ANSI/APIRECOMMENDEDPRACTICE5A3:2009

/ISO13678:2010(Identical),

Petroleumandnaturalgasindustries

Evaluationandtestingofthread
compoundsforusewithcasing,tubing,linepipe
anddrillstemelements

11/23/2013 1
 Threadcompoundperformance
Frictionalproperties

Athreadcompoundactsasalubricantduringmakeup
andbreakoutandprovidesconsistentandrepeatable
frictionalpropertiesbetweenthematingmembersofa
threadedconnection.
Foragivenamountofconnectionengagement,the
torquerequiredvariesindirectproportiontothe
apparentcoefficientoffrictionofthethread
compound/connectionsystem.Thefrictionalproperties
ofthethreadcompound/connectionsystemaffectthe
followingtorquevalues

11/23/2013 2
 Threadcompoundperformance
Frictionalpropertiestest
Fullscaletestforcasing,tubingandlinepipe

Atleasttwotestprotocolsutilizingmultiple
connectiontestsamplesshouldbeperformed;one
fortubing,preferably3 inandoneforcasing,
preferably9 in.
Sincetheapparentcoefficientoffrictionofthe
threadcompound/connectionsystemcanvarywith
threadform,sealvariationandmaterialgradeand
finish,careshouldbeexercisedtoensure
uniformityofconnectiontestsamplevariables.

11/23/2013 3
 Threadcompoundperformance
Extremesurfacecontactpressure(gallresistance)
propertiesforcasing,tubingandlinepipe
Athreadcompoundprovidesresistancetoadhesivewear(metal
galling)ofthematingconnectionsurfacessubjectedtoextreme
surfacecontactpressure.
Highsurfacecontactpressureinthreadedconnectionscanoccur
asaresultofvariousfactorsduringmanufacturingandinfield
service.
Manufacturingfactorsincludeproductvariations,suchas
geometriccharacteristics(threadlength,pipeandcoupling
thicknesses)andprocessvariations,suchasmachining(thread
taper,leadandflankangles),surfacefinishingandcoating.
Fieldservicefactorsincludehandlingdamage,contactsurface
contamination,inadequateorinconsistentapplicationofthread
compound,misalignmentduringassemblyandimpropertorque
application.

11/23/2013 4
 Threadcompoundperformance
Extremesurfacecontactpressure(gallresistance)
propertiesforcasing,tubingandlinepipe
Animportantconsiderationisthegreatertendencyofsomematerials
towardsconnectiongallingthanothers.
Gallingtendencyincreasesbetweentwosmoothmetalsurfaceswith
increasingsimilaritiesofcomposition,similaritiesofrelative hardness
anddecreasingactualhardness.
ForOCTG(OilCountryTubularGoods),thecompositionandhardnessof
eachcomponentofthematingpairisvirtuallythesame.Consequently,
OCTGarerelativelypronetogalling.Therefore,acoatingforoneofthe
connectionmembers,suchaszincphosphateandmanganesephosphate
andAPImodifiedthreadcompound,hastraditionallybeenutilizedto
provideadequategallingresistance.
Theincreasinguseofquenchhardenedalloysandthesignificantly
greatertendencyofmartensiticchromiumsteels,duplexstainlesssteels
andnickelbasedalloystogallingrequiresthatallpossiblecarebe
appliedtoeveryaspectofsurfacepreparation:coating,thread
compoundselectionandapplication,handlingandconnectionassembly
toachieveconnectiongallingresistance.

11/23/2013 5
 Threadcompoundperformance
Extremesurfacecontactpressure(gallresistance)
propertiesforcasing,tubingandlinepipe

Industrytestmethods
Currently,theonlyreliabletestmethodsarefullscale
connectiontests(repeatedmakeandbreakofconnection
assemblies)suchasdescribedinISO13679orAPIRP5C5.
Forspecificserviceapplications,thetotalthreadcompound
connectionsystemshouldbeevaluatedforgallingresistance.
Thisrequiresrepeatedassemblyanddisassemblytestson
fullscaleconnections,preferablyintheverticalmode,to
simulaterigassemblies,withminimumandmaximum
amountsofthreadcompound.

