Abstract: There is provided a breech lock coupling for coupling riser sections together. The breech lock coupling may be used non-pre-loaded or pre-loaded according to the user's preferences. In addition, the breech lock coupling may be disassembled for inspection and maintenance and reassembled. A locking ring secures two coupling components together. The coupling components may be attached to opposite ends of the riser sections, such as via welding. The locking ring may be pre-attached to the first coupling component for easy storage and fast assembly. Assembly of the riser may be accomplished by inserting the second coupling component into the locking ring and the first coupling component, then rotating the locking ring with respect to the second component. Furthermore, the coupling may be pre-loaded by tightening fasteners on the locking ring to provide a more stable coupling. Unlike with traditional riser couplings, the pre-load fasteners may be tightened via hand-held tools.

Abstract: A system for reducing pressure in a subsea operator. In one embodiment, a subsea system includes an operator and a deintensifier. The operator includes a housing and a piston. The piston is movably disposed within the operator housing and divides an inner volume of the operator housing into a closing chamber and a second chamber. The deintensifier is fluidically coupled to the operator. The deintensifier includes a housing and a piston. The piston includes a closing surface and an opening surface. The closing surface is fluidically coupled to the second chamber of the operator housing. The opening surface is fluidically coupled to ambient pressure. The area of the closing surface is greater than an area of the opening surface so as to increase the pressure differential between the closing chamber and the second chamber and assist in moving the operator piston to the closed position.

Abstract: An asymmetrical ram button is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a blowout preventer including such a button. Particularly, the blowout preventer may include an actuation assembly having the asymmetric ram button attached to a connecting rod coupled to a piston. The asymmetric body of the button can engage an internal shoulder of the ram such that a retraction force on the actuation assembly causes the asymmetrical ram button to load against the internal shoulder. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a breech lock coupling for coupling riser sections together. The breech lock coupling may be used non-pre-loaded or pre-loaded according to the user's preferences. In addition, the breech lock coupling may be disassembled for inspection and maintenance and reassembled. A locking ring secures two coupling components together. The coupling components may be attached to opposite ends of the riser sections, such as via welding. The locking ring may be pre-attached to the first coupling component for easy storage and fast assembly. Assembly of the riser may be accomplished by inserting the second coupling component into the locking ring and the first coupling component, then rotating the locking ring with respect to the second component. Furthermore, the coupling may be pre-loaded by tightening fasteners on the locking ring to provide a more stable coupling. Unlike with traditional riser couplings, the pre-load fasteners may be tightened via hand-held tools.

Abstract: A blowout preventer system includes a blowout preventer stack having hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package includes control pods that enable redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. These control pods include frames, valves, and stack stingers that facilitate connection of the control pods to hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack, but do not include riser stingers that facilitate communication of control fluid to the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. The stack stingers extend through central apertures of bottom plates of the control pod frames and facilitate communication of control fluid from the valves to the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A blowout preventer system includes a blowout preventer stack having hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package includes control pods that enable redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. These control pods include frames, valves, and stack stingers that facilitate connection of the control pods to hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack, but do not include riser stingers that facilitate communication of control fluid to the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. The stack stingers extend through central apertures of bottom plates of the control pod frames and facilitate communication of control fluid from the valves to the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A blowout preventer system is provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes a blowout preventer stack including hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package further includes a pair of control pods that enables redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Still further, the lower marine riser package also includes a third control pod that enables additional redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is provided a breech lock coupling for coupling riser sections together. The breech lock coupling may be used non-pre-loaded or pre-loaded according to the user's preferences. In addition, the breech lock coupling may be disassembled for inspection and maintenance and reassembled. A locking ring secures two coupling components together. The coupling components may be attached to opposite ends of the riser sections, such as via welding. The locking ring may be pre-attached to the first coupling component for easy storage and fast assembly. Assembly of the riser may be accomplished by inserting the second coupling component into the locking ring and the first coupling component, then rotating the locking ring with respect to the second component. Furthermore, the coupling may be pre-loaded by tightening fasteners on the locking ring to provide a more stable coupling. Unlike with traditional riser couplings, the pre-load fasteners may be tightened via hand-held tools.

Abstract: An asymmetrical ram button is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a blowout preventer including such a button. Particularly, the blowout preventer may include an actuation assembly having the asymmetric ram button attached to a connecting rod coupled to a piston. The asymmetric body of the button can engage an internal shoulder of the ram such that a retraction force on the actuation assembly causes the asymmetrical ram button to load against the internal shoulder. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for reducing pressure in a subsea operator. In one embodiment, a subsea system includes an operator and a deintensifier. The operator includes a housing and a piston. The piston is movably disposed within the operator housing and divides an inner volume of the operator housing into a closing chamber and a second chamber. The deintensifier is fluidically coupled to the operator. The deintensifier includes a housing and a piston. The piston includes a closing surface and an opening surface. The closing surface is fluidically coupled to the second chamber of the operator housing. The opening surface is fluidically coupled to ambient pressure. The area of the closing surface is greater than an area of the opening surface so as to increase the pressure differential between the closing chamber and the second chamber and assist in moving the operator piston to the closed position.

