Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for replacing a conductor pipe beneath a platform and providing a slot for drilling an additional well. The original conductor pipe is cut off to form a stub at a selected distance above or below the sea floor. Apparatus including a jet sub is assembled and lowered on drill pipe within a replacement conductor pipe. Fluid is pumped down the drill pipe to force the replacement conductor pipe in a selected direction around the top of the stub of the original conductor pipe so as to allow the replacement conductor pipe to pass alongside the top of the stub. An instrument may be lowered down the drill string to determine the direction of the fluid jet and the deflection of the replacement pipe from vertical. An offset tool is provided to assist in bypassing the stub with the replacement pipe. The replacement pipe may then be driven to a selected depth.

Abstract: A template that can be used for drilling subsea wells in proximity at the seafloor is provided. The template is first placed over an existing protuberance above the seafloor, which is usually the conductor casing of an existing well. The template has a plurality of cans or guide slots, of which one has a J-slot that can be engaged by a running tool. The template is placed near the seafloor and plates are released to rest on the seafloor and support the template. After wells are drilled through the slots, the template can be rotated or moved to additional well casings for the drilling of additional wells.

Abstract: A protective covering for subsea well apparatus is provided. The covering is generally a pyramidal structure and includes blades at the corners extending below the base of the structure. The blades are sized to prevent snaring of objects dragged over the covering. The covering may be assembled from sections after transport over a public highway. Methods for transporting and installing the covering and achieving penetration of the blades into the seafloor are also provided.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for applying a force to a movable subsea member to move it into a preferred location for joining to a fixed member while the location of the movable member is monitored. Nozzles in the device are placed in the direction such that fluid exiting the nozzles creates a force so as to move the movable member into the preferred location. Fluid is pumped through the device and out through one or more nozzles. An environmental conductor may be tied back from a subsea wellhead using the apparatus and method by observing the location of the conductor over the subsea wellhead using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) while fluid is pumped at the pressure and rate so as to move the conductor into position over the wellhead and lowering the conductor into the wellhead.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for lifting blowout preventers beneath the floor of a drilling rig are provided. More than one cable is used on the drums of winches, allowing the winches to be compact enough for use on a drilling rig floor while avoiding the requirement for larger cable that would be required to achieve the high safety factors needed. The cables or wire ropes on the winches are attached to a member from which a larger diameter, higher strength intermediate cable is also attached. The intermediate cable is then attached to known apparatus such as a cradle for lifting a blowout preventer stack.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for lifting equipment or tubulars below the deck of a platform or a drilling rig. Lifting force is monitored with a load cell. A portable platform is added above the deck of an offshore platform to allow running or retrieving a string of tubulars through the deck, thereby avoiding the need to deploy a workover or drilling rig to the platform.

Abstract: A blowout preventor test system utilizes a pipe nipple being threaded, for example, at both ends, and having a central bore through which fluid can be conveyed. At the central portion of the bore is a reduced orifice which constricts flow through the bore. Trapped through the walls of the nipple, on either side of the orifice, are instrumentation taps for attaching a differential pressure recording device having dual pins and a recorder chart. To ensure during testing of the BOP stack that each and every ram on a BOP or blowout preventor stack is properly tested, the orifice within the test nipple provides a restriction in flow which will be apparent from an inspection of the recorder chart. Different readings of pressure drop are produced by the test pin if in fact on each ram, the BOP stack is pressurized and exhausted. Thus, there is provided a means for the inspector to know whether or not each and every ram is inspected.