Tool Joints

Design
Torquing
Inspection

Schlumberger
Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC
Anadrill

Page 1
Objectives
At the end of this presentation you will be able to
l List the five criteria that are the requirement for a
good tool joint design.
l List the five criteria that go into the design of a
tool joint.
l List 5 common joint types and drillpipe grades.
l Describe hole a drill joint makes its seal.
l Describe why Bending Strength is important.
l Describe the consequences of incorporate torque
in a connection.
l State where the most stress in a connection is.

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

Page 2
Objectives

l Identify a stress relieved connection.

l List 5 reasons why tool joints are inspected.
l Describe (briefly) 5 methods of inspection.
l Describe 4 joint failure modes.
l List the major steps in torquing a connection.
l Demonstrate how to find the correct joint torque
from the torque charts in the PowerPulse UOP.

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

Page 3
 Why Have a Connection?

To make a continuous length of pipe

Provide hydraulic seal
Transfer torque from surface to bit

Pin Box

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

The primary requirement of a tool joint is to allow the connection of a number of

pieces of pipe together to make a continuous string of pipes. However there are several
other critical requirements of the joint used in the drilling environment.
It must satisfactorily connect two pipes together and not unscrew under the action of
normal drilling operations.
It must provide a hydraulic seal such that drilling fluid may be pumped down the
inside, of the string of pipe, under high pressure (several thousand PSI) without
leakage.
It must be able to withstand normal drilling torque and bending from reasonable
rotation and doglegs without parting or unscrewing.
It must be able to resist most reasonable conditions being made up and broken out, that
exist in the drilling environment, like dirt particles in the threads.
Finally it must have a reasonable service life. Although this will heavily depend on
material type as well as design.

Page 4
 Connection Design Considerations

l Thread Types (profile)

l Material (Grade)
l Sealing

l Bending Strength
l Joint Torque

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

The connection or tool joint is a tapered threaded jack screw that forces the shoulders
together in such a way as to provide a seal at the shoulder face and act a a structural
member to make the pin equally as strong , in bending, as the the box when made to
the recommended torque. The threads do not form a seal in fact they allow for a open
channel from the bore to the shoulder seal. This space can allow for excess thread
compound, foreign matter and thread wear. It will also allow the Pin to be stabbed into
the Box and make up even if there is drilling fluid right to the top of the box.

Page 5
 Thread Types & Material

Reg - Regular
NC - Numbered Connections
IF - Internal Flush
H-90 - Hughes
FH - Full Hole

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

There are a number of different types of thread, they differ in their taper, thread profile
and teeth per inch. The most common are the thread types such as 7 5/8” Reg for
BHA’s and 4 1/2” IF for 5” drill pipe. Anadrill does not use regular threads for its tools
internal connections because the ID of the collars is too great due to the electronic
packages that fit inside them.
Anadrill uses a number of different non-magnetic materials for its tools, these include
austenitic stainless steel (monel), inconel (a high grade stainless steel) and beryllium
copper (BeCu). Each has various mechanical properties.
Drillpipe is classified by strength as a grade. E grade is very common and so is S grade
for long reach highly deviated wells.
Grade Symbol Minimum Yield
D55 D 55,000
E 75 E 75,000
X 95 X 95,000
G105 G 105,000
S 135 S 135,000
V 150 V 150,000
Used U -

Page 6
 Identifying a Thread Type

Use a Tool Joint ruler

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

To identify an unknown tool joint use a Drilco tool joint identifier ruler.
Screwing on a known thread protector is not adequate as many protectors are designed
to fit several threads and many threads will screw just together but be unable to
withstand any load.

Page 7
 Sealing

Sealing Face
The threads DO NOT provide the hydraulic seal

Shoulder is the Channel

only seal

Box

Pin

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

The seal keeps the fluid inside the drill pipe which is under very high pressure from
leaking out at the connection. The shoulder face of the box and the shoulder of the pin
provide this seal. The thread does not provide any sealing in fact it allows a channel all
the way round the thread into the center of the collar, this allows dirt or fluid to escape
as the connection is screwed together.
Since the seal comes from the two faces, they must be in good condition with no radial
scoring or raised defects, some circumferencial scoring is okay. Any defect in the faces
that may allow fluid to flow from the inside to the outside could lead to a twist off.
This is called “galling”.