Abstract: A system for reducing pressure in a subsea operator. In one embodiment, a subsea system includes an operator and a deintensifier. The operator includes a housing and a piston. The piston is movably disposed within the operator housing and divides an inner volume of the operator housing into a closing chamber and a second chamber. The deintensifier is fluidically coupled to the operator. The deintensifier includes a housing and a piston. The piston includes a closing surface and an opening surface. The closing surface is fluidically coupled to the second chamber of the operator housing. The opening surface is fluidically coupled to ambient pressure. The area of the closing surface is greater than an area of the opening surface so as to increase the pressure differential between the closing chamber and the second chamber and assist in moving the operator piston to the closed position.

Abstract: A blowout preventer system is provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes a blowout preventer stack including hydraulic components. The blowout preventer stack is coupled to a lower marine riser package that includes additional hydraulic components. The lower marine riser package further includes a pair of control pods that enables redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Still further, the lower marine riser package also includes a third control pod that enables additional redundant control of the hydraulic components of the blowout preventer stack and the additional hydraulic components of the lower marine riser package. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An asymmetrical ram button is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a blowout preventer including such a button. Particularly, the blowout preventer may include an actuation assembly having the asymmetric ram button attached to a connecting rod coupled to a piston. The asymmetric body of the button can engage an internal shoulder of the ram such that a retraction force on the actuation assembly causes the asymmetrical ram button to load against the internal shoulder. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A ram-type blowout preventer including an operating piston assembly isolated from wellbore pressure effects is provided. In one embodiment, a blowout preventer includes piston coupled to a ram by a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is inserted into a recess in the ram. A pressure-isolating seal may be provided in the recess between the connecting rod and the ram to isolate the end of the connecting rod within the recess from wellbore pressure in the blowout preventer. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A ram-type blowout preventer including an operating piston assembly isolated from wellbore pressure effects is provided. In one embodiment, a blowout preventer includes piston coupled to a ram by a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is inserted into a recess in the ram. A pressure-isolating seal may be provided in the recess between the connecting rod and the ram to isolate the end of the connecting rod within the recess from wellbore pressure in the blowout preventer. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for deploying a subsea blowout preventer stack system comprising a lower marine riser package, a blowout preventer stack with a first ram blowout preventer, and an additional blowout preventer package releasably coupled to the blowout preventer stack and comprising a second ram blowout preventer. The subsea blowout preventer stack assembly can be deployed by coupling a drilling riser to the lower marine riser package that is releasably connected to the blowout preventer stack. The lower marine riser package and blowout preventer stack are then toward a subsea wellhead and then landed on the additional blowout preventer package that is coupled to the subsea wellhead.

Abstract: An asymmetrical ram button is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a blowout preventer including such a button. Particularly, the blowout preventer may include an actuation assembly having the asymmetric ram button attached to a connecting rod coupled to a piston. The asymmetric body of the button can engage an internal shoulder of the ram such that a retraction force on the actuation assembly causes the asymmetrical ram button to load against the internal shoulder. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A ram-type blowout preventer including an operating piston assembly isolated from wellbore pressure effects is provided. In one embodiment, a blowout preventer includes piston coupled to a ram by a connecting rod, and the connecting rod is inserted into a recess in the ram. A pressure-isolating seal may be provided in the recess between the connecting rod and the ram to isolate the end of the connecting rod within the recess from wellbore pressure in the blowout preventer. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for deploying a subsea blowout preventer stack system comprising a lower marine riser package, a blowout preventer stack with a first ram blowout preventer, and an additional blowout preventer package releasably coupled to the blowout preventer stack and comprising a second ram blowout preventer. The subsea blowout preventer stack assembly can be deployed by coupling a drilling riser to the lower marine riser package that is releasably connected to the blowout preventer stack. The lower marine riser package and blowout preventer stack are then toward a subsea wellhead and then landed on the additional blowout preventer package that is coupled to the subsea wellhead.

Abstract: Methods for deploying a subsea blowout preventer stack system comprising a lower marine riser package, a blowout preventer stack with a first ram blowout preventer, and an additional blowout preventer package releasably coupled to the blowout preventer stack and comprising a second ram blowout preventer. The subsea blowout preventer stack assembly can be deployed by coupling a drilling riser to the lower marine riser package that is releasably connected to the blowout preventer stack. The lower marine riser package and blowout preventer stack are then toward a subsea wellhead and then landed on the additional blowout preventer package that is coupled to the subsea wellhead.