Tubing running equipment for offshore rig with surface blowout preventer

A method for performing an operation in a subsea wellhead assembly through a riser extending between the wellhead assembly and a surface platform, comprising:

• (a) connecting a surface blowout preventer to an upper portion of the riser;
• (b) connecting to a string of conduit a running tool for running a string of pipe in the well;
• (c) connecting a control line to the running tool, extending the control line alongside the conduit and lowering the running tool and control line through the blowout preventer and the riser;
• (d) mounting a slick joint to an upper end of the conduit when the running tool is near the wellhead assembly, the slick joint having a central axial bore and a cylindrical exterior, and linking the control line to the surface platform through a control line passage extending axially through the slick joint outward from the axial bore;
• (e) communicating with the running tool via the control line;
• (f) setting with the running tool a hanger at an upper end of the pipes sealingly in the wellhead assembly;
• and
• (g) closing the blowout preventer around the cylindrical exterior of the slick joint and performing an operation in the wellhead assembly with the tool.

An offshore assembly associated with an offshore well, comprising:

• a subsea wellhead assembly;
• a riser extending from a surface vessel to the subsea wellhead assembly;
• a tool lowered on a string of conduit through the riser for performing an operation in the wellhead assembly;
• a slick joint assembly connected to the string of conduit and having a central axial bore therethrough and a control line passage extending axially therethrough radially outward from the bore;
• a surface blowout preventer on the surface vessel;
• and
• a control line extending from the surface vessel through the control line passage of the slick joint assembly and alongside of the string of conduit to the running tool in the riser;
• the slick joint assembly being located so as to be within the blowout preventer when the running tool reaches the wellhead assembly, so that the blowout preventer can be closed on the slick joint assembly.