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WO-2026096552-A1 - PREMIUM THREADED CONNECTIONS AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING SAME

WO2026096552A1WO 2026096552 A1WO2026096552 A1WO 2026096552A1WO-2026096552-A1

Abstract

Premium thread designs, premium threaded connections, and drill pipe having the premium threaded connections. Methods for making and assembling drill pipes with premium threaded connections.

Inventors

  • GARVEY, Charles
  • HRUSCHAK, MILTON

Assignees

  • COMMAND TUBULAR PRODUCTS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251029
Priority Date
20241029

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A threaded box connection for a first tubular, comprising: a) a box shoulder stop; b) a box shoulder bearing surface; c) a face bearing surface; d) a face stop; e) an outer face bevel; f) box threads extending between the face bearing surface and the box shoulder bearing surface; g) the threaded box connection adapted to mate with a corresponding threaded pin connection of a second tubular, the box shoulder bearing surface adapted to retain a corresponding nose bearing surface of the threaded pin connection; h) the box threads are tapered threads having a pitch of about 0.25 inch (4 TPI), a pitch diameter of about 4.896 inches, an angle of about 60 degrees, a crest to root height of about 0.092500 inch, a taper of about 1.5 in/ft., a crest width of about 0.076 inch, a root width of about 0.067 inch, and conform to thread gauge V-0.076 thread form design data; i) the outer face bevel having bevel diameter of about 5.575 inches (plus or minus 0.016 inch); j) the face bearing surface having a counterbore diameter of 5.067 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); and k) the box shoulder bearing surface having diameter of about 4.423 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch).
  2. 2. The box connection of claim 1, wherein the face bearing surface is adapted to retain a corresponding pin shoulder bearing surface of a threaded pin connection known under the trade designation CET®45.
  3. 3. The box connection of claim 1, wherein the face stop and the pin shoulder stop are adapted to abut, the nose and the box shoulder stop are adapted to abut, or both.
  4. 4. The box connection of claim 2, wherein an annular space between the box shoulder bearing surface and the nose bearing surface defines a first bearing gap.
  5. 5. The box connection of claim 4, wherein an annular space between the tail bearing surface and the face bearing surface defines a second bearing gap.
  6. 6. The box connection of claim 5, wherein the first bearing gap or the second bearing gap or both are in the range of about 0.01 inch to about 0.10 inch.
  7. 7. The box connection of claim 6, wherein the first bearing gap or the second bearing gap or both are about 0.020 inch.
  8. 8. A tubular comprising the threaded box connection of claim 1.
  9. 9. A tubular comprising the threaded box connection of claim 1 at each end of the tubular.
  10. 10. A threaded pin connection for a first tubular, comprising: a) a nose; b) a nose bearing surface; c) a pin shoulder bearing surface; d) a pin shoulder stop; e) an outer pin shoulder bevel; f) pin threads extending between the nose bearing surface and the pin shoulder bearing surface; g) the threaded pin connection adapted to mate with a corresponding threaded box connection of a second tubular, wherein the nose bearing surface is adapted to be retained by a mating box shoulder bearing surface of the threaded box connection; h) the pin threads are tapered threads having a pitch of about 0.25 inch (4 TPI), an angle of about 60 degrees, a crest to root height of about 0.092504 inch, a taper of about 1.5 in/ft., a crest width of about 0.076 inch, and a root width of about 0.067 inch, and conform to thread gauge V-0.076 thread form design data; i) the outer pin shoulder bevel having bevel diameter of about 5.575 inches (plus or minus 0.016 inch); j) the pin shoulder bearing surface having cylinder diameter of about 4.972 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); and k) the nose bearing surface having a diameter of about 4.326 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch).
  11. 11. The pin connection of claim 10, wherein the pin shoulder bearing surface is adapted to be retained by a mating face bearing surface of a threaded box connection known under the trade designation CET®45.
  12. 12. The pin connection of claim 10, wherein the face stop and the pin shoulder stop are adapted to abut, the nose and the box shoulder stop are adapted to abut, or both.
  13. 13. The pin connection of claim 11, wherein an annular space between the box shoulder bearing surface and the nose bearing surface defines a first bearing gap.
  14. 14. The pin connection of claim 11, wherein an annular space between the tail bearing surface and the face bearing surface defines a second bearing gap.
  15. 15. The pin connection of claim 14, wherein the first bearing gap or the second bearing gap or both are in the range of about 0.01 inch to about 0.10 inch.
