Thursday, May 12, 2016

What Are Drill Pipes?



Oil rigs require several different kinds of equipment to bore holes down the Earth's crust, and start extraction. Among these are drill pipes, which are long tubular goods made of either steel or aluminum alloy. They are hollow with relatively thin walls.
Each one is about 27 feet up to 32 feet in length. It is possible to get pieces that are much longer if you require custom manufacturing. The strength of the pipes will vary. Several of them have to be connected from end to end in order to reach the desired depth, typically reaching many miles into the Earth.  


Drill Pipe Construction


Drill pipes are composed of at least three distinct elements. The main section is called the tube, which is the middle portion of the assembly. The two ends are called the tool joints, as these are where they connect to other pipes. One is referred to as the box tool joint. This end has an opening with female threads and a diameter that is slightly greater than the tube. The other end is labelled as the pin tool joint. This opening has male threads, and is slightly smaller in diameter compared to the tube. Friction welding is used to fuse these elements together.

Assembly and Application


The pipes are lined up with the pin end of one being inserted to the box end of the other. The hollow interior is useful in sending drilling fluid down the tube until it reaches the bit. This keeps the heat and friction manageable, prolonging the service life of the assembly. Since the pipes require a considerable investment to acquire, they are always handled with care and often reused in different projects. Each one is inspected after drill completion to check for defects and wear. The outside diameter tends to decrease with use such that pipes will have to be discarded one they reach a certain limit.

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