11/23/2013 6
 Threadcompoundperformance
Fluidsealingpropertiesforcasing,tubingandlinepipe

Whenusedonthreadsealingconnections,athreadcompoundprovides
fluidsealingforthreadclearances,suchasthehelicalroottocrest
clearancesinAPI8roundthreadsandthehelicalstabflankclearancein
APIbuttressthreads.Sealingistypicallyaccomplishedinathread
compoundwithsolidparticlesthatagglomeratetoplugthethread
clearancestopreventthecontainedfluidfrompassingthroughthe
connection.
Connectionsealingalsorequiresthatpositivecontactpressurebe
maintainedalongthethreadinterfaceinordertoensurethegeometric
integrityofthehelicalsealingpassages.
Alaboratorytestfordeterminingthethreadsealingpropertiesofthe
threadcompoundshouldbeperformedandtheresultsrecorded.

11/23/2013 7
 Threadcompoundperformance
Fluidsealingpropertiesforcasing,tubingandlinepipe

Forspecificserviceapplications,thetotalthread
compound/connectionsystemshouldbeevaluatedforfluid
sealingintegrityonfullscaleconnections.
Whileitisimportantforathreadcompoundtoprovidefluid
sealingforthreadclearancesonAPIconnections,itisalso
importantthatthethreadcompoundsdonotinhibitthe
sealingintegrityofconnectionswithmetaltometalseals.
Thesolidparticlesthatagglomeratecanprohibitthe
designedmechanicalseals(metaltometal)fromefficiently
contacting,resultinginaleakagepath.Sealingtestsshould
thereforebeconductedonthethreadcompound/connection
system,ofwhichthethreadcompoundisapart.

11/23/2013 8
 DeepwaterWellDesignandConstruction
APIRECOMMENDEDPRACTICE96
DownholeThreadedConnections

Thefollowingshouldbeconsideredfortheselectionofdownhole
threadedconnections.
Theuseofconnectionsdesignedwithametaltometalsealfeatureto
assemblecasingjointsthatwillbeexposedwhendrillinghydrocarbon
zones,especiallyforgaszonesbelowsurfacecasing.Duetoclearance
considerations,mostDWcasingconnectionsareflushorsemiflush.
Intermediatecasingconnectionwearwhiledrillingflushorsemiflush
connectionscanhavelessweartolerancethanthreadedandcoupled
connections.Additionalwearmitigations(e.g.threaddesign/metalto
metalsealplacement,modeling,threadcompoundtype)shouldbe
consideredwhenusingthesetypesofconnections.
Testingtheintermediatecasingconnectionsthatcanbeexposedto
hydrocarbons(e.g.duringawellcontrolsituation)inaccordancewith
API5C5(ISO13679).

11/23/2013 9
 DeepwaterWellDesignandConstruction
APIRECOMMENDEDPRACTICE96
DownholeThreadedConnections

Testingtheintermediatecasingconnectionsthatcanbeexposedto
hydrocarbons(e.g.duringawellcontrolsituation)inaccordancewithAPI5C5/
ISO13679.
Productioncasingaconnectionsuccessfullyqualifiedusingthecriteriafor
eitherofthetwomoststringentconnectionapplicationlevelsofAPI5C5/ISO
13679shouldbeconsidered.Thisisparticularlyimportantwhere external
pressuresealingisrequired.Alternatively,sufficientfieldexperiencewith
expectedproductioncasingloadsandconditionscanbeusedasa technicalbasis
fordeterminingthattheconnectionisfitforuse.
Productiontubingaconnectionsuccessfullyqualifiedusingthecriteriafor
eitherofthetwomoststringentconnectionapplicationlevelsofAPI5C5/ISO
13679shouldbeconsidered.Thisisparticularlyimportantwhere external
pressuresealingisrequired.Alternatively,sufficientfieldexperiencewith
expectedproductiontubingloadsandconditionsmaybeusedasa technical
basisfordeterminingthattheconnectionisfitforuse.

