Drills are an essential instrument in the oil rig industry. Without them, there would be no crude oil or petroleum. And without drill pipes, there would be no drills at all! The hollow steel pipes are singlehandedly responsible for transporting fluid from subterranean conditions to the drill bit, from where the process begins!
Due to the ample amount of pressure on them to outperform, drill pipes have to be consistently maintained for reduced deterioration from wear and tear. Here’s all the information you need about their assessment, parts, and more on how they function.
Checking Drill Pipes
Drill pipes are checked with an instrument called a spherometer. A spherometer can check the radius of a sphere, which will let you know just how damaged a drill pipe might be. Once it has been assessed by a spherometer, drill pipes have to be categorized under one of three labels.
- N-class pipe: When a drill pipe is classified as n-class, it means that it is a new pipe. They’re usually the strongest and most durable of the three and available in close to pristine condition.
- P-class pipe: When a drill pipe is classified as p-class, it means that it’s a premium pipe. Usually considered a step below the n-class pipe, it has good functional capabilities, but has gone through some wear and tear.
- C-class pipe: Now, within c-class pipes, there are three further subcategories. You have C-1, C-2, and C-3 pipes. Depending on how they might be rated, c-pipes could vary from being somewhat usable to completely used at the end of the life span.
Because of how expensive drill pipes can be, many companies will use and reuse drill pipes until the absolute end, which is why P-class and C-class pipes are still in demand, despite not being in mint condition.
Types of Drill Pipes
Now that you’re familiarized with the basics, here are the types of drill pipes you will come across.
Drill Sting: A drill sting refers to the drill pipe, shaft collar, tools, and the drill bit itself. These drill pipes are manufactured from tempered steel and rarely exceed the length of 30–33 feet long. This means that deep excavations will be done by connecting different sections of a pipe with tool joints.
Heavy Weight Drill Pipes: These drill pipes are much more heavy-duty than regular drill pipes and are specifically designed to handle added stress and pressure during excavation.
Even within these drill pipes, there are multiple changes you can make based on your requirement.