Patent ID: 8393399

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling pressure while drilling subsea wells and while performing workover operations on a production well, comprising: a blowout preventer (BOP stack having a lower marine riser package (LMRP) part configured to be attached to an end of a marine riser suspended from a drilling vessel; a lower BOP part configured to be detachably attached to the LMRP part and to land on a subsea production tree; at least one multiplex (MUX) pod attached to the BOP stack, the MUX pod having solenoid actuated BOP pilot valves hydraulically connected to BOP hydraulic valves, which in turn are connected to a hydraulic pressure supply and to various components of the BOP stack for controlling pressure of a well while drilling; an umbilical connected to the MUX pod and adapted to be connected to the drilling vessel for supplying electrical control signals to the BOP pilot for performing selected functions with the components of the BOP stack; a pod extension module having solenoid actuated pod extension pilot valves hydraulically connected to pod extension module hydraulic valves which in turn are connected to the hydraulic pressure supply; an electrical line extending fro MUX pod to the pod extension module pilot valves for supplying electrical control signals via the umbilical from the drilling vessel through the MUX pod to the pod extension module pilot valves; and a hydraulic connector connected to the pod extension module hydraulic valve and adapted to be connected to the tree for supplying hydraulic fluid pressure from the pod extension module hydraulic valves to various components of the tree while performing workover operations on the tree.