Tripping pipe moves the drill string repeatedly between the wellbore, rig floor, and setback area, exposing every drill pipe joint to lifting, gripping, connection breakout, racking, stabbing, and make-up. During tripping out, the string is pulled from the hole and stands are progressively disconnected and racked; when running back in, those stands return to the well center, are made up again, and are lowered into the well. OSHA describes the same operating sequence through slips, elevators, breakout, pipe racking, and repeated make-up as the string returns downhole.
For the бурильная труба itself, a trip involves much more than вертикальный movement. The труба body is repeatedly supported and released, the замковое соединение is gripped during breakout and make-up, and the pin, box and shoulder pass through another соединение cycle before returning downскважина. бурильная труба handling therefore depends not only on the буровая установка procedure, but also on труба size, соединение вес, tool-соединение geometry and соединение condition throughout the trip.
What Does спуско-подъёмные операции Mean in бурение?
A trip removes part or all of the бурильная колонна from the скважина and, when required, returns it downскважина. A complete pull-out followed by running the колонна back in is commonly called a round trip.
The колонна may be pulled for a bit change, BHA work, inspection, logging, or another operation that requires access to the бурильная колонна or bottom-скважина assembly.
During подъём колонны, each свеча reaches the рабочей площадки in sequence. The suspended колонна is supported, the соединение is broken, and the свеча is moved into the racking area. When спуск колонны, the process reverses: the свеча returns to скважина center, the соединение is stabbed and made up, and the колонна is lowered farther into the скважина.
This repeated cycle matters because different parts of the бурильная труба are loaded and contacted in different ways. The труба body may be held by slips, the замковое соединение may be gripped during breakout, and the pin, box, and shoulder pass through another соединение cycle before the колонна returns downскважина.
What Happens to бурильная труба During подъём колонны and спуск колонны?
The буровая установка design may vary, but the бурильная труба passes through a similar sequence of lifting, supporting, breakout, racking and make-up during most труба tripping operations.
| Tripping Stage | Main Action | бурильная труба Area Involved |
|---|---|---|
| Raise the колонна | элеваторs lift the бурильная колонна or свеча | замковое соединение / элеватор contact area |
| Set the колонна | Slips support the suspended колонна | труба body / slip contact area |
| Break the соединение | Tongs or powered equipment apply breakout крутящий момент | замковое соединение OD, pin and box |
| Move and rack the свеча | The disconnected свеча is transferred to the setback or fingerboard | труба body, замковое соединениеs and труба ends |
| Return the свеча | The свеча is moved back to the скважина center | труба body and соединение ends |
| Stab and свинчивание | The pin is aligned with the box and the соединение is tightened | резьбаs, shoulder faces and замковое соединение |
| Run in скважина | The connected бурильная колонна is lowered into the скважина | Complete бурильная колонна |
OSHA’s tripping guidance identifies элеваторs, slips and tongs as key equipment used to lift, support and connect the бурильная колонна during a trip. Because each tool transfers load through a different part of the бурильная труба, the resulting contact marks and damage patterns also appear in different locations.
During труба tripping operations, tong marks are more likely to appear on the замковое соединение, slip marks develop on the труба-body contact area, while the pin, box and shoulder surfaces are repeatedly exposed during breakout and make-up. These indications should therefore be evaluated according to where they occur and how the load was applied, rather than being treated as the same type of handling damage.
Why бурильная труба Size and вес Matter During Tripping
Nominal бурильная труба size does not fully describe what the буровая установка is actually handling. толщина стенки, труба вес and internal diaметр can change while the nominal наружный диаметр remains the same, and the замковое соединение introduces another set of dimensions.
