TUBOSCOPE DRILL PIPE PIPE TIPS

Having been the leader in drill pipe inspection and related services for nearly 40 years, Tuboscope Vetco International Inc. has learned a great deal about the defects which can spell failure of tube bodies and tool joints. These common defects, their usual effects, probable causes and possible corrections, are listed in this chart to help Tuboscope Vetco International customers recogni e the drill pipe problems in time to do something about them.

TUBE BODY
PROBLEM WASHOUT! usually occurs near pin end upset taper or in area from lower part of slip area to bo" end upset taper. TWIST OFF! usually occurs near pin end upset taper or in area from lower part of slip area to bo" end upset taper. FATIGUE CRACKING! predominantly found near pin end upset taper and in and area from bo" end upset taper to lower part of slip are. USUAL EFFECT Hole in pipe, drop in mud pressure, string separation, lost time. PROBABLE CAUSE #urface notching, cyclic stressing, fatigue crac$ing. POSSIBLE CORRECTION %inimi e surface notching, reduce stress level, avoid critical rotary speed. %ove bottom hole pipe up hole on trips, taper transition one, use shoc$ subs. %inimi e surface notching, reduce stress level, avoid critical rotary speed. %ove bottom hole pipe up hole on trips, taper transition one, use shoc$ subs. *ampen stress, avoid critical rotary speed, minimi e surface notching, move bottom hole pipe up hole on trips, use shoc$ subs, prevent H+# in flow. ,se lowest strength pipe where possible. %inimi e rate of change in hole deviation. %aintain mud pH above 0.1, plastic coating inhibition o"ygen scavenger, clean pipe I* 2 /*, dampen stress monitor with corrosion test rings. ,se bac$5up tong for ma$e5up and brea$out, use care when spinning pipe with rotary, improve slip4bowl maintenance, use care while setting slips.

#tring separation, fishing job, lost time.

#urface notching, cyclic stressing, fatigue crac$ing.

&ashout, twist off, string separation, lost time, pipe loss.

'yclic stressing, surface notches (corrosion, cuts, etc.), hydrogen embrittlement.

#urface notching - CORROSION PITTING! general in location.

.odywall loss, locali ed surface notch, stress concentration Transverse surface notch, stress concentrator.

&ater, o"ygen, '/+, H+# and stress

#urface notching - SLIP CUTS! located in slip area.

3ipe turning in slips, defective slips4bowl, improper slip handling.

PROBLEM #urface notching 5 SLIP AREA MASH! located in slip area.

USUAL EFFECT #urface impression, stress concentrator.

#urface notching - TONG CUTS! usually located near pin and bo" end upsets. #urface notching - CHAIN CUTS! usually found in an area over and just above pin end upset.

%ultiple surface notches, stress concentrators. 'ircumferential grooves (notch) at pin end upset area stress concentrators, cold wor$ed metal. 'ircumferential groove, stress concentrator.

PROBABLE CAUSE *efective slip component, improper slip handling, e"cessive connection ma$e5up or brea$out, bending pipe in slips. Tongs placed on pipe, worn tool joints, improper tong jaws, poor handling. <"cessive spinning chain slip.

POSSIBLE CORRECTION Improve slip4bowl maintenance, use care while setting slips. 'onsult 63I5 7389, :ig.1.; for ma"imum height setting of tool joints above slips.

3lace tongs only on tool joint, maintain tool joint diameter, use only correct tong jaws, use sharp tong dies. 3roper chain tension, consider use of power pipe spinner.

#urface notching - RUBBER CUT EXTERNAL RING CORROSION! usually found in area appro"imately + feet above pin end tool joint. #urface notching 5 HAMMER MARKS! usually found on the tube in areas near the pin and bo" end tool joints. SLIP AREA CRUSHING! located in slip area.

=ocali ed surface notch, cold wor$ed metal.

'orrosion4erosion at ends of drill pipe4casing protector. 3oor mud drain4cleaning at protector end. Tapping pipe to chec$ fluid level on trip out.

3eriodically move or remove protector, clean pipe at ends and under protector.

,se brass tipped hammer, tap pipe lightly.

