Basic of Drillpipe Tensile Capacity

and Its Calculation

This article demonstrates basic knowledge understanding of tensile capacity of the drill pipe and
some calculation. First of all we need to know basic of material strength and for our case is strength
of metal.

There are few simple terminologies which we would like to explain.
Stress ()
Stress () equals to force divided by cross sectional area of the material (F/A). For our case, we will
discuss about only stress in tensile because the drill pipe is almost always designed to work in a
tensile condition.
Stress () = F/A

Figure 1 - Stress () = F/A
Strain ()
Strain () is a change of material per an original length. From the definition, it equals to L/L (see
Figure 2).
Strain () = L/L

Figure 2 Strain Relationship

Youngs Modulus (Modulus of Elasticity)
Youngs modulus (the tensile modulus or elastic modulus) is a ratio of stress and strain along the
axis and we can write into the following equation.
Youngs modulus = Stress () Strain () = (F x L) (L x A)
Where;
F is pulling force.
L is an original length of pipe.
L is an amount by which the length of the pipe changes.
A is a cross sectional area of object.
The Youngs Modulus of material represents the factor of proportional in Hooks Law therefore it will
valid under the elastic zone. There are several units for Youngs Modulus as N/m2 (Newton), Maga
Pascal (N/mm2) and Pound per Square Inch (psi).
Stress-Strain Curve
A stress-strain curve is a graph derived from Stress () versus Strain () for a sample of a material.
The nature of the curve varies from material to material. The following curve shows a behavior of
metal.

Figure 3 Stress-Strain Curve
Yield Point or Yield strength, is defined as the stress at which a material begins to plastically
deform. Before the yield point the material will deform elastically and it will return to its original shape
when the stress is released. If the tension applied is over the yield point, the deformation will be
permanent and non-reversible.
Ultimate strength is the maximum stress applied before the material is completely parted.
Youngs Modulus (modulus of elasticity) is the slope of the Stress-Strain curve within the elastic
limit (see Figure 4). It means that once tensile is less than Yield Point, the Youngs Modulus is valid
for the calculation.
Youngs Modulus of steel is 30 x 10
6
psi.

Figure 4- Youngs Modulus in The Elastic Zone
In drilling operation, we must operate within Yield point because the metal will become the original
shape. For example, if you get stuck, the maximum tension applied to free the stuck drillstring must
be always under yield point with a designed safety factor for the operation.
Drill Pipe Body Grade
API RP7G classifies a grade of drill pipe body according to yield strength and tensile requirement
(see Table 1 and Table 2). Four grades of drill pipe are E, X, G and S.

Table 1 API Drill Pipe Grade US customary unit

Table 2 API Drill Pipe Grade SI unit
Drillpipe Tensile Capacity
Tensile capacity of drill pipe is maximum tension applied before the elastic limit is reached and the
formula is below;
Tensile Capacity = Cross Sectional Area x Yield Strength
In this article, we refer to US customary unit therefore the units for calculations are as follows;
Tensile Capacity is in lb.
Cross Sectional Area is in square inch.
Yield Strength is in psi.
Example
API 5, S-135, NC50, Class New (100% Wall Thickness)
OD = 5 inch
Nominal ID = 4.276 inch
Minimum yield strength = 135,000 psi
What is the tensile capacity of this new pipe (100% wall thickness)?

Figure 5 Diagram of new pipe (100% wall thickness)
Wall thickness = (5-4.276) 2 = 0.362 inch

Figure 6 Wall Thickness of New Pipe

Cross Sectional Area of New Pipe = x (OD
2
ID
2
) 4 = x (5.0
2
4.276
2
) 4
Cross Sectional Area of New Pipe = 5.275 square inch
Tensile Capacity = Cross Sectional Area x Yield Strength
Tensile Capacity = 5.275 x 135,000 = 712,070 lb.
What is the tensile capacity of the premium class (80% wall thickness)?
Premium class is defined as the minimum of wall thickness is 80% of new pipe. We will discuss a
little more about class of pipe later.
Wall thickness of new pipe = 0.362 inch
Wall thickness of premium class pipe = 0.8 x 0.362 = 0.290 inch therefore the OD is 4.856.