Published TMK бурильная труба data provide a useful example for 5 in. бурильная труба. Their dimensional table lists both 19.50 lb/ft and 25.60 lb/ft configurations at the same 5.000 in. nominal OD.
| 5 in. бурильная труба Data | 19.50 lb/ft Configuration | 25.60 lb/ft Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal OD | 5.000 in. / 127.0 mm | 5.000 in. / 127.0 mm |
| Nominal вес | 19.50 lb/ft / 29.05 kg/m | 25.60 lb/ft / 38.13 kg/m |
| толщина стенки | 0.362 in. / 9.19 mm | 0.500 in. / 12.70 mm |
| труба-body ID | 4.276 in. / 108.62 mm | 4.000 in. / 101.60 mm |
| Upset | IEU | IEU |
The published dimensions show why two соединениеs described simply as “5-дюйм бурильная труба” should not automatically be treated as identical. The 25.60 lb/ft configuration has a wall approximately 38% thicker than the 19.50 lb/ft configuration—0.500 in. coМПаred with 0.362 in.—while its труба-body ID is correspondingly smaller. The upset configuration is another part of the finished соединение that should be confirmed together with body size and tool-соединение dimensions. IEU, EU and IU бурильная труба upset types change the труба-end geometry before the замковое соединение is welded.
The difference is relevant to tripping for more than one reason. Increased nominal труба вес changes the steel вес being moved, while different body and tool-соединение geometry can affect the interfaces used by slips, элеваторs, and tongs.
The same TMK product range lists E75, X95, G105, and S135 бурильная труба классs and 4½–5½ in. бурильная труба with толщина стенкиes extending up to 0.500 in.
класс, however, should not be confused with handling geometry. E75, X95, G105, and S135 describe different strength classes; those класс names do not tell the буровая установка crew the tool-соединение OD, tong area, элеватор profile, or the exact finished dimensions of the соединение.
That is why труба selection should consider the complete API 5DP бурильная труба sizes, классs and соединениеs rather than using nominal OD or класс alone.
Where Handling Equipment Contacts the бурильная труба
During бурильная труба handling, different tools act on different parts of the труба. That sounds obvious, but it matters when a соединение comes back from a trip with new marks or surface damage.
элеваторs carry the свеча as it moves through the рабочей площадки, while slips hold the suspended колонна when a соединение is being worked. Tongs act farther out on the замковое соединение, where they provide the grip needed for breakout and make-up. Once the соединение is broken, the свеча is moved into the setback area, introducing another round of contact with racking and transfer equipment.
The result is that handling marks tend to have a location as скважина as a cause. Slip marks normally appear on the труба-body gripping area, while tong marks are associated with the замковое соединение. Damage around the pin, box or shoulder is more closely related to соединение handling, stabbing and repeated make-up or breakout.
This is also why nominal бурильная труба size is not enough when checking handling coМПаtibility. The буровая установка actually handles the finished соединение, including the труба body, upset and замковое соединение. Tool-соединение OD, available tong area and the profile used by the элеватор can all matter even when two трубаs share the same nominal body OD.
Mechanical Loads and ствол скважины Effects During Tripping
A бурильная колонна behaves differently on the way out of the скважина than it does simply hanging still.
While подъём колонны, the hoisting system has to lift the suspended колонна and overcome resistance where the труба contacts the ствол скважины. In a relatively straight скважина this may be modest. In a directional or long горизонтальный section, сопротивление can become much more noticeable, so the крюк load seen while pulling upward may differ considerably from the apparent колонна вес.
Curved sections of the скважина add another effect. бурильная труба passing through a dogleg bends as it moves, while still carrying the вес of the колонна below. The труба is therefore seeing more than simple tension, particularly in скважинаs with significant наклон or repeated changes in trajectory.
труба movement also affects the fluid around it. Pulling the колонна can reduce bottom-скважина pressure through swab effects, while running it back down can increase pressure through surge. How large those changes become depends on the actual скважина—not just the бурильная труба. скважина size, BHA geometry, clearance around the колонна, бурение-fluid properties and труба movement all play a part.
For that reason, a бурильная труба specification cannot provide one tripping speed that is suitable for every job. The труба supplier can confirm dimensions, класс, соединение and mechanical properties, but the operating limits for труба tripping operations have to be determined from the actual скважина and буровая установка conditions.
For the бурильная труба itself, the useful question is simpler: whether the body and соединение have enough capacity for the expected service and whether the finished соединение matches the equipment that will lift, grip and свинчивание the труба.
Where бурильная труба Damage Occurs During Tripping
Drill pipe damage during tripping usually appears at the same places where the pipe is repeatedly gripped, supported, broken out, made up, or moved around the rig floor. The type of damage often gives a clue to how it was produced.
