HISTORY

A French man incorporated SIRAMEX in the year 1996; he ran it for some years and abandoned it
after discovering that he could not break even.

Today, SIRAMEX NIGERIA LIMITED is an inspection company owned by a Canadian, and based in
Port-Harcourt. Their job is inspection of oil country tubular goods, and the type of testing they do
is Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).

By OCTG, it means strings used in drilling and production of crude oil. They range from casing to
tubing strings.

The other jobs they do include: Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI)

SIRAMEX ORGANOGRAM

MANAGING DIRECTOR

OPERATION MAN SALES/MARKETING MAN

SUPERVISOR

SECRETARY INSPECTORS

FIELD WORKERS OFFICE WORKERS

 CHAPTER ONE

NDT INSPECTION

There are inspections of materials that may involve a permanent destruction of a material. For
instance, etching on a welded part (applying acid on a welded part) exposes the internal
structure to find the amount of penetration. This makes the testing destructive, hence destructive
particle testing.

The term non-destructive testing means that the material retains its original structure (size and
shape) at the end of the inspection. Sometimes the particles left on this material after inspection
may be induced magnetism that can be demagnetized if need be.

EQUIPMENTS USED

AC YOKE: used to magnetize a material longitudinally.

STEEL RULE: used for linear measurements in short intervals

OD & ID CALIPER

THREAD GAUGE: used for measuring thread profile

D METER: used to check wall thickness of a pipe and other objects requiring thickness gauging

COIL

SPRAY CAN: contains magniflux used for magnetization

BLACK CLOTH: used for covering oneself on the job during black lighting in the absence of a
darkroom

BLACK LIGHT: used to detect cracks on areas sprayed with magniflux

ANGLE GRINDER: this is a buffing tool used for cleaning rusts, scales or items to be inspected

CABLES: serve as power transmitters in long distances where tool cable cannot reach

DIE STENCIL AND PAPER STENCIL: a piece of iron for stamping numbers on pipes to be inspected

SCOPING UNIT: used for transmitting electromagnetic induction.

PERMANENT MAGNET: for magnetizing areas to be inspected longitudinally. Can be used in

obscure position where AC York cannot reach.

VERNIER CALIPER

MICROMETER SCREW GAUGE

SAFETY

The supervisor does the job of a safety officer. Every worker is provided with Personal Protective
Equipments (PPE), which include coverall, pair of boots, safety hat, safety goggle, hand gloves. It
is a serious offence to enter the work areas without the complete PPEs. Safety meetings are held
at the beginning of every week, and this meeting is held to correct the mistakes of the preceding
week and to devise measures for containing them.

A TOX BOX MEETING is held every morning to determine how the day’s activities would be
carried out, to define the sequence of operations and to minimize and eliminate. The supervisor’s
duty is to caution a worker who is not following working procedures. The purpose of all safety
procedures is to ensure that the worker leaves the company the same way he came, without any
deformity, to save the reputation of the company.
 CHAPTER TWO
INSPECTION OF TUBING AND CASING

Tubings are sometimes referred to as production string. The casing, which comes in various,
sizes i.e. 36’’, 32’’, 28’’, 16’’, 7’’, 5’’ for casing. This envelopes the tubing that is used for production
while tubing comes in the range of 2 3/8, 2 7/8, 3 ½, 4 ½,

CLASSIFICATION

Casing and tubing are classified by their sizes, color, coupling, poundage, and connection

COLOR AND GRADE

Coupling with

Red color all through is referred to as N80

Red color brown strip is referred to as L80

Red color with yellow strip is referred to as chrome tubing

White color coupling is referred to as P110

Green coupling all through is referred to as K55

However, there are tubings without coupling, which are referred to as external upset (EU).
Various companies use various connection example shell uses Buttress Connection (BTC) - it has
no seal. The thread is the seal for the casing while for tubing they use EU. There major thread
storage compound is kindex whereas TOTAL uses New Vam as thread both for casing and tubing.

METHOD OF INSPECTION

Drifting- this is done to ensure the free passage of hole tools through the casing or tubing once it
is in the well. A mandrel whose outer diameter is about the same as the inside diameter of the
tubing or casing is driven from box to pin or vice versa with the help of a drift tape for the
purpose of getting rid of debris on the internal diameter or dent and/or mash.

For casing, the length is 6’’ to 1ft whereas in tubing it is 36’’. This can be either metal or Teflon
(plastic-like material). The iron type can be used in all the inside diameter of the pipe except on
chrome tubing where it is used due to the composition of chrome. There should be no dent on
chrome before, during or after use.

Connections are cleaned using non-volatile fuel e.g. diesel and kerosene with the help of a soft
and wire brushes. A soft brush is used to remove the storage compound that was on it before
inspection. A wire is used to remove rust.
Visual Thread Inspection: the thread is visualized to check for thread damage, corrosion, and
thread worn. After VTI, the thread compound is then applied on the thread.

Visual Body Inspection: visualize the coupling and the length of the pipe to check for mash (any
form of compression that reduces the internal diameter of a tubing or casing)

Tally: to measure the distance from box to pin i.e. full length or coupling to beginning of the
thread (running length)

Stenches: pipes are stenciled at the end of inspection. They carry information such as name of
Inspection Company, type of inspection done, and date of inspection and number of the pipe.