Figure 7 Wall Thickness of Premium Class Pipe
Cross Sectional Area of New Pipe = x (OD
2
ID
2
) 4 = x (4.856
2
4.276
2
) 4
Cross Sectional Area of New Pipe = 4.154 square inch
Tensile Capacity = Cross Sectional Area x Yield Strength
Tensile Capacity = 4.154 x 135,000 = 560,764 lb.
As you see from the calculation, premium class drill pipe has approximately 79% of tensile of new
pipe. This figure is very important for engineering design and drilling operation. For instant, if you get
stuck with the premium class pipe, you must apply tension less than the tensile capacity of 560 Klb
in order to ensure that you will not deform or damage your drillstring.
Please always remember that in our drilling operation, we must operate the drillstring within the
tensile limit.




Drill String Components VDO
Training
There are many components that make up the drill string as shown in this graphic. Drill pipe is a
strong but relatively lightweight pipe. Crew members attach it to a top drive or Kelly. Drill pipe forms
the upper part of the drill string. Usually the drill pipe rotates which also rotates the bit. Each section
of pipe is called a joint. Crew members screw together or make up several joints and put them in to
the hole as the bit drills.
Drill pipe as well as other tubulars can be specified according to these characteristics;
1. Diameter
2. Grades or strength
3. Weights of steel
4. Length
The diameter, weight and strength used depends on the size of the hole, the depth of the well and
the well properties. Here is a typical oil field tally book. Many of these have sections in them which
show standard drill pipe specifications. Drill pipe comes in three ranges of length. Range one is 18
to 22ft, or 5.5 to 6.7m. Range two is 27-30ft or 8.2 to 9.1 meters. And range three is 38 to 45ft or
11.6-13.7m. The most common length is range two, 27 to 30ft or 8.2 to 9.1m.
Since a hole may be thousands of feet deep, crew members may screw together hundreds of joints
of pipe. Drill pipe diameter can be as small as 2 and 3/8in or 60.3mm. This size weight 4.85 pounds
per foot or 7.22kg per meter. It can be as large as 6.58 in or 168.3mm this pipe weighs about 27.7
pounds per foot or 41.21 kg per meter. However 5 in 127mm drill pipe is one of the more common
sizes. It weighs 19.5 pounds per foot or 29.01 kg per meter. Normal drill pipe grades are E75, X95,
G105 and S135. S135 is the strongest.
The rig crew makes up drill pipe using threaded sections at each end of the drill pipe. These
threaded sections are tool joints. The female tool joint is the box end of the drill pipe. The male tool
joint is the pin end. Tool joints come in seven sizes and types. Tool joint threads are rugged because
the crew makes them up and breaks them out over the drilling process.
But they have to take care not to damage them. Proper care and handling of drill pipe and other
royal field tubular can prevent corrosion in the life of the well. Crew members make up heavy wall
drill pipe in the drill string below the drill pipe. Heavy walled drill pipe, also called heavy weight drill
pipe, is made up between the drill pipe and the drill collars. Heavy wall drill pipe is used to provide a
transition between the limber drill pipe and the drill collars which are quite stiff. The use of heavy
walled drill pipe reduces the stress that stiff drill collars put on the drill string.
As a result, heavy walled drill pipe reduces the fatigue on the regular drill pipe. It also helps keep the
drill pipe in tension. And may sometimes provide weight on the bit just like drill collars do just like in
directional drilling. Heavy walled drill pipe or heavy weight drill pipe has thicker walls and longer tool
joints than standard drill pipe. The longer tool joints reduce wear on the pipes body, they keep the
body away from the side of the hole. The wear pad also prevents wear, it keeps the middle of the
pipes body away from the side of the hole.
Spiral heavy walled drill pipe is another type of heavy walled drill pipe. Spiral heavy walled drill pipe
has a spiral grove in the body. Regular heavy wall drill pipe has no grove but spiral heavy walled
pipe has no drill pad. When spiral heavy walled pipe contacts the side of the hole, only a small part
of the pipe body actually touches it. In fact only the part of the pipe body between the spiral grove