Page 8
 Bending Strength

Joint Flexing
Tension

Compression

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

During the life of a collar it will be subjected to continual flexing that will result in
fatigue failures. Unlike drillpipe, the body of the drill collar is much stiffer than the
joint. This will result in the most flexing occurring at the joint. Consequently, most
drill collar failures occur in the joint.
As the the collar rotates in a deviated well it will be subjected to cyclic stress which, if
high enough, will cause any small defects in the joint to grow resulting in a crack that
will eventually cause a twist off. Notches or surface defects around the tool joint will
localize the stress and increase crack initiation and propagation.
So it is important to try to match the flexing of the pin and box so that the bend at the
same rate but when combined in a properly torque connection they are not so weak
that all of the collar flex is located at the tool joint like a hinge.
The Bending Strength Ratio of a joint combination is an indication of the connections
compatibility to resist bending. Proper torque is critical for this.

Page 9
 Joint Torque

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

Like any nut and bolt there is a correct torque for a connection. The connection
requires the correct torque so that it does not come loose in use, and provides the
proper bending strength.
When a pin and box are screwed together as more and more torque is applied the
metal of the pin and box will elongate or compress by some amount. This strain in the
metal when the torque is released will clamp the two parts together, friction will stop
the joint coming apart. However if too much torque is applied the pin will stretch too
much and the box compress too much to the point where the metal will be permanently
deformed and there will be no strain in the joint allowing the connection to become
loose. Also if too little strain is applied to the joint then there will be too little friction
force stopping the connection from unscrewing. Hence the connection will back off
under use. Also, too little torque could result in failure of the connection due to
bending stresses.
The correct amount of strain will be a function of the load area, the linear force and of
course the mechanical properties of the material of the tool joint. The linear force will
be a function of the thread pitch, the coefficient of friction between the two materials
and the applied torque.
Hence working backward from the joint cross-sectional area, the material yield
strength, the thread design and the friction coefficient; the correct torque to apply can
be calculated.
See section 2.5 of the PowerPulse UOP for the torque specification for any of
Anadrill’s connection.

Page 10
 Joint Stress

Cracking in last thread of Pin

Stress in
Pin Stress in
Box
Cracking in last thread of Box

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

In drill-collar joints there are two areas where stress concentration can occur:
Consider a properly made-up joint where the shoulder supports the pin in bending .
Maximum flexing occurs in the box threads just beyond the last engaged thread at the
end of the pin. Failures begin from the thread root on the inside of the box because the
thread acts as a notch. Furthermore, these threads are exposed to corrosive drilling
fluid. Resulting corrosion pits in the thread roots making them points of stress
concentration.
When joints are not properly made up, the shoulders can separate so that the pin is not
supported by the shoulder. It is, however, restrained by the box threads. Thus,
maximum bending stress occurs in the thread roots of the first engaged thread near the
base of the pin. Fatigue cracks develop in these thread roots.
Maximum flexing occurs in the box threads just beyond the last engaged thread at the
end of the pin. Cracks begin from the thread root on the inside of the box because the
thread acts as a notch. Additionally these threads are exposed to corrosive drilling
mud, resulting in corrosion pitting in the thread root.
Also as the pin flexes, the shoulder supports the bending localizing tension in the last
thread of the pin. This is made worse if the joint is under torqued.