  16. 16. The pin connection of claim 10, wherein the first bearing gap or the second bearing gap or both are about 0.020 inch.
  17. 17. A tubular comprising at least one of the threaded pin connection of claim 10.
  18. 18. A tubular comprising the threaded pin connection of claim 10 at each end of the tubular.
  19. 19. A tubular threaded connection comprising: a) a threaded box connection of a first tubular, comprising: i) a box shoulder stop; ii) a box shoulder bearing surface; iii) a face bearing surface; iv) a face stop; v) a face stop bevel; and vi) box threads extending between the face bearing surface and the box shoulder bearing surface; b) a threaded pin connection of a second tubular, comprising: i) a nose; ii) a nose bearing surface; iii) a pin shoulder bearing surface; iv) a pin shoulder stop; v) an outer pin shoulder bevel; vi) pin threads extending between the nose bearing surface and the pin shoulder bearing surface; c) the threaded box connection and the threaded pin connection mate; d) the box shoulder bearing surface retains the nose bearing surface; e) the box threads are tapered threads having a pitch of about 0.25 inch (4 TPI), a pitch diameter of about 4.896 inches, an angle of about 60 degrees, a crest to root height of about 0.092500 inch, a taper of about 1.5 in/ft. , a crest width of about 0.076 inch, a root width of about 0.067 inch, and conform to thread gauge V-0.076 thread form design data, the box outer face bevel having bevel diameter of about 5.575 inches (plus or minus 0.016 inch), the face bearing surface having a counterbore diameter of 5.067 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); and the box shoulder bearing surface having diameter of about 4.423 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); and f) the pin threads are tapered threads having a pitch of about 0.25 inch (4 TPI), an angle of about 60 degrees, a crest to root height of about 0.092504 inch, a taper of about 1.5 in/ft., a crest width of about 0.076 inch, and a root width of about 0.067 inch, and conform to thread gauge V-0.076 thread form design data, the outer pin shoulder bevel having bevel diameter of about 5.575 inches (plus or minus 0.016 inch), the pin shoulder bearing surface having cylinder diameter of about 4.972 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch), and the nose bearing surface having a diameter of about 4.326 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch).
  20. 20. A method comprising: a) providing a tubular having an API box connection and an API pin connection; b) reducing a box outer diameter of the API box connection and enlarging a box inner diameter of the API box connection to provide a prepared box connection; c) applying a box premium thread to the prepared box connection; d) reducing a pin outer diameter of the API pin connection and enlarging a pin inner diameter of the API pin connection to provide a prepared pin connection; e) and applying a pin premium thread to the prepared pin connection, wherein the tubular is provided with a box premium connection and a pin premium connection; f) the box premium thread comprises tapered threads having a pitch of about 0.25 inch (4 TPI), a pitch diameter of about 4.896 inches, an angle of about 60 degrees, a crest to root height of about 0.092500 inch, a taper of about 1.5 in/ft., a crest width of about 0.076 inch, a root width of about 0.067 inch, and conform to thread gauge V-0.076 thread form design data, the box outer face bevel having bevel diameter of about 5.575 inches (plus or minus 0.016 inch), the face bearing surface having a counterbore diameter of 5.067 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); and the box shoulder bearing surface having diameter of about 4.423 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); g) the pin premium thread comprises tapered threads having a pitch of about 0.25 inch (4 TPI), an angle of about 60 degrees, a crest to root height of about 0.092504 inch, a taper of about 1.5 in/ft., a crest width of about 0.076 inch, and a root width of about 0.067 inch, and conform to thread gauge V-0.076 thread form design data, the outer pin shoulder bevel having bevel diameter of about 5.575 inches (plus or minus 0.016 inch), the pin shoulder bearing surface having cylinder diameter of about 4.972 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch), and the nose bearing surface having a diameter of about 4.326 inches (plus or minus 0.010 inch); h) retaining a pin shoulder bearing surface of the threaded pin connection with a face bearing surface of the threaded box connection; i) abutting a face stop of the box connection and a pin shoulder stop of the pin connection, abutting a nose of the pin connection and a box shoulder stop of the box connection, or both; j) defining a first annular bearing gap between a box shoulder bearing surface of the box connection and a nose bearing surface of the pin connection; k) defining a second annular bearing gap between a tail bearing surface of the pin connection and a face bearing surface of the box connection; l) the first bearing gap or the second bearing gap or both are in the range of about 0.01 inch to about 0.10 inch.