touches it. The groove does not touch the wall of the hole thus reducing the surface contact area.
Reducing the surface contact area helps prevent the pipe from sticking.
Crew members make up drill collars at the bottom of the drill string. Drill collars have thick walls and
are very heavy. They put weight on the bit to make the bits cutters bite into the rock and drill. Drill
collars range in diameter from three to twelve inches or 76.2 to 304.8 mm. they range in weight from
650 to 11500 pounds or 300 to 5100 kilograms. This particular 6 in drill collar weighs about 2700
pound, 1225kilograms. Since the crew usually installs several drill collars, you can see that a bit
requires a lot of weight to drill properly. How much weight depends on the type of formation and the
size and type of bit and it can be several thousands of pounds.
Drill collars are normally 30 or 31 ft (9.14 or 9.45 meters long) and have a threaded female
connection at one end and threaded male connection at the other end. Its an interesting observation
that in the drilling business, tubular equipment diameter and hole equipment diameters are almost
always measured in inches but lengths are usually either measured in meters or feet. Some drill
collars are slick, the have a smooth wall. Some have a spiral grove machined into their wall. The rig
uses slick collars under normal circumstances. The drill uses spiral collars when drilling in formations
where collars may stick to the wall of the hole.
Large diameter collars are fairly close to the diameter of the well bore. Under certain circumstances,
they can contact the wall of the well bore and get stuck. The spiral in the drill collar helps prevent the
collar from sticking to the wall by reducing its surface contact area.
Cross-over stubs go into the drill string between the drill pipe and drill collars and at other points.
The crossover sub has a special box and threads and manufacturer design them to join parts of the
drill string that have different thread designs. For example, a drill pipes pin is not screwed directly
into a drill collars box, so crew members make up a cross over sub in the last joint of the drill pipe
where it joins the first drill collar joint. The cross over subs box threads, match the drill pipes pin
threads. And the cross over subs pin threads match the drill collars box threads. These matching
threads allow crew members to join the drill pipe string to the drill collar string. Drilling rigs typically
have a large variety of crossover subs. Crew members often make up reamers and stabilizers in the
drill collar string. Usually they place one or more in various points of the drill collar string near the
bottom. Reamer and stabilizers hold the drill collars off the wall of the hole to prevent wear on the
collars. But even more important, reamers and stabilizers help guide the bit in the direction it should
drill.
Reamers have cutters on rollers that actually cut the rock they contact. Stabilizers have blades that
touch the walls of the hole but do not cut it. Notice the lower portion of the drill string. It includes the
bit, drill collars, stabilizers or reamers and heavy walled drill pipe. Crew members call this part of the
drill pipe, the bottom hole assembly or BHA for short. They can make up many different BHAs,
which one depends on the type of formation whether the rigs drilling a straight or a directional hole
and so on. The pipe rack is not part of the drill string but plays an important supporting role. The rig
crew cannot put drill pipe and collars on the ground or a deck, dirt and debris would ruin them, so
they store them on the pipe rack. They also clean and inspect the drill string in other tubular or pipe
on the rack.










Basic Understanding about Drill
Pipe
Drillpipe is seamless steel pipe made up in the drill string and it is the major component of the entire
drillstring. Typically, 90% 95% of the total length is drill pipe. Thread connection of drill pipe is
called Tool Joint. One end of drill pipe has a female end which is named as Box (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Box End of Tool Joint
Another end of drill pipe is a male end known as Pin (see Figure 2).

Figure 2 - Pin End of Tool Joint
Component of Tool Joints Pin (Figure 3)

Figure 3 - Pin End Component
Component of Tool Joints Box (Figure 4)

Figure 4 - Box End Component
Figure 5 shows when the drill pipes are made up together.