11/23/2013 10
 DeepwaterWellDesignandConstruction
APIRECOMMENDEDPRACTICE96
DownholeThreadedConnections

TheAPI5C5laboratorytestingprovidesdiscriminatingqualificationofthe
connectiondesignwithinitsmanufacturingandmakeuptolerances.Equally
importantaremanufacturingprocesscontrol,QAprocess,andafield
deployment(installation)procedureconsistentwiththeconnectiondesignthat
wasqualified.Theseprocessesareessentialinassuringthattheconnection,as
manufacturedandinstalledinthewell,isconsistentwiththeproductqualifiedin
laboratorytesting.Thefollowingelementsshouldalsobeconsidered:
qualitysystem;
QCandinspection,includingfirstandlastarticlemanufactured;
threadcompound(typeandapplication);
fielddeploymentprocedures(includingmonitoringshouldertorqueandfinal
makeuptorqueusingtorqueturnmonitoringandtongcontrol,ifapplicable);
successfulfieldexperience.

11/23/2013 11
 RecommendedPracticeonProceduresforTestingCasing
and
TubingConnections
APIRecommendedPractice5C5/ISO13679:2002
5Generaltestrequirements
5.1Testclasses
5.1.1Principle
Connectionperformancedataaregeneratedbytesting.Passingthetests
demonstratesconformanceoftheconnectiontothespecifiedconnection
applicationlevel.Failureofsomeoralltestsmayresultinarevisionofthe
connectiondesignorarevisionofthetestorlimitloads.Inthefirstcase,the
testingshallberepeated.Inthesecondcase,theteststhatfailedshallbe
repeatedunlesstheyconformtotherevisedloadenvelope.
Fourtestclasses,knownasconnectionapplicationlevels,aredefined.These
relatetoincreasinglyarduousmechanicalserviceconditionsintheapplicationof
casingandtubingconnections.Thetestclassesincreaseinseveritybyincreasing
thenumberoftestparametersandtestspecimens.
Theclassesoftestsdonotincludeallpossibleservicescenarios.Forexample,the
presenceofacorrosivefluid,whichmayinfluencetheserviceperformanceofa
connectionisnotconsideredandisbeyondthescopeofthisInternational
Standard.

11/23/2013 12
 RecommendedPracticeonProceduresforTestingCasing
and
TubingConnections
APIRecommendedPractice5C5/ISO13679:2002
TheuserofthisInternationalStandardshallspecifythe
connectionapplicationlevelrequiredbasedupontheneedsfor
theparticularserviceintended.Usersoftheconnectionshouldbe
familiarwiththedefinedconnectionapplicationlevels,thetest
loadenvelopeandthelimitloads.Theconnectionapplication
levels(abbreviatedCAL)aredefinedasfollows.
CALIV ConnectionapplicationlevelIV(8specimens):most
severeapplicationCALIVisintendedforproductionandinjection
tubingandcasingforgasservice.CALIVtestproceduresexpose
theconnectiontocyclicaltestloadsincludinginternalpressure,
externalpressure,tension,compressionandbending.CALIVtest
proceduresexposetheconnectiontoextensivethermaland
thermal/pressuretensioncyclingincurringacumulativeexposure
ofabout50htogasatanelevatedtemperatureof180C(356
F)andpressure.Limitloadteststofailureareconductedinall
fourquadrantsoftheaxialpressureloaddiagram.

11/23/2013 13
 RecommendedPracticeonProceduresforTestingCasing
and
TubingConnections
APIRecommendedPractice5C5/ISO13679:2002
CALIIIConnectionapplicationlevelIII(6specimens):severeapplicationCALIIIisintendedfor
productionandinjectiontubingandcasingforgasandliquidservice.CALIIItestprocedures
exposetheconnectiontocyclicaltestloadsincludinginternalpressure,externalpressure,
tensionandcompression.BendingisanoptionalloadforCALIII testing.TheCALIIItest
proceduresforthermalandthermal/pressuretensioncyclingarelessseverethanCALIVand
incurringacumulativeexposureof5htogasatanelevatedtemperatureof135C(275F)
andpressure.Limitloadteststofailureareconductedinallfourquadrantsoftheaxialpressure
loaddiagram.

