Troubleshooting for Drill Stem Products

Recommendations to address potential issues encountered when running drill string products

Workers outside touching pipe
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Description

The tables in the specifications tab summarize possible issues encountered in the field and suggest actions to troubleshoot these issues.

If you are unsuccessful in identifying the root cause of the connection issue, contact your Grant Prideco representative.

Specifications

High Breakout Torque

Possible Root Cause Action
Bad positioning of tongs on break-out (gripping thin section of box) Ensure that tong-free area on box connection is respected
False breakout torque reading (torquing equipment calibration) Ensure torquing equipment is calibrated
Downhole makeup (downhole dynamics, likely combined with improper makeup)
  • Check bottomhole assembly tool dynamic recording (if available)
  • Use downhole makeup search technique (see next section)
  • Increase makeup torque (if not at maximum accounting for dope friction factor)
  • Follow five points of "insufficient torque applied" (see below)
Insufficient torque applied during run-in-hole
  • Check torquing equipment calibration (lower-than-expected makeup can lead to downhole torquing)
  • Confirm what the recommended (maximum) makeup torque is (this can be found on the performance sheet)
  • Apply recommended makeup torque (accounting for thread compound friction factor)
  • Respect the tong-free area on box connection
  • Monitor makeup torque on next run-in-hole and break-out torque on next pull-out-of-hole
Suspected connection damage Get inspection company to confirm
Downhole makeup search technique

If downhole makeup is suspected, place punch marks on the pin and box after initial makeup next to the sealing shoulders when running-in-hole. With downhole makeup, the position of the punch marks will change on pull-out-of-hole (¼ in. move is indicative of downhole makeup).

Downhole makeup can cause:

  • Compressed/belled box counterbores
  • Compressed/flared pin noses

Low Breakout Torque

Possible Root Cause Action
False makeup torque (torquing equipment calibration, gripping thin section of box)
  • Check torquing equipment calibration
  • Check that clamping pressure is not excessive
  • Confirm what the recommended (maximum) makeup torque is (this can be found on the performance sheet)
  • Apply recommended makeup torque (accounting for thread compound friction factor)
  • Respect the tong-free area on box connection
  • Monitor makeup torque on next run-in-hole and break-out torque on next pull-out-of-hole
False breakout torque reading (torquing equipment calibration, iron roughneck not capable of giving breakout torque reading)
  • Check torquing equipment capability to give break-out torque
  • Check torquing equipment calibration
  • Respect the tong-free area on box connection
Downhole dynamics (likely combined with improper makeup)
  • Check bottomhole assembly tool dynamic recording (if available)
  • Check torquing equipment calibration
  • Check that clamping pressure is not excessive
  • Confirm what the recommended (maximum) makeup torque is (this can be found on the performance sheet)
  • Apply recommended makeup torque (accounting for thread compound friction factor) and increase makeup torque (if feasible)
  • Respect the tong-free area on box connection
  • Monitor makeup torque on next run-in-hole and break-out torque on next pull-out-of-hole

Damaged Sealing Shoulders

Possible Root Cause Action
Pitting: lack of protection by thread compound, no application on sealing shoulders
  • Ensure shoulders receive thread compound
  • Ensure protectors are clean
Galling: lack of thread compound application, contamination of thread compound
  • Ensure shoulders receive thread compound
  • Check condition of saver sub
  • Ensure joints with galled shoulders are segregated and repaired
Micro-washout: insufficient pressure on shoulders, presence of contaminant, out-of-length connection
  • Ensure thread compound is not contaminated by foreign material
  • Ensure brush hair is not falling off
  • Ensure recommended makeup torque is applied

Damaged Thread/Galling/Pitting

Possible Root Cause Action
Pitting: lack of protection by thread compound (compound breaking by drilling/completion fluid)
  • Ensure connections receive 100% coverage of thread compound
  • Ensure protectors are clean
  • Ensure dope is compatible with drilling fluid
Galling: lack of thread compound application, contamination of thread compound
  • Ensure joints with galled shoulders are segregated and repaired
  • Check condition of saver sub
  • Ensure connections receive 100% coverage of thread compound

Washout

Possible Root Cause Action
Connection washout
  • Remove impacted connection from service (look for other connections to confirm limited damage)
  • Check connection length (stretch or compression)
  • Check torquing equipment calibration
  • Check that clamping pressure is not excessive
  • Confirm what the recommended (maximum) makeup torque is (this can be found on the performance sheet)
  • Apply recommended makeup torque (accounting for thread compound friction factor)
  • Respect the tong-free area on box connection
  • Monitor makeup torque on next run-in-hole and confirm issue is fixed

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