Pipe Glossary

Pipe Glossary

 

 

API American Petroleum Institute – issues standards for oil & gas industry
ASTM American Society for Testing Materials – issues standards for line pipe
A53A, A53B, A53F, A106 ASTM grades of carbon steel pipe
bevel angle formed between the prepared edge of the end of the tube and a plane perpendicular to the surface. Standard line pipe bevel is 30 degrees.
billet round, solid bar of steel which is pierced to form a seamless tube or pipe
black pipe denotes lacquered OD finish (as opposed to bare or galvanized)
box internal (female) threaded end
Brinell hardness testing system which measures indentation of the subject using a standard weight, shaped point
BTC buttress threaded and coupled
bundle number of pieces (same length) banded together for shipping. Height and width is usually 1-2′ but # varies with OD
burst internal pressure at which a tube will yield – often tested hydrostatically
casing pipe used as a structural retainer for the walls of a drilled hole
CAD computer aided design
CAM computer aided manufacturing
CNC computer numerically controlled – refers to machinery
cold drawn pipe or tubing which is pulled through a die to reduce diameter and wall. This process usually produces closer tolerances and higher strength.
chamfer beveled end, usually done as a preliminary operation to threading
coupling short piece used to connect two lengths of pipe
CW continuous weld – a method of producing small diameter pipe (1/2-4″)
cft hundred foot (sometimes used in pricing, i.e. $425.97/cft vs. $4.2597/ft.)
cwt hundred weight. Often used in handling or trucking pricing, i.e. .30/cwt load out charge or $1.65/cwt (freight) with a minimum such as 30,000#.
DRL double random length – line pipe with a 35’+ average length
drift minimum ID clearance verified by pulling a mandrel of known size through a length of pipe
EMI electromagnetic inspection – a method of determining wall thickness and detecting imperfections in steel tubes
ERW electric resistance weld – most common form of manufacture for pipe in sizes from 2 3/8-22″ OD
EUE external upset ends – forging of ends on (API) tubing and drill pipe to provide additional thickness for strengthening connections
FOB free on board – used to denote where pipe is to be provided to the buyer
flush joint connection with male and female threads cut directly into the pipe (as opposed to T&C). This provides the same ID and OD clearance as in the middle of the tube, once lengths are joined.
FLD full length drift (as opposed to “end drift”) – usually performed as part of used tubing or casing (OCTG) inspection
hardfacing abrasion-resistant metal applied by welding (usually in strips) on the surface of softer material to increase wear properties
hoist or lift plug pin-threaded sub with hook, eye or rod on other end; used for picking up or laying down threaded pipe, casing or rods.
ID inside diameter
joint one length of pipe
LS limited service – pipe not meeting specification, usually rejected at the mill
LT loaded trucks – used in price quotation to indicate seller pays for handling
LTC long thread and coupling (OCTG casing connection)
mid-weld two or more joints welded to form a longer one
nipple short length of pipe (<12″) threaded on both ends
nominal pipe size or wall thickness as specified (not actual). Sizes refer to approximate ID, even though OD is the fixed dimension.
NUE non-upset end – OCTG tubing description (not as common as EUE)
OCTG oil country tubular goods – pipe made to API specifications
OD outside diameter
PEB plain end beveled
pin external (male) threaded end
protector plastic, steel or composite cap to protect threads from handling damage
psi pounds per square inch
range (R1, R2, R3) lengths of OCTG (see Technical Data link – dimensional tolerances)
Rockwell hardness relative resistance of a metal to indentation by a diamond cone, as expressed in hardness-scale units (A, B, C or G)
SAW submerged arc weld – a method of producing very large OD pipe
schedule numbers assigned to different wall thicknesses of pipe (i.e. sch. 40)
SEA special end area – inspection to check for defects at either end of a steel tube which is also being inspected electronically. (EMI misses the ends.)
shoe sub sometimes run on bottom of casing string with special metallurgy or design to help pipe to bottom through tight or bridged spots in drill hole
skelp coiled strips of plate steel used to produce welded seam pipe
smls. seamless – pipe with no weld in the circumference
spec specification
SRL single random length – line pipe with 17.5′ minimum average length
STC short thread and coupling (OCTG casing connection)
std. standard – reference to wall thickness of line pipe (=sch. 40 for 1/8-10″)
stencil identification painted on pipe. Specification, size, wall, grade, test pressure, method of manufacture and mill are usually indicated.
sub a short coupling with different types and/or sizes of ends
T&C threaded and coupled. Male (pin) threads are cut into the pipe and a coupling provides female threads for both lengths being joined
T&D tested and drifted – one method of verifying integrity of used tubing and casing (OCTG). “Test” refers to hydrostatic: ends are sealed and water pumped inside to a predetermined pressure. See drift def. above.
tensile strength rating of steel’s resistance to being pulled apart
tolerance specified allowance (plus or minus) of the given dimension of a finished product due to inaccuracies in manufacturing; usually quite small (thousandths of an inch or very small percentage) and often part of a standard such as ASTM or API.
tool joint threaded tube, usually thicker and harder, welded onto pipe to provide joint strength and durability exceeding that of flush joint or T&C connections
victaulic joint grooves in the ends of pipe accommodate a coupling
xhy extra heavy – pipe about 50% thicker than standard (=sch. 80 for 1/8-8″)
xxhy double extra heavy – twice as thick as xhy for 1/2-6″
yield strength tensile stress required to produce permanent elongation of a steel tube

 

 

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