Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings
  • E21B17/02—Couplings; joints
  • E21B17/04—Couplings; joints between rod or the like and bit or between rod and rod or the like
  • E21B17/042—Threaded

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of threaded connections of tubular components intended for example for drilling, the exploitation of hydrocarbon wells, the transport of oil and gas, the storage of fluids as well as the field of geothermal energy or CO2 capture.
• tubular components such as those used in hydrocarbon well operating columns, comprise tubular components associated in pairs in a sealed manner in order to transport oil, gas or any other fluid.
• These associated tubular components each have a respective threaded end.
• This threaded end is produced on an internal surface of said tubular component in the context of a so-called female threaded end (or “box”, in English) or on an external surface of said tubular component in the context of a so-called male threaded end. (or “pine”, in English).
• These threaded ends are complementary so as to allow the screwing of said tubular components in pairs.
• tubular components of a threaded connection are assembled under defined constraints in order to meet the tightening and sealing requirements imposed by the conditions of use.
• the tubular components form what is called a joint or a so-called assembled connection.
• these threaded connections are subjected to axial traction and/or compression stresses, internal and/or external fluid pressures, bending or even torsion, possibly combined and of intensity which may fluctuate.
• the tightness of these threaded connections must be ensured despite the stresses and despite the harsh conditions of use on site.
• connection it is important that the two tubular components forming the connection have a controlled relative positioning in order to ensure the good cooperation of the sealing surfaces and therefore the good sealing of the connection.
• screwing of the two tubular components allows sufficient interference between the two sealing surfaces to ensure the tightness of the connection while avoiding excessive interference which could cause seizure and/or degrade the surfaces. sealing.
• connection described in document US20070158943 also includes complementary abutment surfaces on the tubular components.
• the abutment of these abutment surfaces ensures good relative positioning between the tubular components forming the connection.
• abutment surfaces occupy a significant radial space and therefore limit the space available for the other elements of the tubular components.
• Such abutment surfaces also constitute stress concentration zones which can disrupt the proper functioning of the connection. These abutment surfaces are therefore not fully satisfactory for ensuring the correct relative positioning of the tubular components in a connection with variable tooth width threads with interference and comprising dedicated sealing surfaces.
• a marker for example of the visual marker type
• the tubular components are screwed together until a target screwing torque is obtained, hereinafter called target torque, this target torque corresponding to a torque obtained when the threaded connection is in the mounted state.
• target torque a target screwing torque obtained
• the connection is considered to have satisfactory operating properties and is therefore validated. If, on the contrary, the end of the tubular component not including the visual marker is not in line with said visual marker in the assembled state of the connection, then the threaded connection is considered not to have satisfactory operating properties and is therefore rejected.
• the nominal position of the mark is subject to manufacturing tolerances.
• the nominal optimal relative position as well as the nominal axial positioning tolerances are subject to the manufacturing tolerances for their positioning on the tubular component.
• an idea underlying the invention is to provide a connection offering high torque and good sealing in a reliable manner.
• an idea underlying the invention is to position a relative positioning mark between two tubular components of a connection in a precise and reliable manner.
• an idea underlying the invention is to take into account the structural elements of the threaded connection to determine precise and reliable positioning of the relative positioning mark between the tubular components.
• An idea underlying the invention is to use the real characteristics of the connection and the tubular components to determine the positioning of the mark.
• the invention provides a tubular connection comprising a first tubular component and a second tubular component, the first tubular component comprising a first thread and a first sealing surface, the first thread having a variable tooth width, the second tubular component having a second thread and a second sealing surface, the second thread having a variable tooth width, the first thread and the second thread being engaged in a mounted state of the tubular connection, the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface being in sealed contact in said mounted state of the tubular connection, one of the first tubular component and the second tubular component comprising a mark, said mark having an optimal relative position between the first tubular component and the second tubular component, characterized in that the optimal relative position of the mark is a corrected optimal relative position, said corrected optimal relative position corresponding to a nominal optimal relative position to which a correction is applied, said correction being a function of the characteristics of said one among the first tubular component and the second tubular component on which the mark is arranged as well as a target torque of the tubular connection.
• a thread with variable tooth width has teeth whose width, taken in an axial direction of the tubular component, increases in a direction oriented from the free end of the component towards the main body of said tubular component.
• This tooth width is taken at an identical height on successive teeth, for example at the level of the crest width of said teeth, with the exception of imperfect teeth.
• This variation in the width of the teeth is obtained by means of a difference in the thread pitches of the flanks of the teeth, for example the thread pitch of the engagement flanks of the teeth being greater than the thread pitch of the loading flanks of the teeth.
• the mark making it possible to control the relative position between the first tubular component and the second tubular component in the assembled state of the connection is arranged on the tubular component corresponding to a satisfactory degree of precision.
• this positioning of the mark is determined by the real characteristics of the tubular components and the tubular connection and not by a theoretical position which would not take into account the manufacturing tolerances of both said mark and the other characteristics of the tubular components and of the connection.
