Patent ID: 8291977

Claim:
A method of severing a well string that extends into an oil well from an oil platform with a deck, comprising the steps of: a) supporting upper and lower sections of the well string above said deck; b) providing a hydraulic shear mechanism having a frame and a pair of jaws, one jaw that pivotally moves relative to said frame between open and closed positions, wherein there is a open end of the frame in between the jaws that enables quick placement of the well string in between the jaws when the jaws are in the open position; c) moving the shear mechanism to a position above the platform deck and away from the well string; d) opening the jaws to the open position and then placing the well string in between the jaws via the open end of the frame; e) shearing the well string to form a cut by pivoting at least one jaw relative to the frame so that the jaws are in the closed position, in said closed position the jaws abutting to form said cut and wherein a hydraulic cylinder pivots said at least one jaw relative to the frame to achieve said closed position; f) removing the upper well string section that is above the cut of step “e”; g) lifting the lower section of the well string upwardly a selected distance so that it provides upper and lower sections of the well string above the deck; and h) repeating steps “a” through “f” and wherein the shear mechanism remains above the deck.