CALII ConnectionapplicationlevelII(4specimens):lesssevereapplicationCALIIisintendedfor
productionandinjectiontubingandcasing,protectivecasingandforgasandliquidservicewith
limitedexposuretosignificantexternalpressure.CALIItestproceduresexposetheconnectionto
cyclicaltestloadsincludinginternalpressure,tensionandcompression.Bendingisanoptional
loadforCALIItestingandexternalpressureisnotincluded.TheCALIItestproceduresfor
thermalandthermal/pressuretensioncyclingarethesameasCALIII.LimitloadtestsforCALII
tofailureareconductedwithinternalpressureandaxialload.

CAL1ConnectionapplicationlevelI(3specimens):leastsevereapplicationCALI isintendedfor
liquidservice.CALItestproceduresexposetheconnectiontocyclicaltestloads,including
internalpressure,tensionandcompression,usingaliquidtestfluid.BendingisoptionalforCALI
testingandexternalpressureisnotincluded.CALItestingisconductedatambienttemperatures.
Limitloadtestsareconductedintwoquadrantsoftheaxialpressureloaddiagram.

11/23/2013 14
 ComparisonofSolidRaw
Materialsusedin
Bestolife4010NM
and
APIModified
11/23/2013 15
 APIModifiedHighPressure/HighTemperatureThreadCompound
forCasing,Tubing,andLinePipe
CONTAINS(wt.%)Powderedgraphite18.01.0
Leadpowder30.50.6
Zincdust12.20.6
Copperflake3.30.3
BestolifeAPIModifiedmeetsorexceedstheperformancerequirementsand
objectivesoutlinedinAPIRecommendedPractice5A3*,obsoleteAPIBULL5A2
(AnnexAofAPIRP5A3)andconformstoISO13678.Theuseofthissuperior
threadcompoundprotectsagainstconnectiongallingduringmakeupand
breakout,preventsleakageattemperaturesinexcessof300F,andwithstands
pressureto10,000psi.BestolifeAPIModifiedresistswaterabsorption,resists
disintegrationandvolumechanges,andwillnotharden,dryout, evaporateor
oxidize.ItcontainsH2Sandcorrosioninhibitorstoresistpittingand
discolorationofthreadedsurfacesduringfielduseandstorage.
SALTSPRAY,ASTMB117500hours

11/23/2013 16
 Bestolife72733HighPressure/HighTemperatureThreadCompound
forCasing,Tubing,andLinePipe
CONTAINS(wt.%)Powderedgraphite18.01.0
Leadpowder30.50.6
Zincdust12.20.6
Copperflake3.30.3
Bestolife72733exceedstheperformancerequirementsandobjectivesoutlined
inAPIRP5A3*,obsoleteAPIBULL5A2(AnnexAofAPIRP5A3),andconforms
toISO13678.Thissuperiorthreadcompoundprotectsconnections against
gallingduringmakeupandbreakout,preventsleakageattemperaturesin
excessof300F,andwithstandspressureto10,000psi.Bestolife72733resists
waterabsorption,disintegrationandvolumechanges,andwillnotharden,dry
out,evaporateoroxidize.Itcontainsspecialcorrosioninhibitorstoresistpitting
anddiscolorationofthreadedsurfacesduringfielduseandstorage.
SALTSPRAY,ASTMB117900hours

11/23/2013 17
 4010 NMNonmetallicThreadCompoundforRotaryShouldered&
PremiumSelfSealingCasing/TubingConnections

Bestolife4010 NMisthefourthgenerationofthehighlysuccessfulBestolifefamily
ofcompoundsdesignedanddevelopedtoaddresstheenvironmental concerns,
relatedtotheuseofthreadcompoundsforrotaryshoulderedand premium
connections,inecologicallysensitiveareasoftheworld,suchastheNorthSea,Nova
Scotia,Newfoundland,theSouthAtlantic,Alaska,&SakhalinIsland.