Page 11
 Stress Relief

Normal Pin Pin with Stress Relief Groove

Normal Box Box with Stress

Box with Bore Back
Relief Groove
Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC
u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

Stress-relief grooves can be cut in a joint, located near the base of the pin and in the
bottom of the box just beyond the last engaged thread of the pin. These relief grooves
are intended to release stress concentration in the critical bending areas of the pin and
box. They do this by removing unnecessary threads, which are notches, and replacing
them with smooth, large radius contours. This provides a more flexible joint, less
likely to crack in fatigue, because bending in the joint occurs in areas of smooth relief
surfaces.
It is essential that the surfaces of the stress-relief areas be free of tool marks, stencil
marks or other notches.
Another modification of the box threads is the Drilco “bore back”. This design consists
of a straight cylindrical bore in the bottom of the box. Bore diameter is of a size to
insure that the last thread root in the box is covered by the threads at the end of the pin.
The smooth bore continues beyond the end of the pin and then is gradually contoured
with large radii to the bore of the collar. A machinist can produce a smooth surface in
the stress-relief area with this bore-back design more easily than he can with the
undercut design of the API stress-relief groove.
However, stress relief grooving increases the amount of material which must be
removed when a thread is required to be re-cut, hence shortening the service life of a
collar.

Page 12
 Joint Inspection

Schlumberger
Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC
Anadrill

Page 13
 Why Inspect Connections?

l Guarantee the integrity of our connections

l Avoid lost in hole

l Avoid tool damage such as flooding & washouts

l To assess threads for repair

l Customer requirements

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

If we are to run our tools in a drilling environment we must be certain that our drilling
tools i.e. collars and connections can withstand the stress and strain they will be
subjected to. Any undetected cracks or surface damage that may lead to a crack can
ultimately lead to a twist off and lost in hole expense to us and our client; or serious
tool damage when fluid leaks into our electronics or more severely when flow is
established and washing occurs causing failures and the junking of parts.
As the connections are made up and broken out they wear, so it is necessary to assess
whether they still pass the minimum dimensional specifications for that connection
type. Also, surface damage can occur, particularly in non-mag connections, called
galling. This causes extra friction in a joint and therefore could lead to under-torquing
or if in the surface of a shoulder this could lead to a washout.
Whenever a tool is inspected and passes, a certificate of inspection is issued for that
joint. This is vital whenever a incident occurs to any Anadrill connection at the
wellsite which costs the client money. This is why Anadrill itself does not inspect its
own connections but rather a independent “third party”. Our client often requires a
copy of these certificates before they will run any of our equipment in the hole and in
some cases they will come and inspect our equipment in our base before we ship it to
the wellsite.

Page 14
 Inspection Methods

l Ultrasonic

l Magnetic Particle

l Liquid (Dye) Penetrant

l Radiographic

l Visual

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

In Ultrasonic a sound wave is directed into the area under inspection and the return
wave is monitored. Any discontinuities or density changes cause changes in the
propagation of the wave. This may indicate sub-surface damage or cracking.
In Magnetic Particle a powder is put onto the test piece and then a strong magnetic
source is applied to the piece. The magnetic field strength is highest in areas of “sharp”
geometry i.e. cracks, therefore the particles will migrate to these areas. The magnetism
is removed and the particles washed off, however those inside a crack will not be
washed off and will show up under ultraviolet light, depending on the type of test
material used.
Liquid penetrant is very similar in principle to magnetic particle in that the test liquid
is drawn into a crack by capillary action and is not removed when the excess liquid is
washed off, so can be seen under UV.
Radiographic method uses X-rays to take a photograph of the area under inspection.
Clearly this method is dangerous.
Visual inspection is always carried out as part of any third party inspection where
OD’s and ID’s are measured and the general appearance of the joint is assessed for
damage. Visual inspection should be carried out by the engineer at the wellsite prior to
making any connection involving Anadrill’s equipment. Any suspicious connection
should not be used and returned immediately to town for professional inspection.

Page 15
 Failure Modes

l Mis-handling

l Incorrect torque

l Fatigue

l Stress corrosion cracking

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

The threads and shoulders of a connection can be damaged through miss handling of
the collars. This is most likely to occur if the tool has no thread protectors. Even if the
tool is sitting on the pipe rack and is not being moved it is vulnerable to damage from
collision with other items in transit around the rig site. All connections at all times
must be protected, by thread protectors or baskets. However, as soon as they are
removed from the basket they must have protectors. Whenever lifting Anadrill’s
equipment, insist on a tag line however short the move. If the load gets out of control it
will be damaged when it hits something.
Over torquing will plastically deform the box and pin reducing the stress in the
connection leading to backoff down hole. Under torquing will allow the joint to over
flex leading to cracking and twist off if it has not backed off first.
All Anadrill tools have a dogleg limit for rotation and sliding, exceeding this will
cause damage, washouts or twist offs.
Non Magnetic material is prone to failure due to a reaction with certain substances and
high load; this is called stress corrosion cracking. It is particularly a problem in wells
with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S).

