Grant Prideco H-S H-SERIES ERIES HI HI TORQUE TORQUE and and eXtreme eXtreme TORQUE TORQUE CONNECTORS CONNECTORS TM TM
Gripping HI TORQUE and eXtreme TORQUE Boxes • Place the tongs at least 2 inches from the make-up shoulder. • The threads of an HT55 or XT55 box are about 13/4” further away from the make-up shoulder than the threads of an API box. Tongs or top drive 2.00 torque wrenches should engage the HI TORQUE or eXtreme TORQUE box at the same location in Recommended relation to the threads that they would engage an Tonging Area API Joint • On the Varco PH85 pipe handler torque wrench, this can be done by using 5-1/2” long saver subs. This will put the dies 2” from the box make-up shoulder.
Drill Pipe with HI TORQUE Connector
Tool Joint Pipe Body Box
Hardfacing
External Upset
Pin
Weld
Internal Upset Elevator Shoulder
Internal Coating
Drill Pipe with eXtreme TORQUE Connector Tool Joint Pipe Body Box
Hardfacing
External Upset
Weld
Internal Upset Metal Seal on XT-M only
Pin
Internal Coating
Elevator Shoulder Metal Seal on XT-M only
Grant Prideco HI TORQUE or eXtreme TORQUE Connector Primary Shoulder Box Pin Pin base
Box Counterbore Secondary Shoulder
• Secondary shoulder increases torsional strength by at least 40% w Smaller OD and larger ID for slimhole drilling and improved hydraulics w More Torsional Strength w Increased wear allowance
Grant Prideco HI TORQUE Connector Pin Base. Pin base extends in spring like manner when joint is bucked up to recommended make-up torque
Primary Shoulder. Provides seal and preload just as on conventional tool joint. Pin Nose
Secondary Shoulders. Do not contact Box Counterbore Section. Compresses in when joint is hand tight. When joint is spring like manner when joint is bucked up to bucked up to recommended make-up recommended make-up torque. torque, they do contact.
Grant Prideco eXtreme TORQUE Metal Seal Connector Pin Base. Pin base extends in spring like manner when joint is bucked up to recommended make-up torque
Primary Shoulder. Provides seal and preload just as on conventional tool joint. Metal Seal
Secondary Shoulders. Do not contact Box Counterbore Section. Compresses in when joint is hand tight. When joint is spring like manner when joint is bucked up to bucked up to recommended make-up recommended make-up torque. torque, they do contact.
Comparison of HI TORQUE and Conventional Tool Joint
5 x 2-9/16 HT38
5 x 2-9/16 NC38
Comparison of eXtreme TORQUE and Conventional Tool Joint
5 x 2-9/16 XT38
5 x 2-9/16 NC38
7 X 4 HT55 on 5-1/2” 21.90 Drill Pipe with Grant Prideco H-SERIES Extended Internal Upset
24.8 Approx
15.0 Approx
10.00
7.000
13.00
4.000
Picking Up Pipe with HI TORQUE or eXtreme TORQUE Connectors for the First Time • Visually examine the thread protectors for damage such as dents or crushing. If any thread protectors are damaged, inspect the threads on that joint for damage. • If the joints were shipped to the rig with rust preventive on the threads, it must be removed. Use soap and water, steam or a vapor degreasing solvent such as Varsol. It is important that no residue remain on the threads after cleaning. • If the joints were shipped to the rig with thread compound, it is not necessary to remove the thread compound unless there is a suspected problem.
Picking Up Pipe with HI TORQUE or eXtreme TORQUE Connectors for the First Time • Inspect the threads for damage or for foreign material. Damaged threads or any foreign material on the threads can cause galling or prevent proper make-up. • Before the joints are put in service, the threads, the primary makeup shoulders and secondary make-up shoulders must be coated with a good quality thread compound.
Picking Up Pipe with HI TORQUE or eXtreme TORQUE Connectors for the First Time • Thread protectors must be on the joints at all times when the joints are being moved or when bringing the joints up to the rig floor. • Do not use thread protectors when standing the pipe back.
Thread Protectors should be installed prior to moving pipe to prevent connection damage.
Application of Thread Compound to HI TORQUE Connectors • Apply Thread compound to all contacting surfaces. Primary shoulder • Primary Shoulder • Threads • Secondary Shoulder Threads • Make sure secondary shoulder is clean and free of drilling fluid Secondary solids. Shoulder • It may be necessary to rinse drilling fluid off threads before applying compound.
Application of Thread Compound to HI TORQUE Connectors • Racking pipe will wipe thread compound off pin nose.
Application of Thread Compound to eXtreme TORQUE Connectors • Apply Thread compound to all contacting surfaces. • Primary Shoulder Primary shoulder • Threads • Seal Area (XT-M only) Threads • Secondary Shoulder • Make sure secondary shoulder Seal Area and seal area is clean and free of drilling fluid solids. Secondary • It may be necessary to rinse Shoulder drilling fluid off threads before applying compound.
