kotrla; Joe S. Johnson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190702A1

## CPC

- E21B 33/038: Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser
- E21B 33/04: Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads
- E21B 33/061: {Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams}
- E21B 33/063: {for shearing drill pipes (cutting of wireline E21B29/04)}
- E21B 33/064: specially adapted for underwater well heads
- E21B 33/076: specially adapted for underwater installations
- E21B 33/062: {with sliding rams}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

A subsea connection apparatus to allow connecting a surface blowout preventer stack and riser to a subsea wellhead is disclosed. The subsea connection apparatus uses a single cavity blowout preventer with a set of shearing blind rams. Hydraulically actuated wellhead connectors are secured to the top and bottom of the blowout preventer to allow connection to a subsea wellhead below the subsea connection apparatus and a well head hub profile on the lower end of a riser above the apparatus. A control system can operate both of the hydraulically actuated connectors and the blowout preventer independently. A frangible bore protector is disposed in the bore of the blowout preventer to protect the shearing blind rams from pipe, tools, and fluids being passed through the blowout preventer and can be sheared by the shearing blind rams along with any drill pipe in the bore.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus configured to protect a bore of a blowout preventer configured to be coupled to well equipment including a bore therethrough for the passage of a component, comprising:
an annular member placeable in the bore of the blowout preventer and comprising a bore sized substantially equal to the bore of the well equipment;
wherein the annular member is configured to allow unrestricted passage of the component through the annular member and the well equipment; and
wherein the annular member is frangible.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subsea blowout preventer bore is larger than the diameter of the subsea equipment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the annular member comprises clay.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the annular member comprises glass.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the annular member comprises concrete.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component comprises production casing.

### Claim 7

A subsea apparatus configured to connect to equipment subsea, the equipment including a bore therethrough for the passage of a component, the apparatus comprising:
a subsea blowout preventer assembly comprising a bore therethrough;
an annular member located in the subsea blowout preventer assembly bore and comprising a bore sized substantially equal to the bore of the equipment;
wherein the annular member is configured to allow unrestricted passage of the component through the annular member and the equipment; and
wherein the annular member is frangible.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the subsea blowout preventer assembly bore is larger than the bore of the equipment.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein an outer diameter of the annular member is substantially equal to an inner diameter of the blowout preventer assembly bore.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the annular member comprises clay.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the annular member comprises glass.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the annular member comprises concrete.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
wherein the blowout preventer assembly comprises a ram blowout preventer; and
wherein the annular member is breakable by the ram blowout preventer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the annular member is coaxial with the blowout preventer assembly bore.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ram blowout preventer assembly comprises a shear ram.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ram blowout preventer assembly comprises a blind ram.

### Claim 17 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the blowout preventer assembly comprises two ram blowout preventers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the component comprises production casing.