Thread compounds are used on a common basisthroughout the full life of Oil & Gas Tubular Goods (OCTG), whether as a storage compound applied in the mill, or in the yard, or as a make-up compound for running in hole.
Dischargeable compounds have an impact on the environment, due to some of their components such as lead and due to the quantity released.Past initiatives - like green dopes - have brought valuable, but only partial resolution to this problem.
The optimum solution is the increasingly popular dopefree connection approach. This paper presents the first worldwide implementation of a complete Cr13 production string appliedwith a dopefree connection: 16000 ft of 4" 1/2 13%Cr-L80 Premium CLEANWELL© tubing joints run in a North Sea offshore gas well in the Netherlands.
The paper explains the specific requirements for using this new " no application - no discharge" lubricating film. It also examines the present QA-QC procedures (storage, thread inspection, tally, drift etc…) that ensures" no leaks" in the production string as well as the lessons learnt throughout the entire implementation of this dopefree system.
Finally, in addition to the improvements of existing HSE practices, the paper highlights the other benefits recorded during this first implementation, including rig time savings, improvement of the protection of the threads, reduction of pipe handling.
Introduction
HSE improvement is a major priority of today's Oil Industry. All players (Governmental HSE Authorities, Oil Companies and services/equipment providers) are actively participating in continuously raising the level of the HSE practices.
As such, leaded compounds typically used for making-up connections have been identified as a hazard to health and environment if not properly handled. Furthermore, the necessary changes of greases (for storage, for make-up, for threads inspection or for dry out) and its extrusion at make-up, generate detrimental discharges which can lead to high cost for proper disposal.
" Environmentally friendly" greases, so called " green dopes" have been available on the market for many years, and these greases have had an impact by substituting detrimental components for less harmful ones. Unfortunately, these greases present 3 major drawbacks:the list of restricted components is increasing each year leading to the continuous replacement of products and continuous field trials,the handling of the grease is still required for storage, thread inspection, make-up etc…the anti-galling properties are known to be weak creating difficulties when making up Cr13, Super Cr13 and CRA material.
Therefore, a dopefree connection is the complete answer to these drawbacks. It emerged from the simplest of ideas: To eliminate the problems of grease handling, eliminate the grease itself.
Beyond the technical definition and validation of such a solution, the field experience demonstrated the importance of the operational procedure to successfully implement such a product. This procedure eventually yielded a much larger range of benefits which, when combined, deliver a true rig ready solution.
