Ram BOP shear device

1. A ram-type blowout preventer, comprising:

a body;

a first ram block positioned within the body and having a first shearing element and a first sealing element;

a second ram block positioned within the body and opposing the first ram block, the second ram block having a second shearing element and a second sealing element; and

a load intensifying member coupled to the first ram block,

wherein the first ram block and the second ram block are configured to close together upon actuation of the blowout preventer, and wherein the load intensifying member is positioned to engage with a member engagement surface of the second ram block when the first and second ram block close and force the first shearing element and the second shearing element together,

wherein the member engagement surface is sloped so that a force between the first and second shearing elements is increased as the first and the second ram blocks move toward a closed position.

2. The ram-type blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the load intensifying member is a pin.

3. The ram-type blowout preventer of claim 2 , wherein the pin comprises a bulbous head.

4. The ram-type blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the load intensifying member has a selected length so that it will engage with the second ram block after at least a partial vertical overlap between the first and second shearing elements.

5. The ram-type blowout preventer of claim 1 , further comprising a second load intensifying member coupled to the first ram block, and positioned engage with The second ram block when the first and second ram blocks close, the engagement between the second load intensifying member and The second ram block forcing The first shearing element and the second shearing element together.

6. A method of retrofitting a ram block, comprising:

coupling a load intensifying member to the ram block so that the load intensifying member will engage a sloped member engagement surface of a second ram block when the ram blocks are moved to a closed position, such engagement continually increasing a force between a first shear element of the first ram block and a second shear element on The second ram block as the first and the second ram blocks move toward a closed position.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising forming a member retention hole in the ram block.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising accessing the ram block in a blowout preventer.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising removing the ram block from a blowout preventer.

10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising installing the ram block in a blowout preventer.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising coupling a second load intensifying member to the ram block so that the second load intensifying member will engage a second sloped member engagement surface of the second ram block when the ram blocks are moved to the closed position, such engagement increasing the force between the first and second shear elements as the first and the second ram blocks move toward a closed position.

12. A method of energizing a blowout preventer, comprising:

moving a first ram block and a second ram block into a closed position; and

engaging a load intensifying member coupled to the first ram block with a sloped member engagement surface of the second ram block to continually increase a vertical load between a first shearing clement on the first ram block and a second shearing element on the second ram block as the first and second ram blocks move toward a closed position.

13. A method of energizing a blowout preventer, comprising:

moving a first ram block and a second ram block into a closed position; and

engaging a load intensifying member coupled to the first ram block with a sloped member engagement surface of the second ram block to continually increase a vertical load between a first engagement surface on the first ram block and a second engagement surface on the second ram block as the first and the second ram blocks move toward a closed position.