Subsea

BOP Stack
Arrangements
Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

 þ In-Spec Inc. 2002 Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement

Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

Table Of Contents
Section 10
Page

1. Stacking Arrangement Considerations 1

2. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement – A 2

3. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - B 3

4. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - C 4

5. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - D 5

6. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - E 6

7. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - F 7

8. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - G 8

9. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement - H 9

9. NTL No. 99-G09 MMS Letter to Lessees 5/10/99 10

 þ In-Spec Inc. 2002 Subsea BOP Stack Arrangement

Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

1. Stacking Arrangement Considerations

The arrangement of the rams, annulars, and valves in a BOP stack is influenced by a
multitude of various factors. Rigs are typically built with a specific contract and
customer in mind. It is this contract which determines which factors are considered
most important in the well control system design. The designing engineer also has
personal preferences, which will also play a role in influencing the design. API
recommended practice RP-53 has very little to say about BOP stacking.

Each and every BOP stack arrangement has strong points and weak points. It is up to
the designer to select the arrangement, which has the most strong points for the rig’s
intended application. Some things, such as the location of two annulars in the LMRP or
one annular in each the LMRP and the stack, are determined by available rig
substructure height. Where height is limited and the stack must be handled in 2 pieces,
the stack height (and therefore rigs substructure height) can be reduced by placing both
annulars in the LMRP.

With deepwater drilling, the expansion of any gas trapped between a closed annular
and closed ram preventer is enough to severely burn the rig floor when circulation is
resumed after a kick is circulated out. For this reason outlets are placed under the
annular(s).

For maximum flexibility every ram would have an outlet placed under it. Due to
limitations of control system size and cost of valves and control system circuits this has
not always been done.

With the introduction of 5 ½” and 6 5/8” drill strings, the shearing ability of rams has
been challenged. Some operators feel the need to use 2 sets of shear rams, or one set
of sealing shear rams along with one high performance shear ram which can not seal
the wellbore.

The space below the shear rams and above the upper pipe rams will determine if the
upper pipe rams can be used for hang-off before shearing drill pipe. A compact double
preventer will not typically have sufficient space to accommodate a tool joint for hang
off. Some manufacturers have double rams which are extended between the cavities
just for this purpose. Watch out, not all tool joints are the same length! Are yours going
to fit the space between rams?

We are presented with additional stacking considerations when tapered drill strings,
completion, and workover requirements are added to the picture.

The following stack diagrams look at some of the typical stacking features you
may see when reviewing BOP stacks used by various different contractors and
operators.

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

2. Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – A

Features
1. Can hang off on 2 pipe
rams circulating normally.
2. Can hang off all pipe rams
with shear ram closed.
Upper 3. No outlet below lower ram.
Annular 4. Two routes to circulate kick
with pipe rams closed.

Connector

Lower
Annular

UOC UIC Blind Shear

LOC LIC Upper Pipe

Ram (UPR)

Middle Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (MPR)

Lower Pipe
Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

1) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – B

Features
1. Can hang off all pipe rams.
2. Can hang off on 3 pipe rams
with shear ram closed.
3. Two routes to circulate kick
with UPR or MPR pipe rams
closed.
4. In the GoM this
Upper arrangement is not allowed
Annular since a choke line is installed
below the lower most set of
pipe rams.
Connector

Lower
Annular

UOC UIC Blind Shear

Upper Pipe
Ram (UPR)

Middle Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (MPR)

LOC LIC Lower Pipe

Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

2) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – C

Features
1. Can hang off all pipe rams
circulating through choke or
kill lines.
2. Can hang off on 3 pipe
rams with shear ram closed
Upper circulating through choke or
Annular kill lines.

Connector

Lower
Annular

UOC UIC Blind Shear

Upper Pipe
Ram (UPR)

LOC LIC Middle Pipe

Ram (MPR)

Lower Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

3) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – D

Features
1. Can hang off 2 pipe rams
circulating normally.
2. Can hang off on 2 pipe
rams with shear ram
closed.
3. LPR can not be used as
hand-off ram, no way to
Upper check for wellbore
Annular pressure.
4. No outlet under lower pipe
ram.