NECKING! usually located near either or both upsets. EXPANSION! usually located above the pin and below the bo", which has been bac$ed off.

#lip area /* 4 I* reduction, longitudinal splits in slip area, body wall thinning. 7educed pipe /* 4 I* split pipe or tool joint. <"panded /* 4 I* split pipe or tool joint.

6brupt setting of slips, defective slip4bowl maintenance, improper slip si e. #tuc$ pipe, overpull (stretch), e"cessive hoo$ load. #tuc$ pipe, internal e"plosion for bac$ off.

#top pipe movement before setting slips, chec$ slip5to5pipe fit, improve maintenance, use only correct slip si e. 6void stic$ing pipe, avoid overpull, consult 63I57389 for load limits per pipe class. 6void stic$ing pipe, minimi e e"plosive force. .e sure e"plosive is placed in tool joint area, carefully inspect pipe before re5use.

PROBLEM COLLAPSE! usually begins near tube center, often travels toward both ends.

USUAL EFFECT :lattens tube, circulation bloc$, string separation.

PROBABLE CAUSE <"cessive /* pressure, drill stem test, /* wear, I* erosion. 6brasive formations, croo$ed pipe, deviated hole, high rotary speeds.

O.D. WEAR! usually appears in center third of pipe body.

I.D. EROSION! general location but often appears near upset areas.

CROOKED PIPE! most often found in the slip area and center third of pipe body.

.ody wall thinning, reduced tensile capacity, reduced cross section, reduced collapse resistance. .ody wall thinning, reduced cross5section, reduced tensile capacity, reduced collapse resistance. 6ccelerated /* wear in pipe body and tool joint, vibration, high stress level, advanced fatigue.

POSSIBLE CORRECTION 'onsult 63I57389 collapse charts per pipe class, minimi e /* wear, $eep pipe straight, prevent I* erosion with plastic coating. #traighten pipe, minimi e hole deviation 4 rate of change, avoid critical rotary speeds.

High velocity abrasion, sharp sand (solids), drilling fluid turbulence, general corrosion. .ending in slips, setting tool joint too high above slips, improper tong 4 line geometry, no bac$ up tong on ma$e5up or brea$out, poor transportation handling, dropping pipe on rac$s, critical rotary speeds, pic$ing up pipe with winch line in center, improper drill collar weight.

3lastic coating, minimi e drilling fluid abrasives, inhibitors, minimi e e"posure to treating acids.

'onsult 63I57389, :ig. 1.; for ma"imum height setting of tool joints above slips, use both tongs, placed 000 apart, consult 63I57389 for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, minimi e brea$out tor>ues, minimi e downhole tor>ue, use properly spaced strippers between pipe layers to minimi e bending in storage or transit, avoid rough handling when moving pipe, use slings to winch pipe, avoid critical rotary speeds, avoid dropping string.

TOOL JOINT
PROBLEM PIN BREAK! cup type failure. USUAL EFFECT #tring separation, fishing job, lost time. PROBABLE CAUSE Improper trip ma$e5up tor>ue, additional downhole ma$e5up, improper lubricant producing e"cessive
3

POSSIBLE CORRECTION 'onsult 63I57389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, minimi e additional downhole ma$e5 up, use recommended rotary tool joint compound.

PIN BREAK! flat fracture type failure

#tring separation, fishing job, lost time.

PIN BREAK! flat fracture type failure when tor>ue and ma$e5up are $nown to be satisfactory. WASHOUT

#tring separation, fishing job, lost time.

tension vs. ma$e5 up4tor>ue. 3in wobble due to insufficient ma$e5up, shoulder fins, false tor>ue, fatigue crac$ing at thread root, galled threads. H+#, hydrogen embrittlement, e"cessive pin tension. =ea$ing shoulder (face) seals, damaged shoulder (face) seals, insufficient ma$e5up tor>ue, galled threads producing e"cessive shoulder stand5off, shoulder fins rolled between seals, high spots on shoulder (false ma$e5up tor>ue), e"cessive shoulder removal by refacing, stretched pin threads, dirty threads and shoulders, miss5stabbing connection, improper jac$ing of stands in standbac$ area.

'onsult 63I57389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, repair should fins, repair galled threads.

