Airtech
Published

Composite Drill Pipe An Available Option

    Lincoln has been producing flexible composite drill pipe for short-radius, horizontal drilling since 1991. Its nominal 2.375 inch /60.3 mm (OD), 30 ft/9m long pipe shaft is filament wound with 12K carbon fiber combined with glass fibers in epoxy resin over an elastomeric liner. Standard API rotary shoulder too

Share

    Lincoln has been producing flexible composite drill pipe for short-radius, horizontal drilling since 1991. Its nominal 2.375 inch /60.3 mm (OD), 30 ft/9m long pipe shaft is filament wound with 12K carbon fiber combined with glass fibers in epoxy resin over an elastomeric liner. Standard API rotary shoulder tool joints, overwrapped with the composite material, form the end connections, enabling easy joining with same-size steel drill rods. The design was developed to enable “reentry” horizontal drilling from an existing borehole, says Lincoln’s Johnson. “The product has been a technical success, although this type of ‘slim hole’ drilling is not a large market.”

    Equivalent steel re-entry drill pipe features articulated drill collars, which require high-pressure, internal rubber tubing for drilling mud containment. Plus, the articulated steel pipe requires special handling equipment and expertise at the drill site, and it is subject to frequent fatigue failures. “The torsional load is very high on rotary string pipe,” says Johnson. “Composite pipe can perform very well in this application.”

    A robust larger-diameter composite drill pipe is on the horizon. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Center (NETL) is currently sponsoring a three-year development program for Cost-effective Composite Drill Pipe (CDP). Advanced Composite Products & Technology Inc. (ACPT, Huntington Beach, Calif.) has designed and produced a hybrid pipe (3.375 inch OD/1.625 inch ID) with a composite body and steel end connections. It will be field tested in 2002 by Terra Drilling in an onshore short radius application (i.e., directional drilling) in Oman. A 31.5 ft/9.6m section of the pipe weighs 76 lb/34.5 kg, has an ultimate tensile strength of 75,000 lb/34,000 kg and can withstand an ultimate torque load of 6,000 lb/2,720 kg. A larger 5.625 inch/135 mm (OD) version is currently under development and will be ready for testing in early 2003.

    “CDP is projected to weigh less than half its steel counterpart, significantly increasing the lateral distance that can be reached from an offshore drilling platform as well as substantially increasing the depth of water in which drilling can be accomplished,” says Dr. James Leslie, chairman of ACPT.

    The project initially specified the mechanical characteristics of 5.875 inch /147 mm (OD) high-strength steel drill pipe as performance targets. Current CDP specifications are 30 ksi/210 MPa compression strength, 478 ksi/3,200 MPa tensile strength, 11,000 psi/760 bar internal pressure, 6,500 psi/450 bar external pressure differential and ability to operate at a temperature of 350°F/176°C.

    The composite body of the CDP is made by filament winding either 48K tow Panex 33 carbon fiber, supplied by Zoltek, or 12K T-700 fiber from Toray, wet out with a proprietary toughened epoxy resin, over a steel mandrel that includes the steel box and pin connections at each end of the pipe. The box and pin connections are supplied by Omsco (Houston, Texas), a drill pipe manufacturer and project partner. The pipe can be tailored to meet specific application loads, says Leslie. For example, more hoop fibers increase pressure capability, while more ±45º fibers improve torque capacity.

    Embedded copper conductors and/or communication lines will be a key feature of the composite CDP, enabling transfer of power and/or real time data during drilling. The challenge is how to transmit the signal through the composite/metal joints. ACPT is investigating several approaches, including direct contact, acoustic transmission and inductive transmission. Several partner firms are researching each approach to determine the best solution.

    The pipe’s mechanical performance has been extensively tested at coupon scale, one-third diameter scale, and on full-scale diameter/10 ft sections. The material demonstrated a reduction in high-temperature shear strength after exposure to moisture, as anticipated. ACPT is confident that the resin softening is only an issue with small coupons and should not present a problem at full-scale with protective wear layers in place. Favorable results from tension and torsion tests on the one-third scale and full-diameter, 10-ft sections indicate that performance requirements will be met.

    ACPT reports that it is producing limited quantities of the smaller pipe for initial commercialization. Plans call for Omsco to manufacture the pipe in Houston once full production is underway.

cut by an Eastman
NewStar Adhesives - Nautical Adhesives
KraussMaffei Metering Systems
Chem Trend
CAMX 2024
CW Tech Days Sustainability - Register Today!
HEATCON Composite Systems
CompositesWorld
Carbon Fiber 2024
Sysenqo high performance materials
Thermwood Corp.
CompositesWorld

Related Content

Carbon Fibers

Cycling forward with bike frame materials and processes

Fine-tuning of conventional materials and processes characterizes today’s CFRP bicycle frame manufacturing, whether in the large factories of Asia or at reshored facilities in North America and Europe. Thermoplastic resins and automated processes are on the horizon, though likely years away from high-volume production levels.

Read More
RTM

One-piece, one-shot, 17-meter wing spar for high-rate aircraft manufacture

GKN Aerospace has spent the last five years developing materials strategies and resin transfer molding (RTM) for an aircraft trailing edge wing spar for the Airbus Wing of Tomorrow program.

Read More
Carbon Fibers

Cryo-compressed hydrogen, the best solution for storage and refueling stations?

Cryomotive’s CRYOGAS solution claims the highest storage density, lowest refueling cost and widest operating range without H2 losses while using one-fifth the carbon fiber required in compressed gas tanks.

Read More
Aerospace

Plant tour: Albany Engineered Composites, Rochester, N.H., U.S.

Efficient, high-quality, well-controlled composites manufacturing at volume is the mantra for this 3D weaving specialist.

Read More

Read Next

Design Issues With Risers And Drill Pipe

    The design characteristics of composites make them good material candidates for both risers and drill pipe. The high strength-to-weight ratio of composites means that they can be fabricated to withstand the same hydrostatic collapse pressures as steel, at a much lower weight — as much as 65 percent less on a p

Read More
Trends

CW’s 2024 Top Shops survey offers new approach to benchmarking

Respondents that complete the survey by April 30, 2024, have the chance to be recognized as an honoree.

Read More
Wind/Energy

Composites end markets: Energy (2024)

Composites are used widely in oil/gas, wind and other renewable energy applications. Despite market challenges, growth potential and innovation for composites continue.

Read More
Airtech International Inc.