Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Maintenance
of Drill Pipe
A general guideline to
maintaining drill strings
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Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 2
Contents
3. Introduction 25. Why use thread compounds?
4. Description of a common inspection 26. Pipe storage
6. Measurements 27. Preservation
7. Magnetic particle inspection 28. Recommendations
8. Ultrasonic testing 29. Thread compounds
9. Electromagnetic inspection (EMI) 31. Inspection standards
11. What to look for when inspecting 33. Inspection companies
14. Drill pipe repair 34. A general view on the necessary certiications
21. Repair companies for a thread inspector
22. Documentation & traceability 37. Approval certiication
24. Presentation & storage 38. Documentation / Reporting
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 3
Introduction
This gives an introduction to the processes involved in inspecting and repairing of
used drill pipe. We will list the most common inspection speciications, describe the
diferences between the standards and describe the process of being certiied to the
various standards. We will also describe the various repair scenarios on drill pipe and
the certiication process involved for companies that perform repairs.
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 4
Example of check with a proile gauge Example of use of inger tips on a VTI inspection
Tools required
• Flashlight
• Proile gauges
• Magnifying mirror
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 6
Measurements
On a VTI it is normal to make all vital measurements on the connections.
The results need to match the standards given in the inspection speciication.
Tools required
• Various calipers (slide caliper etc.)
• Thread gauges
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 7
A magnetic ield is applied to an object. The magnetic ield will penetrate the
surface of the object. Any errors in the surface will alter the power of the
magnetic ield lines.
These power lines outside and around the damage forms(delete s) a leakage
ield. This leakage ield can be detected by adding iron particles (in powder Example of applying luorescent magnet powder
form) on the surface. These particles clump together in and around the
leakage ield.
Leakage ield
Magnet ield
Depth errors
Shallow imperfection
Magnet ield
Tools required
An object can be magnetized with
several methods:
• Coil
• AC Yoke
• Direct current low
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 8
Ultrasonic testing
Ultrasonic testing is a nondestructive testing method that uses radio frequencies to determine a
materials entirety. Impulse-echo method is the most used method in industry. An array of transducer one
sound waves are sent into the material, penetrating it at a constant speed (the speed of sound of the
material). The sound waves are relected from the back wall of the object back to the probes.
Any imperfections in the material will appear as peaks between the initial and the relecting echo.
Defect
Relector
Object/Workpiece
0 2 4 6 8 10
Examples of EMI unit Example of EMI probes Example of EMI control screen
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 10
EQUIPMENT EMI Scope No. End Area Tool No. Yoke No.
Thick. Gauge No. UV Light No. Coil No.
CLEANING Internal Qty 1400 bar External Qty 1400 bar ID Condition
2000 bar 2000 bar
Special Special
Hard Pollution Hard Pollution
MATERIAL
Lot No. Tube OD Threads Range Grade Tube
INSPECTION RESULTS
CLASS TUBE TOOL RECUT SHOP FIELD PLASTIC HARDBANDING SER. NO. BENT
JOINT REFACE REFACE COATING PIN BOX RESTAMP
Premium Joints Joints Total Ok OK x1
Class2 Pin Pin Pin Damaged XT300 Rep. x2
Scrap Box Box Box No Coat. OTW12 Rep.
Comments
CERT. NO.
NAME : We hereby confirm that the above material has been inspected in
accordance with specified insp. proc., P.O. and Euroincon W.O.
Washout in connection
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 14
Field repair
Grinding
Double shouldered connections or severe
shoulder damage, require a shop reface.
Field reface
Reface of a damaged connection shoulder is done with a special shoulder dressing tool.
There are several types available on the market, but the same principle applies to all of them.
A refaced shoulder should be lat and at right angles to the threads.
Shop reface
Double shouldered
connections or severe
shoulder damage,
require shop reface.
Shop recut
A full repair (recut) of
a connection has
to be done in a
proper and
authorized workshop.
Benchmark
Both pin & box
connections are
marked after a recut.
This is to determine
the space left for
(future) reface. The
most common way
to mark this is either
with a stamp, or a
machined groove. Stamped mark Machined groove
Copper sulfating
A copper sulfated Both copper sulfating
shoulder will last and phosphatization
longer. This is done is done to prevent
after the reface/shop galling and provide
reface to reduce the corrosion resistance.
risk of galling
and corrosion.
Phosphatization
Phosphatization of
connections is done
in a chemical bath
after a recut. This
process increases the
durability of
the connections.
Chemical bath
Straightening of
bent drill pipe
Due to several reasons,
drill pipe can be
bent during drilling
operations. A bent
pipe is straightened
without the use of
preheating. A hydraulic
press is to be used.
Hydraulic press
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 20
Hardbanding
Worn out hardbanding
needs to be grinded
down before a new
one is welded on.
