When the wellhead and blowout preventers are mounted on the seafloor what connects the blowout preventer to the rig?

When the wellhead and blowout preventers are mounted on the seafloor what connects the blowout preventer to the rig?

• A. Drill string
• B. Casing
• C. Kelly
• D. Marine Riser

Answer: (D)

When the BOPs are on the seafloor, the connection to the surface rig is provided by the marine riser. This large-diameter pipe or assembly runs from the rig floor down to the BOP stack, creating a sealed path for drilling mud and wellbore fluids and carrying the hydraulic and control lines needed for operating the BOP. The other items—drill string, casing, and Kelly—are parts of the borehole or the rig’s rotating equipment, not the link between the rig and the seafloor BOP.

When the BOPs are on the seafloor, the connection to the surface rig is provided by the marine riser. This large-diameter pipe or assembly runs from the rig floor down to the BOP stack, creating a sealed path for drilling mud and wellbore fluids and carrying the hydraulic and control lines needed for operating the BOP. The other items—drill string, casing, and Kelly—are parts of the borehole or the rig’s rotating equipment, not the link between the rig and the seafloor BOP.