HALLIBURTON

Description

The VR Safety Joint is a compact, right-hand

safety joint used in the drillstem-testing
string. It is run immediately above the packer
assembly to ensure that a minimum number
of tools are left in the hole if it becomes
necessary to break the safety joint. The tools
bypass feature acts as an auxiliary to the
HYDRO-SPRING Tester bypass to allow
fluid to pass through the packer while the
workstring is being pulled out of the hole.
A spline and lug arrangement, joining the
male and female parts of the left-hand safety
joint thread, lock to prevent unintentional
back-off from the tool during normal manipulation of the drillpipe during testing.
Because of the spline and lug configuration,
the slips must be dropped in place before the
drillpipe is lowered after every stand of pipe
is pulled out of the hole.
The 3-in. and 3 7/8-in. VR Safety Joints have
an additional back-off limiter to prevent
premature release of the tool. A sleeve
secured with four 2,700-lb shear pins limits
the upward travel of the nut if it accidentally
backs off. Therefore, before the safety joint
can be completely backed off, approximately
10,000 lb must be set down to shear the pins.
This requirement allows the sleeve to move
out of the way, allowing complete back-off.
The sleeve is splined to the head and retains
the broken shear pin pieces.

Operation

The VR Safety Joint allows the operator to

back off or completely disengage from the
tool string if the testing string becomes stuck
below the safety joint. The safety joint is
backed off the testing string by vertical pull
and right-hand rotation. The operator should
be able to feel free travel (at least 8.3 in.) of
the safety joint mandrel by moving the pipe
up and down. Free travel may be greater
than 8.3 in. because of the change in pipe
length during up and down strokes caused
by hole drag. The pipe should be marked at
the upper and lower limits of the mandrel
travel. The complete break of the safety joint
thread must be made with the mandrel in the
upper position of the travel. A slight strain on
the pipe is helpful.
The safety joint is completely disengaged
after the pipe is moved up and down through
the stroke of the mandrel (marked on the
pipe) while right-hand torque is held on the
pipe. The tool size determines how many
cycles/rotations are required to disengage
the tool. On the 3-in. and 3 7/8-in. sizes,
approximately 10,000-lb pressure must be set
down on the second to fourth turns to shear
the pins on the limiter sleeve.
When the safety joint thread has been disengaged, all parts of the tool except the case
and seat may be retrieved on the drillpipe
under proper well conditions. The case, with
a space provided for fishing contact, is left at
the top of the fish.

Features and Benefits

Back-off limiters prevent premature

release of the tool.
The safety joint helps ensure that a
minimum number of tools are left in the
hole if the tool string becomes stuck
below the joint.

VR SAFETY JOINT

VR Safety Joint

VR Safety Joint Specifications

Size

1 3 /4 in.

3 in.

3 7/8 in.

5 in.

OD
in. (cm)

1.78
(4.521)

3.03
(7.696)

3.88
(9.855)

5.00
(12.700)

ID
in. (cm)

0.37
(0.940)

0.50
(1.270)

0.75
(1.905)

1.00
(2.540)

Makeup Length
in. (cm)

30.33
(77.038)

31.88
(80.975)

30.32
(77.013)

33.40
(84.836)

Top Thread
Connection

1.05 EUE 10 RD 2 1/2 10 N-3

Tubing-Female
Male

3 1/8 8 N-3
Female

3 1/2 FH Tool
Joint-Female

Bottom Thread
Connection

1.05 EUE 10 RD 2 1/2 10 N-3

Tubing-Male
Female

3 1/8 8 N-3
Male

3 1/2 FH Tool
Joint-Male

Sales of Halliburton products and services will be in accord solely with the terms and conditions
contained in the contract between Halliburton and the customer that is applicable to the sale.

TT-244

1994 Hallibur ton Energy Services

Printed in USA