Pin and box threads go through another connection cycle every time a stand is broken out and later made up again. Poor stabbing alignment can bring the threads into contact before the pin is properly centered, while dirt, drilling-fluid solids, metal particles or impact damage can interfere with smooth make-up. Galling, damaged thread crests or visible deformation deserve more attention than ordinary residual thread compound.
Shoulder faces are easier to overlook because most attention naturally goes to the threads. A dent, raised metal or trapped debris on the shoulder can prevent the connection from seating correctly even when the thread profile still appears acceptable.
The замковое соединение OD sees a different type of contact. Tongs and breakout equipment grip this area directly, so handling marks commonly appear here. Light impressions are not the same as deep die marks, localized crushing or damage close to the соединение.
The труба body and slip area experience concentrated support while the колонна is suspended. Repeated setting and releasing can leave characteristic marks in this zone. Deeper slip cuts, gouges, iМПаct dents or local deformation deserve closer attention because the труба will return downскважина and carry бурение load again.
A visible mark alone does not determine whether a соединение remains suitable for service. Its location, depth, shape and the inspection criteria being applied matter more than appearance alone.
Why the Finished бурильная труба соединение Matters During a Trip
A бурильная труба purchase description often starts with body OD, nominal вес and класс, but those values do not describe every interface used during a trip. The буровая установка actually works with the complete соединение: труба body, upset, замковое соединение and соединение.
A 5-дюйм body may therefore require different handling considerations when tool-соединение OD, tong space or соединение geometry changes. класс works the same way. E75, X95, G105 and S135 describe труба-body strength levels, but they do not identify the элеватор profile or tong area of the finished соединение.
This is why бурильная труба selection should consider the complete API 5DP бурильная труба sizes, классs and соединениеs, rather than body OD or класс alone.
What бурильная труба Conditions Matter Before Running Back In?
Running the колонна back downскважина starts with the соединение that is about to be made, not with a generic checklist applied equally to every surface mark.
соединение identity should be clear so that the correct pin and box are being paired. The резьбаed surfaces should be checked for obvious contamination, iМПаct damage, or conditions that could prevent normal engagement.
Shoulder faces also need attention. Dirt or newly created mechanical damage at the shoulder can affect how a ротор-shouldered соединение seats during make-up.
The tool-соединение OD can show what happened during breakout and handling. Fresh heavy tong impressions, iМПаct damage, or unusual deformation should not simply be ignored because the резьбаs themselves look clean.
The slip-contact region of the труба body provides another useful coМПаrison point. New cuts or gouges that appeared during подъём колонны should be distinguished from pre-existing surface износ.
IADC’s tripping guidance similarly emphasizes the condition of tong jaws, tong dies, элеваторs, and slips before and during a trip, reflecting the direct relationship between equipment condition and the surfaces being handled.
These checks are not a substitute for formal бур stem inspection. A буровая установка-floor observation can identify a condition that needs attention, but it should not create an arbitrary acceptance limit. Continued service depends on the applicable inspection program, бурение requirements, and qualified evaluation.
FAQ
Q: What does tripping pipe mean in drilling?
A: Tripping pipe means moving drill pipe or the drill string out of the well, back into the well, or completing both movements as a round trip. The operation repeatedly involves hoisting, slips, elevators, breakout, racking, stabbing, and connection make-up.
Q: What is the difference between tripping in and tripping out?
A: Tripping out pulls the drill string from the hole and progressively removes or racks stands. Tripping in returns those stands to the well center, makes up the connections, and lowers the string back downhole.
Q: Why does drill pipe handling depend on the finished-joint dimensions?
A: Nominal pipe OD does not define wall thickness, pipe-body ID, nominal weight, tool-joint geometry, or connection dimensions. Published 5 in. drill pipe, for example, includes 19.50 lb/ft and 25.60 lb/ft configurations with different wall thicknesses and internal diameters.
Q: Where does drill pipe damage during tripping usually need the most attention?
A: Pin and box threads, shoulder faces, tool-joint tong areas, and pipe-body slip-contact areas deserve particular attention because they repeatedly interact with connection and handling equipment during a trip. The significance of any indication depends on its location, severity, and applicable inspection criteria.
