Patent ID: 7779917

Claim:
A subsea connection apparatus for connecting a surface blowout preventer stack and riser to a subsea wellhead of a well bore, comprising: a blowout preventer locatable subsea and comprising a ram cavity containing a pair of opposing shearing blind rams; a first actuatable connector extending from the blowout preventer that actively connects to and selectively sealingly engages the riser, the riser being connected to the surface blowout preventer stack and terminating in the first connector when connected to the first connector; a second connector extending from the blowout preventer for selectively sealingly engaging the subsea wellhead; a control system locatable subsea and operably connected with the blowout preventer and the first and second connectors; and the riser being selectably disconnectable and reconnectable with the subsea wellhead, both with and without the blowout preventer, while controlling well bore pressure without requiring the use of choke and kill lines.