Although invariably well tubulars have been connected with a thread compound to prevent corrosion and the galling of the metal itself, innovative technologies have allowed the introduction of dope-free connectivity by engineering the connections at the end of pipe sections. Avoiding the use of dope compounds has apparent benefits, one of which is the prevention of formation damage. Another is the efficiency and reliability of the operation itself, removing a cumbersome, albeit routine job, a major advantage in the hectic time of a drilling rig's operation.During the connection assembly a portion of the thread compound is exuded outside the connection and gets access to the well fluids through the tubing and annular space. Laboratory studies by us with core experiments, presented in this paper, show that the dope forms a suspension which penetrates and damages the formation. The damage is severe (more than 99 percent) and will be present in any well injection service. For production the issue is different and will depend on the reservoir permeability and the ability or lack thereof of the dope compound to penetrate the rock matrix or whether it will form a removable filter cake.The reason that this problem has not gained widespread notice is perhaps because the problem has a narrow application of formation permeability, one that we delineate in this work. Additionally, we present evidence that the dope can be washed off usually by simple flow of reservoir fluids and/or brines or it can be partially dissolved by simple solvent treatments employing toluene or xylene.We present here the clear benefits of using dope-free pipe connections by quantifying the negative effects of the alternative. Production equations using a dope-induced skin effect are presented, showing the detrimental impact on well performance.
Environmental impact reduction is an essential component that compliments the commitment of every Oil and Gas Operator, Service provider, etc. towards the promotion of a greener environment. From the planning phase of oilfield operations, OCTG- Oil-Country Tubular Goods require the use of thread compounds (pipe dope) to protect machined surfaces from environmental corrosion, to lubricate the connections during installations and also provide sealability among other expectations. From the production, storage, preparation for operations, running and installation of OCTG, the use of thread compounds cannot be overlooked. These compounds like most Oilfield chemicals expose both personnel and environment to a harmful condition, placing all personnel involved in this value chain of material and service delivery affected one way or the other. A technologically crafted modern solution/alternative was developed in 2003 to fully eliminate the use of these thread compounds- A Dope-Free Solution replacing both storage and running compounds (Carcagno, G., Castiñeiras, T., & Dag, J., 2007). These Dope-Free connections are equipped with a dry coating applied through a controlled industrial process. It was first developed to meet the strict environmental requirements in the North Sea. In line with the "zero discharge" policy, this dry coating applied onto threads soon demonstrated other operative , health and safety advantages as compared to the traditional thread compounds. A presentation is made highlighting the benefits with the use of the Dope-Free technology, with a focus on health, safety and environment impact during storage, cleaning, inspection, running and post running operations including waste management. Two areas where tubular are used are considered; Rig site and Service yards. For example, the elimination of human application of thread compounds, the elimination of the need to clean thread protectors which could amount to other operative costs. In this study, a side by side comparison is done to realize the benefits.
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