Connector

Lower
Annular

UOC UIC Blind Shear

Upper Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (UPR)

LOC LIC Middle Pipe

Ram (MPR)

Lower Pipe
Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

4) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – E

Features
1. Can hang off all pipe rams
circulating normally.
2. Can hang off on 2 or 3 pipe
rams with shear ram
closed.
Upper 3. No outlet under the blind
Annular shear rams.

Connector

Lower
Annular

Blind Shear

UOC UIC Upper Pipe

Ram

LOC LIC Middle Pipe

Ram (MPR)

Lower Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

5) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – F

Features
1. Can hang off on all pipe
rams circulating normally.
2. Can hang off on 2 or 3 pipe
rams with shear ram
closed.
Upper
3. Note that the outlet below
Annular
LPR is called the choke
line.

Connector

Lower
Annular

Blind Shear UOK UIK

UOC UIC Upper Pipe

Ram (UPR)

Middle Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (MPR)

LOC LIC Lower Pipe

Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

6) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – G

Features
1. Upper and Lower Annular
is on the LMRP. The
height of the BOP stack is
lower since it does not
contain a annular
Upper
Annular

Lower
Annular

Connector

Blind Shear

UOC UIC Upper Pipe

Ram (UPR)

LOC LIC Middle Pipe

Ram (MPR)

Lower Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

7) Subsea BOP Stack - Arrangement – H Features

1. Inner and Outer Bleed
Valves below the Upper
Annular.
2. C/K Isolation Valves are on
the LMRP package. Note:
these valves are “normally
open”.
Upper
3. These are typical feature of
Annular
a deepwater stack.
IB OB
C/K Isolation
C/K Isolation
Connector

Lower
Annular

Blind Shear

UOC UIC Upper Pipe

Ram (UPR)

Middle Pipe LIK LOK

Ram (MPR)

LOC LIC Lower Pipe

Ram (LPR)

Connector

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Subsea Engineer’s Handbook Section 10

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE
GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION

NTL No. 99-G09 Effective Date: May 10, 1999

NOTICE TO LESSEES AND OPERATORS OF FEDERAL OIL, GAS, AND SULPHUR

LEASES IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF, GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION

Location of Choke and Kill Lines on BOP Stacks

This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) supersedes the Letter to Lessees and
Operators, dated November 17, 1994, on this subject. It updates regulatory citations
and includes a statement on the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The purpose of this NTL is to specify the location of the choke and kill lines serving
blowout preventer (BOP) stacks. This is necessary because the requirements at 30
CFR 250.406 (oil and gas drilling operations), 250.515 (oil and gas well-completion
operations), 250.615 (oil and gas well-workover operations), 250.1610 (sulphur drilling
operations), and 250.1624 (sulphur well-completion and well-workover operations) do
not specify their exact location.

Operators usually install the choke and kill lines above the bottommost ram. However,
some operators have requested to install them below the bottommost ram. For choke
lines, this is not acceptable. Failure of a choke line installed below the bottommost ram
could result in a blowout because this configuration does not provide a backup system
for proper well control.

Therefore, the Gulf of Mexico OCS Region District Offices will not approve an
Application for Permit to Drill (APD) or a Sundry Notice and Report (Sundry) to conduct
well-workover operations that indicates a BOP stack with a choke line installed below
the bottommost ram. However, they may approve your requests to install a kill line
below the bottommost ram. You must include a schematic drawing of the BOP stack
and choke and kill lines with any APD or well-workover Sundry if the tree is to be
removed.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Statement

This NTL refers to the collection of information on forms MMS-123 and MMS-124. The
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection
requirements for these forms and assigned OMB Control Nos. 1010-0044 and 1010-

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0045, respectively. This NTL does not impose additional information collection
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Contact

If you have any questions on this NTL, you may contact Mr. Bill Martin at (504) 736-
2849.

Chris C. Oynes
Regional Director

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