Bestolife4010 NMcombinesexcellentlowtemperatureapplicationwithsuperior
downholegallingresistanceandenhancedecotoxicologicalpropertiestoprovide
theidealdrillstringsolutionforallrotaryshouldered(drillpipe/tooljoints/drill
collars)andmanyproprietarypremiumselfsealingcasing/tubingconnection
applications,irrespectiveofoffshoredrillinglocation.

11/23/2013 18
 4010 NMNonmetallicThreadCompoundforRotaryShouldered&
PremiumSelfSealingCasing/TubingConnections

Applieseasilytocoldwetconnectionsexposedtoseawaterinambienttemperatures
aslowas40F/ 40Candyetprovidesoptimumprotectioninthedeepest,
hottestholes.Willprovidelubricationandprotectionto600F/316Candthe
solidswillprotectto1,000F/538C.

Meetstheperformancerequirementsofmanyproprietarymetaltometalseal
casing/tubing&highinterferenceconnectiondesignsinCarbonSteel,13Cr.,Super
ChromeandDuplexSteels.

11/23/2013 19
 4010 NMNonmetallicThreadCompoundforRotaryShouldered&
PremiumSelfSealingCasing/TubingConnections

ApprovedmakeupdopeforVAMconnectionsmadeofCarbonSteel,13%CRSteel,Super13%
CRandCRA(exceptDinoVAM,Big andsomespecificconnectionsdevelopedforcustomers)
ConformswithISO/DIS13678andAPIRP5A3
ProvidessuperiorprotectionforthethreadedconnectionsofOCTGsduringtransitandlong
termstorage.
MeetsthecurrentOSPARCommissionHarmonisedMandatoryControl Scheme(HOCNF)
regulationsfortheprotectionofthemarineenvironmentoftheNorthEastAtlantic/NorthSea.
IsregisteredforuseintheUK/NetherlandsasanOCNSGroupEChemicalandinNorwayasa
ColourCategoryYellowPipeDope.RegisteredintheDanishProduktregistretwith
PRNo.(ProductRegistrationNumber)2068624.

11/23/2013 20
 APIRP5A3/ISO13678
ANNEXA
APIMODIFIEDTHREADCOMPOUND
COMPONENTMATERIALREQUIREMENT

Testparameter Amorphousgraphite Copperflake LeadPowder ZincDust

Ash,%massfraction 28min,37max

Moisture,max

Metalliccontent,min 97%min 95%min 98%min

Metal/Otheroxides,max 5%max 2%max

Particlesizedistribution

PassNo.50sieve,%min(>297m) 100% 100%

RetainedonNo.100sieve,%max(>149m) 1% 2% 0%

RetainedonNo.200sieve,%min(>74m) 10% 0%

PassNo.325sieve(<44m) 30%min./80%max. 99%min. 30%min.92%max. 90%min.

Thickness>5 m 5%max.

11/23/2013 21
 SizeDifferenceinTypeofGraphite
usedinAPI&4010NM

11/23/2013 22
ContrastinRawMaterialsofAPI&4010NM

APIRawMaterial 4010NMRawMaterial

11/23/2013 23
 continued
APIRawMaterial 4010NMRawMaterial

11/23/2013 24
 TheFuture
Furtherresearch,developmentandtestingisrequiredto
designreliablebenchtoptestmethodstoevaluateimpact
ofrawmaterials,surfaceconditionsandtoleranceson
connection/compoundperformance.
Wewouldwelcometheopportunityoffurtherdiscussions
onthissubject
Thankyouforinvitingmetovisityourfacilities.
AnyQuestions?

11/23/2013 25
ColinRumsey Bestolife CorporationInternationalRepresentative