Apply an even coat of thread compound to all thread, seal and shoulder regions of both pin and box prior to making up…
Keep Thread Compound Covered. Water will lead to thread rust/corrosion when applied to connections.
Tool Joint Break-in Step 1: MAKE UP JOINTS AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE, to 100% of the make-up torque. • Break them out. • If the break-out torque is less than the make-up torque, the joints do not have to be separated. Step 2: Make up the joints again to the same torque in step 1. • Break them out. • Separate the pin and box and reapply thread compound. Step 3: MAKE UP JOINTS AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE again to the make-up torque in step 1 and they are ready for service.
Putting the Joints in Service
• Bucking up tool joints with tongs can put high bending loads in the pipe. • Review Section B4, Paragraph B of the IADC Drilling Manual, or Paragraph 5.9 of API RP7G about height of tool joint above slips to prevent bending pipe during tonging.
Making up HI TORQUE and eXtreme TORQUE Connectors • Maintain good alignment when spinning-up. Misalignment can damage the threads. Box Pin Contact of sharp edge of pin thread on box flank
IMPROPER STABBING
Ensure correct alignment prior to stabbing. Use stabbing guides to reduce shoulder damage
Tripping • Alternate breaks when tripping so that each joint will be brokenout every third trip. • Monitor break-out torque. The break-out torque should be less than the make-up torque. High break-out torque is an indication of downhole make-up or thread damage. • Do not let the end of the pin strike the box make-up shoulder when stabbing the pin in the box.
Downhole Makeup • Downhole make-up is caused by the drilling torque exceeding the joint's make up torque. Punchmarks It can be detected by high break-out torque. The break-out torque should be less than the make-up torque. • If downhole make-up is suspected, punch mark the pin and box next to the make-up shoulders when tripping into the hole. • If downhole make-up occurs, the position of the punch marks will change. • Downhole make-up can cause • Compressed box counterbores • Compressed pin noses
Deter Down -hole makeup by ensuring correct (Recommended) MUT is applied prior to running components down-hole.
Simulated Downhole makeup. Excessive torque can lead to belled/ split boxes and necked down pin noses
Shoulder Damage • The make-up shoulders should be inspected frequently using the same procedure and criteria that is used on conventional joints. • The make-up shoulder provides the seal and preload for the connections. • Damage to the make-up shoulder can result in a washout, galling of the shoulders or an improperly made up connection. • Improper make-up can cause wobble damage or a fatigue failure. • The pin nose is not a seal.
Rejectable shoulder damage. Galling / Metal tearing.
Shoulder Dent. Minimize by using Stabbing Guides.
High Break-out Torque
Pin
• Sometimes joints are hard to break-out for no apparent reason. • Downhole make-up • Displacement of thread compound metallics • Galling Box Pressure Flank
Checking Pin Length Primary Shoulder The pin length and box depth of must be correct for proper operation of HT and XT connectors. The pin length can be checked with a dial Indicator or depth micrometers. If the pin length is short by 1/32 inch or less, the pin can be repaired by resurfacing the primary shoulder. Pin Nose
If the pin length is short by more than 1/32 inch, the pin must be recut. If the pin length is too long by 1/32 inch or less, the pin can be repaired by resurfacing the pin nose. If the pin length is too long by more than 1/32 inch, the pin must be recut.
Checking Box Depth Primary Shoulder The pin length and box depth of must be correct for proper operation of HT and XT connectors. The box depth can be checked with a dial Indicator or depth micrometers. If the box depth is short by 1/32 inch or less, the box can be repaired by resurfacing the Secondary Shoulder secondary shoulder. If the box depth is short by more than 1/32 inch, the box must be recut. If the box depth is too long by 1/32 inch or less, the box can be repaired by resurfacing the primary shoulder. If the box depth is too long by more than 1/32 inch, the box must be recut.
Checking for Box Swell Torsional yielding of HT or XT Connectors may result in swelling of the box adjacent to the threads.
A straight edge or calipers can be used to detect swelling if the swelled region is not worn away.
Box depth should be checked on overtorqued connections. Most swollen boxes can be recut with the same loss of length as conventional tool joints.
Checking Pin Length
The Go/No Go gauge has a pin side and a box side. Primary shoulder
Box Side
Pin side
Pin Nose
If the pin is the correct length, the pin nose and primary shoulder will contact the gauge when using the pin side.
Checking Box Depth The Go/No Go gauge has a pin side and a box side. Primary Shoulder
Box side
Pin side
Secondary Shoulder
If the box is the correct depth, the primary shoulder and secondary shoulder will contact the gauge when using the box side.
Drill String Design and Selection • Structural Compatibility − Tensile Strength − Torsional Strength − Pressure, Collapse − Bending • Geometric Compatibility − Fishability − Hydraulics • Cost − Increase Reliability − Increase Performance − Increase Life