Some materials will
not blend properly,
and the hardbanding
has to be removed
completely before a
new one is welded on. Worn out hardbanding Rewelded
Recoat
Internal Plastic
Coating (IPC) is
designed to enhance
the performance of
tubulars by reducing
wear and corrosion,
and improving
hydraulic eiciency.
Coating
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 21
Repair companies
A proper workshop for repair and rework on the drill pipe should have
a quality, well managed system.
Here’s a sample of a certiied quality system. For fabrication or repair of a connection, the
machine shop needs to be licensed for that
particular type of connection. Here’s a sample of
such a type of certiicate.
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 22
EQUIPMENT EMI Scope No. End Area Tool No. Yoke No.
Thick. Gauge No. UV Light No. Coil No.
CLEANING Internal Qty 1400 bar External Qty 1400 bar ID Condition
2000 bar 2000 bar
Special Special
Hard Pollution Hard Pollution
MATERIAL
Lot No. Tube OD Threads Range Grade Tube
INSPECTION RESULTS
CLASS TUBE TOOL RECUT SHOP FIELD PLASTIC HARDBANDING SER. NO. BENT
JOINT REFACE REFACE COATING PIN BOX RESTAMP
Premium Joints Joints Total Ok OK x1
Class2 Pin Pin Pin Damaged XT300 Rep. x2
Scrap Box Box Box No Coat. OTW12 Rep.
CERT. NO.
NAME : We hereby confirm that the above material has been inspected in
accordance with specified insp. proc., P.O. and Euroincon W.O.
Thread certiicate
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 24
The drawing is a portion of a thread detail with API buttress threads, showing the compressible
lubricant/pipe sealant in the gaps of the threaded connection.
G2 • Provide lubricate
Pipe storage
Recommendations for pipe storage:
• Do not put the pipe directly on the ground. The irst layer of pipe should be
no less than 0.3m above the ground.
• The height of the pipe stack on a rack shall not exceed 2.5 m, and the pipe
shall be secured with post to prevent rolling out.
• When the pipe is laid in several rows, place 3 wooden blocks between each
row so that the tool-joint elements do not touch each other.
Preservation
The use of protective compounds to protect equipment during storage and use.
Upon opening the container, the product should Contaminant residues, when mixed with
be stirred with either a dope brush or other the thread compound during connections
suitable device to re-blend any oil separation or engagement can substantially change the
settling of the component solids that may have friction factor and galling resistance of the thread
occurred during shipment and storage. compound. A small amount of moisture in most
cases is unavoidable and will not afect compound
Never add any material such as diesel fuel, performance.
kerosene, motor oil, etc. to improve the ease
of application. Note: These are general procedures not
intended to replace the recommendations of the
All connections contact surfaces should be connection manufactures.
cleaned and free of storage or prior running
compound, drilling luids and any other
contaminant residues prior to the applications of
the compound.
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 29
Thread compounds
Example:
Double Shouldered Connection
Pin
Primary
Where are thread
Makeup compounds used?
Shoulder
(for RSC’s)
Coat primary shoulder on
interference designs
Threads
Fill threads, only root to crest
Too much compound interferes
with connection make-up, too
little may result in galling
Insuicient thread compound coverage for rotary Proper Tread compound coverage for Drill pipe protectors
shoulder connections for rotary shoulder connections
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 31
Inspection standards
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 32
API – American Petroleum Institute. DS-1 – T.H. Hill Drill Stem Inspection. NS-2 – Fearnley Procter North Sea Drill
String Inspection Standard
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 33
Inspection companies
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 34
Level 1 certiied personnel shall neither be responsible for the choice of test
method or technique to be used, nor for the interpretation of test results.
Inspection & Maintenance of Drill Pipe 35
Level 2
An individual certiied to Level 2 has demonstrated competence to perform NDT
according to NDT procedures. Within the scope of the competence deined on the
certiicate, the employer to may authorize Level 2 personnel:
Level 3
Within the scope of the competence deined on the certiicate, Level 3 personnel
may be authorized to:
Approval / Certiication
To be performed by an accredited
certiication business.
Documentation
Companies have a responsibility to keep and annually update their certiicates to the inspectors.
Each year the responsible level 3 perform a competency assessment of the individual inspector.
Near- and color vision are veriied, before the certiicate are approved for another 12 months.
After 5 years, an application must be submitted to the certiication body, to renew the certiicate for
another ive years.
After 10 years you have to do a complete course with tests.
Reporting
Responsible level 3 shall report annually to the certiication body on the status of the enterprise for the
year that has passed.
Hammaren 19
P.O.Box 152
N0-4098 Tananger
Norway
Tlf: +47 51 64 84 00
Fax: +47 51 64 71 81
email@odjellwellservices.com
www.odjellwellservices.com