Tubing running equipment for offshore rig with surface blowout preventer

An apparatus for performing operations on an offshore well, comprising:

• a subsea wellhead assembly;
• a riser extending from the subsea wellhead assembly to a surface vessel;
• a tool connected to a running string and lowered through the riser into the wellhead assembly for performing operations at the wellhead assembly;
• a connector that has a retracted position and an extended position extending through a sidewall of the wellhead assembly into the interior of the wellhead assembly, the connector being engageable with the running tool when the running tool is in a desired position;
• a subsea controller positioned adjacent the subsea wellhead assembly in engagement with the connector for causing the connector to stroke between the retracted and extended positions, the subsea controller being in communication with the running tool through the connector when the connector is in engagement with the running tool;
• a surface controller positioned on the surface vessel;
• and
• a control line extending downward from the controller to the subsea controller so that the surface controller is in communication with the subsea controller to cause the tool to perform an operation, the control line being exterior to the riser.

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

• mounting a connector in a sidewall of the wellhead assembly;
• extending a control line downward along an exterior of the riser to a subsea controller;
• lowering a tool on a running string through the riser into the wellhead assembly;
• and
• sending a signal through the control line to the subsea controller, which in turn controls the connector, which in turn engages the tool to perform an operation.