Figure 5 - Drillpipe Make Up
Each joint of drill pipe is sometimes called Single and the length of each single is classified based
on three API length range in the table below (see Table 1).

Table 1 - API Range of DrillPipe
The most common drill pipe length is commonly in Range 2 (R2). Each joint of drill pipe does not
have the same length therefore all drill pipes must be measured to get an exact length. Drilling depth
is measured by length of drill string (drill pipe, drill collar, BHA) hence the right measurement is the
key of the right depth.
The drill pipes are manufactured in various sizes, material, etc. In order to standard pipe grade, API
classifies drill pipe into several classes based on the table below (Table 2).

Table 2 - API Drill Pipe Grade
In the industry, there are several drill pipes manufactured from several companies. Therefore, in
order to get the detailed specification of particular pipe, it is recommended that you need to find data
from the manufacture spec sheet.

Figure 6 - 4.000 WEAR KNOT 14.00ppf 0.330 wall IU
We wish you would enjoy learning from our article. Please feel free to leave us some comments.

Why Does Drillstring Fail? Basic
Understanding of Drill String Failure
In drilling industry, it is common that drill string will fail while drilling. Two main factors causing
drillstring failure are stresses and corrosion.
Stress Affects on Drillstring
Drillstring is exposed to the following stresses:
Tension Suspended weight of drillstring sometimes can be several thousand pounds. Additionally,
overpull weight while pulling out can be over drill string limit resulting failure (see Figure 1).


Figure 1 Drillstring in Tensile
Torsion (torque) While drilling, the drillstring is being rotated therefore torsion is occurred in the
opposite direction of rotation and torsion can damage anywhere of string (see Figure 2). There are
several factors affecting torque as RPM, well depth, well trajectory, well bore condition, formation,
etc.

Figure 2 Drillstring in Torsion
Cyclic Stress In directional wells, the drillstring is exposed to both compression and tension at the
same time. Because the string is bent along the curvature of the well, one side is in compression
however the opposite side is in tension. As the string is being rotated, each joint absorbs a cycle of
compressive and tensile forces (see Figure 3).


Figure 3 Cyclic Stress on Drillstring
Corrosion Affects on Drillstring
Corrosion is another factor which can silently damage the drillstring. Many people dont realize this
point and tend to focus on the mechanical way when they want to prevent failure. Chemicals
dissolved in the drilling mud that can cause the issue are as follows;
Oxygen (O2) Small amount of oxygen (less than 1 ppm) still can cause pitting and rusting.
Eventually, it leads to twist off (parting the string) and wash out issue (small holes in the pipe). This
gas can be removed from the mud by adding chemical to deactivate O2 (oxygen scavenger).
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid which will corrode steel. There are
several ways introducing CO2 as formation gas, surface water and bacteria). CO2 can be removed
from the drilling fluids by adding excess lime (Ca(OH)2) into the system will control acid gases as
CO2. CO2 and lime will chemically react as the following chemical reaction:
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 -> CaCO3 + H2O
Dissolved Salts Dissolved salts can come from several sources as formation fluid, chemical
additives, mixing water, etc. This chemical increases corrosion rate which will accelerate the failure.
You need salts in the mud to control clay swelling, therefore, in order to minimize this problem;
controlling salt content is the best way to do.
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Hydrogen is absorbed on to the surface of steel in the presence of
sulphide. This process is called hydrogen embrittlement or sulphide stress cracking. This will lead
a rapid brittle of drill string. Adding lime (Ca(OH)2 into drilling fluids is a typical procedure to remove
H2S. Lime (Ca(OH)2) will control acid gases as H2S and CO2. These following chemical equations
demonstrate how lime reacts with H2S and CO2, respectively.
Ca(OH)2 + H2S -> CaS + 2(H2O)
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 -> CaCO3 + H2O
Organic Acids The organic acids will remove protective films therefore other dissolved chemical
can chemically react with steel and cause the drillstring failure.
We wish you would get more understanding about the string failure.