<rosion of shoulder (face) seal and threads, mud pressure loss, string separation, lost time.

'ontrol H+# in flow, reduce stress level if possible, remove string from service for period of time, inspect tool joint threads. 'onsult 63I57389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, remove shoulder damage by refacing if possible? recut connection? remove shoulder fins by beveling shoulder, consult 63I57389 section far ma"imum shoulder removal by refacing. @eep thread protectors installed while pic$ing up, laying down, handling, transporting or storing pipe? clean threads and shoulder before ma$e5up? use care when tripping pipe? use only pipe jac$ tool with wide area contact.

PROBLEM DRY OR MUDDY CONNECTION

USUAL EFFECT =ea$ing shoulder (face) seals.

PROBABLE CAUSE Insufficient ma$e5up tor>ue, damaged shoulders (face).

GALLED SHOULDER

=oss of shoulder seal, e"cessive shoulder to shoulder standoff, false ma$e5up tor>ue, unstable connection (wobble). 7educes tor>ue capacity, belled bo"es, reduced shoulder seal area. *istorted connection, loss of shoulder seal, will not mate properly with another connection, split body.

Insufficient lubrication on shoulders, insufficient ma$e5up tor>ue, shoulder fins, high spots on shoulder.

WEAR! thin shoulders

'roo$ed pipe, high rotary speeds, abrasive formations. Improper ma$e5up tor>ue, additional downhole ma$e5up, thin tool joints, improper thread lubricants.

POSSIBLE CORRECTION 'onsult 63I57389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, remove shoulder damage by refacing if possible? recut connection? remove shoulder fins by beveling shoulder, consult 63I57389 section far ma"imum shoulder removal by refacing. @eep thread protectors installed while pic$ing up, laying down, handling, transporting or storing pipe? clean threads and should before ma$e5up? use care when tripping pipe? use only pipe jac$ tool with wide area contact. 6pply rotary tool joint compound to shoulders when doping connection, remove shoulder fins by beveling shoulder, remove high spots by refacing, consult 63I57389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ues per tool joint class. #traighten pipe, reduce rotary speeds where possible, apply hardfacing to bo" end tool joint where possible. %aintain tool joint /*, consult 63I5 7389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, minimi e additional downhole ma$e5up, use only recommended rotary tool joint compound, recut bo".

BELLED BOXES

PROBLEM STRETCHED PINS

USUAL EFFECT *istorted connection will not mate properly with another connection, possible pin brea$.

PROBABLE CAUSE Improper ma$e5up tor>ue, additional downhole ma$e5up, improper thread lubricant. Thread damage, handling without thread protectors, cross5 threading, worn threads, improper lubrication, dirty connection, defective @elly saver sub. %ating tool joints with different /*As, handling damage.

GALLED THREADS

SHOULDER FINS

HEAT CHECK

*amages mating threads, false tor>ue, improper ma$e5up, connection wobble, lea$ing shoulder seal, washout, pin brea$, drop string, lost time. 3revents shoulder ma$e5up, false tor>ue, lea$ing shoulder seal, washout, connection wobble, pin brea$, drop string, lost time. Tool joint body crac$ing, washout, string separation, lost time.

POSSIBLE CORRECTION %aintain tool joint /*, consult 63I5 7389 charts for proper ma$e5up tor>ue per tool joint class, minimi e additional downhole ma$e5up, use only recommended rotary tool joint compound, recut bo". Handle pipe only with thread protector, use care in stabbing and ma$e5up recut worn threads, use only recommended rotary tool joint compound, clean connections before use, repair or replace @elly saver sub. %atch tool joint /*As if possible, remove fins by refacing and beveling, handle pipe only with thread protectors.

SHOULDER DAMAGE

=ea$ing shoulder seal, washout, string separation, lost time.

7apid heating due to friction between tool joint and formation, casing whipstoc$, etc. High rotary speeds, rapid cooling. %iss5stabbing connection, handling damage, spinning chain between shoulders, improper pipe jac$ing.

7educe rotary speeds through tight areas, minimi e tool5joint5to5formation contact.

,se care when tripping pipe, handle pipe only with thread protectors, use only pipe jac$ with wide area contact.