Description

PREMIUM THREADED CONNECTIONS AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING SAME [0001] BACKGROUND INFORMATION [0002] Technical Field [0003] The present disclosure relates generally to oil and gas tubulars. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to premium threading of oil and gas tubulars and processes of making and using same, in particular to drill pipes useful in drilling oil and gas wells, and drill pipes useful for drilling geothermal wells in the geothermal energy field. [0004] Background Art [0005] In the field of earth rock drilling, completion, and servicing, for example to produce oil and/or gas or geothermal heat from a subterranean reservoir, the term “tubular” is often used to describe the various pipes. The Schlumberger® Oilfield Glossary at http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com describes “tubular” as a generic term pertaining to any type of oilfield pipe, such as drill pipe, drill collars, pup joints, casing, production tubing and pipeline. The related term “connection” is described as any threaded or nonthreaded union or joint that connects two tubular components. The present disclosure relates to threaded connectors/connections for tubulars. [0006] A wide variety of threaded connections are available for tubulars, which may be general purpose connections or premium threaded connections, depending on the operating conditions. [0007] As noted in United States Patent Nos. 10.612,701 and 10,920.913, one general purpose threaded connection is NC46, in accordance with American Petroleum Institute (API) 7-1, Specification for Rotary Drill Stem Elements and API 7-2, Specification for Threading and Gauging of Rotary Shouldered Thread Connections. A tubular/threaded connection meeting the NC46 standard will meet a number of technical specifications in terms of dimensions and operating parameters. General purpose, non-premium threaded tubulars and connections and have been around for years, but as wellbore operations have evolved, higher demands are placed tubulars and connections. Tubulars can be subjected to high temperatures and pressures and other extreme operating conditions, such as high torsional strength, for example in horizontal drilling or hydraulic fracturing operations, and often tubulars having premium threaded connections are required or preferred, such as the premium threaded pin and box connection known under the trade designation CET®43 as described in the ‘701 and ‘913 patents. [0008] Although premium threaded connections are available, they continue to suffer from problems: [0009] Unexpected failures - Premium connections can experience unexpected failures, such as coupling fractures and crevice corrosion. [0010] Fretting fatigue - Fretting fatigue can occur at the middle of the thread root of premium threaded connections. [0011] Copper (or other coating) flaking - metal coating on premium connections can oxidize and flake off, exposing the underlying steel or silver surface. [0012] Joint-pull-out failure - Thread tapering can cause joint-pull-out failure, which reduces the tensile strength of the casing string. [0013] Fatigue - Fatigue is a complex process that can affect mechanical components subjected to cyclic loads. [0014] As may be seen, current practice may not be adequate for all circumstances, and at worst may result in premature drill string failure. There remains a need for more safe, robust premium threaded connections and methods for making and using the premium threaded connections for oil and gas and geothermal drilling. The premium threaded connections and methods of the present disclosure are directed to these needs. [0015] SUMMARY [0016] In accordance with the present disclosure, premium threaded connectors and methods for making and using the premium threaded connectors for oil and gas and geothermal drilling are described which reduce or overcome many of the faults of previously known premium and non-premium threaded connections. [0017] A first aspect of the present disclosure comprises (or consists essentially of, or consists of) converting relatively common tubulars having non-premium threaded connections, such as API connections, such as API Regular, API Internal Flush, API Full Hole, and API Numbered Connection (NC) connections, to higher value, high performance tubulars having premium connections, such as threads known under the trade designation CET®45 suitable for demanding applications such as horizontal drilling or hydraulic fracturing. Another aspect of the present disclosure is that premium threads known under the trade designation CET®45 provide distinct functional advantages over other threads. Threads known under the trade designation CET®45 may be applied to new tubulars, used tubulars, or may be freshly cut into metal blanks to be used with tubulars. [0018] In certain embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, the threads disclosed herein known under the trade designation CET®45 may be applied to an integral connection (for example