Patent ID: 8544538

Claim:
A seal assembly for sealing a wellbore, the wellbore having a pipe therein for the passage of fluid therethrough and a blowout preventer (BOP) receiving the pipe therethrough, the seal assembly comprising: a plurality of blocks positionable within the BOP; at least one actuator for selectively moving the plurality of blocks to a contact position surrounding the pipe of the wellbore; and a plurality of pipe seals for creating a seal about the pipe of the wellbore, the plurality of pipe seals carried by the plurality of blocks, at least one of the plurality of pipe seals in each of the plurality of blocks being selectively extendable therefrom for sealing engagement about the pipe after the plurality of blocks is moved to the contact position whereby the plurality of pipe seals is prevented from extending between the plurality of blocks as the plurality of blocks is moved to the contact position.