RECOMMENDATIONS AFTER SERVICE

Any pipe that does not have a serial number is termed defective

Any pipe the drift mandrel cannot pass through is painted is painted red around the area it could
not pass through, and labeled ‘no drift’

Any connection that is good is referred to as premium and is painted white 2’’ away from the
coupling and 2’’ from the beginning of the thread.

If the connection is defective, i.e. the thread is worn, corroded, damage, or seal damaged, is
painted red.
 CHAPTER THREE
INSPECTION OF DRILL PIPE STRING

This may either be new or used, and size ranges from 2 3/8’’, 2 7/8’’, 3’’, 3 ½’’

F2 F1

E
C

A B D
a typical diagram of a drill pipe.

A represents the tool joint length of the box

B represents the tool joint length of the pin

C represents the box outer diameter (OD)

D represents the pin length

E represents pin internal diameter

F1 and F2 represent the upsets of both box and pin

G is the midpoint where a spot check is done. It is believed that if there is a reduction in size, it
should be there.

Instruments Used During the Inspection of a Drill Pipe

OD Gauge: rotated along a helical path of the tube to locate abrasive wear, stretching, expansion
and other deviations from the normal OD.

D-meter or ultrasonic gauge: used to check wall thickness of materials

OD/ID caliper: OD is used to measure outer diameter of tool joint; ID is used to measure internal
diameter of a pin connection.

1-foot rule graduated in 1/64’’ or 1/32’’: used for measuring short distances. Also used for
transferring measurements from OD/ID caliper

Thread gauge: used for measuring thread profile.

EMI UNIT/SCOPE UNIT: used for transferring electromagnetic induction through the buggy,
along the drill pipe.

Inspection of Connections

It depends on the category of inspection to be carried out.

1) AP1 CAT 2 or RP76 measure OD and

tong space
2) DS CAT3 OD/ID, tong space + bevel
diameter
3) DS CAT4 OD/ID tong space, bevel
diameter, internal diameter, pin length
4) DS CAT5 measures everything + shear
wave, blacklight connection

CLEANING OF CONNECTIONS

Clean connections with non-volatile liquid to degrease the connection. Use file to remove lip or
thread with wrong profile. Fiber the threads.

PROCEDURE

• Blacklight for CAT4 and CAT5

• Thread gauge
• Do Visual Thread Inspection
• Colour code where applicable. White for
premium connections, and red for defective connections
• Use appropriate thread compounds for
the threads
• Cover connections after doping
• Stencil the joints
 CHAPTER FOUR
BOTTOM HOLE ASSEMBLY

These are strings that go down the hole or used downhole before drill pipes are joined during
drilling operations. The categories of is more compared to the one given to drill pipes because of
the nature of the job they do. The inspection detects all defects, which are on the surface. Majorly,
they detect cracks on the surface and on the threads of the materials. These materials include-
drill collars, stabilizers, hole-openers, subs/crossovers, heavy weight.

The type of inspection that is carried out on the above-listed is known as Magnetic Particle
Inspection. The category of inspection is known as DS1 CAT3-3. All inspection under BHA falls
under this category unless stated otherwise by the customer.

TOOLS USED FOR INSPECTION OF BHA

• AC YORK
• DC COIL
• IRON FILLINGS
• BLACK LIGHT
• BLACK CLOTH
• MIRROR- used for making sure threads
are inspected at 360 degrees
• SPRAY CAN
• THREAD GAUGE- used for measuring
thread profile i.e IF and regular
• TALLY TAPE- Used for measuring long
pipes/items
• OD/ID Caliper
• STEEL RULE

PROCEDURE

• Connection and body of the item is

thoroughly cleared using high-speed buffer to clean the body, and fiber disc to clean the
thread.
• The DC coil passes a longitudinal
magnetic field induced. As it passes, a magniflux solution is sprayed on the connection.
 • The black light is used to detect
transverse cracks. It produces UV light, which aids the seeing of cracks.

Note: this kind of inspection is done in a dark room or under a black cloth.

INSPECTION OF THE BODY

After cleaning the body, an AC York and/or a magnet is used to probe the required area to be
inspected with the aid of dry iron powder. For a perfect job, use is made of black magnetic ink
and white contrast paint. The essence of the white contrast is to form a background in which
when the AC York is placed and the black is sprayed, the crack is visible.

MEASUREMENT

All BHA strings from 3 ½’’ and above must have a Stress Relief Groove (SRG) on the pin or a bore
back on the box. This reduces stress on the connection. By DS1 CAT 3-5, any joint that has none of
these is referred to as ‘defective joints’, unless it is treated as CAT2, which requires none of the
above. It is also measured like the drill pipe but the difference is that everything about the joint is
measured ranging from OD, ID, length, bevel diameter, bore back, stress relief groove, counter
bore, seal, pin length.

COLOR CODING

Connections are color-coded after inspection- white for premium, red for bad connection, yellow
for reduced OD. Thread compounds are applied after colour coding and the connection is
protected.