Page 16
 Making a Connection at the Rigsite

Schlumberger
Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC
Anadrill

Page 17
 Applying Dope

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

When picking up the tool always have thread protectors on the tool and have tag lines
on the end of the collar if it is not dragged in. Make sure that as the collar comes
through the vee-door it does not swing freely and its entry to the rig floor is controlled
by a rope.
When putting in the slips make sure that the dyes do not rest on any wiring channel or
antenna or anything that looks unable to withstand the compression of the slips. Then,
if it is a slick collar, install the dog clamp before unlatching the elevators (all drillers
will do it this way).
Pipe dope is a good-quality viscous lubricant containing powdered metallic lead,
copper or zinc and should be carefully applied to the threads and the shoulders. Every
surface must be lubricated in order to avoid galling on make-up. Do not rely on make-
up to spread a glob of lubricant applied to the pin or box. In the workshop a layer of
Moly-duo-lube (an anti galling dry lubricant) is sprayed onto the threads then Kopr-
Kote dope is applied before any connection is made up. Kopr-Kote is preferred for
non-magnetic material as non-mag is prone to galling.
Some drillers make a practice of lubricating a new thread, making it up hand tight with
the chain tongs, breaking it out, and re-lubricating it. Then it is made up again with the
chain tongs before the rig tongs and high make-up forces are finally applied. This
procedure works the lubricant into the surfaces and avoids galling of threads and
shoulders on the initial make-up. All drillers should do this.

Page 18
 Stabbing

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

Before stabbing the connections remove any extender protector caps.

Particularly with the Anadrill connections involving real-time extenders it is
imperative to stab the collars together by hand as centrally as possible. Then start the
connection by hand with a chain tong. Remember that if there is a motor with a bend
below the rotary table, with a bit, turning the rotary table to make connections may
damage the bit, the BOP’s, or the riser so should be avoided.

Page 19
 Tong Placement

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

As with the slips when placing the tongs on our equipment avoid any wiring channel,
hole in the collar or anything that would in your judgment be damaged by placing the
tongs on them. Also the tongs on the box connection should be a minimum 6” from the
shoulder to avoid compressing the box as the torque is applied, therefore potentially
under-torquing the joint.

Page 20
 Ready to Torque

Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC

u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

When you are satisfied with tong placement stand back! And even better stand behind
something substantial such as a girder or beam, since when a tong breaks or a
line/chain snaps it is like an explosion and the parts will seriously damage you.

Page 21
 Line Pull

Line Pull Gauge

Load Cell
Sugar Land Learning Center - SLC
u
Schlumberger
Anadrill

The torque is applied by pulling on the end of the tong arm; therefore you must know
the length of the tong from it’s center to where the force is applied. Assuming the line
is at right angles to the tong arm then the torque applied will be the product of the arm
length and the tension in the cable or chain - line pull.
The Driller will ask you the torque you wish to apply to your connection, this can be
obtained from section 2.5 of the PowerPulse UOP, the tables in this section can be
used to calculate the required torque for all of Anadrill’s tool connections for tools
greater than 6” OD. The lower of the torque for the pin or box should be used.
Anadrill’s torque are always lower than rig connections because non-magnetic
material is “softer” than steel and our ID’s are usually much greater than standard
therefore there is less cross-sectional area with which to spread the load over.
Once the torque has been agreed on, the Driller will pull on the tong and measure the
tension in the line with a load cell, this will appear on a gauge in the dog house which
you must be watching as the Driller applies the pull.
Some more modern rigs have an Iron Roughneck which is a hydraulic device which
makes up the connections, these devices will display torque directly.

Page 22