• a marker arranged according to the above characteristics makes it possible to guarantee adequate optimal relative positioning of the first tubular component and the second tubular component.
• a mark arranged according to the above characteristics makes it possible to guarantee satisfactory relative positioning of the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface, guaranteeing satisfactory sealing of the connection in the assembled state.
• this adequate positioning of the mark and therefore of the sealing surfaces ensures that there is no damage caused by excessive interference on the sealing surfaces.
• connection according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to support high levels of tension and compression forces in a simple and reliable manner, such a connection not requiring the presence of a stop surface to support high levels of forces in tension and compression.
• a tubular connection may include one or more of the following characteristics, alone or in combination.
• the correction is a function of an external diameter of said one among the first tubular component and the second tubular component on which the mark is arranged.
• the correction is a function of a radial thickness of said one among the first tubular component and the second tubular component on which the mark is arranged.
• the correction is a function of a thread pitch of said one among the first tubular component and the second tubular component on which the mark is arranged.
• this thread pitch is the thread pitch of a thread engagement flank belonging to said one of the first tubular component and the second tubular component comprising the mark.
• this thread pitch is the thread pitch of a loading flank of the thread belonging to said one among the first tubular component and the second tubular component comprising the mark
• the correction is a function of a target torque of the tubular connection.
• the first direction is oriented from a distal end of the first tubular component towards a main body of the first tubular component.
• the second direction is oriented from a distal end of the second tubular component toward a main body of the second tubular component.
• the lower tolerance zone is determined on the one hand by the corrected optimal relative position of the mark and, on the other hand, by a corrected lower limit, the lower tolerance zone extending over a distance corresponding to said corrected lower limit from the corrected optimal relative position in the direction of the distal end of said one of the first tubular component and the second tubular component comprising the mark.
• this lower bound can be defined in numerous ways. For example, this lower bound can be defined arbitrarily, on the basis of lower bound statistics considered acceptable. Preferably this lower limit is determined as a function of the interference between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. Ideally, this lower limit is determined as a function on the one hand of the interference between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface and, on the other hand, of the interference between the first thread and the second thread .
• the corrected lower limit corresponds to the equation: — SIXRl limit in
• the inclination STI or ST2 of such a planar sealing surface corresponds to the angle formed between this planar sealing surface and the longitudinal axis of the tubular connection .
• the inclination of said toric sealing surface corresponds to the angle formed by a straight line connecting the junction points of said toric sealing surface with the portions of tubular component located axially on either side of said toric sealing surface.
• the corrected lower limit is equal to a minimum value between a first lower limit and a second lower limit, said first lower limit and second lower limit corresponding to the equations: in which SI is a percentage of interference to the tightness, RI is a loss of acceptable tolerance, STI is an inclination of the first sealing surface, ST2 is an inclination of the second sealing surface and TTdeg is an inclination of one of the first thread and the second thread, said one of the first thread and the second thread being arranged on the tubular component having the mark and Ti is a nominal interference between the first thread and the second thread at the target torque.
• the inclination of the thread corresponds to the inclination of the crest and/or the root.
• the inclination of the thread corresponds to the inclination of a straight line passing through the same point of the root or crest of successive teeth, teeth presenting singularities such as imperfect teeth not allowing a corresponding point to be defined on this line being ignored in the definition of this inclination.
• the tubular connection also includes a greater tolerance zone.
• the upper tolerance zone is determined on the one hand by the corrected optimal relative position of the mark and, on the other hand, by an upper limit, the upper tolerance zone extending over a distance corresponding to said upper limit from the optimal relative position corrected in a direction moving away from a free end of said one among the first tubular component and the second tubular component comprising the mark.
• This upper bound can be defined in numerous ways. For example, this upper bound can be defined arbitrarily, on the basis of upper bound statistics considered acceptable.
• this upper limit is determined as a function of the interference between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. Ideally, this upper limit is determined as a function on the one hand of the interference between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface and, on the other hand, of the interference between the first thread and the second thread .
• the upper bound corresponds to the equation:
• the upper limit is equal to a minimum value between a first upper limit and a second upper limit, said first upper limit and second upper limit corresponding to the equations:
• the first tubular component comprises a plurality of first sealing surfaces and the second tubular component comprises a plurality of second sealing surfaces.
• the lower terminal and the upper terminal are defined as indicated above for each of the sealing zones of the tubular connection, such zones sealing surface being formed by one of the first sealing surfaces and one of the cooperating second sealing surfaces.
• the lower tolerance zone is then defined by the corrected optimal relative position and the minimum lower limit among all the lower limits.
• the upper tolerance zone is then defined by the corrected optimal relative position and the minimum upper limit among all the upper limits.
• Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tubular connection according to one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a zone of the tubular connection illustrated in Figure 1, said zone comprising a relative positioning mark of the tubular components.
• Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a first variant of the tubular connection illustrated in Figure 1 illustrating a zone of said variant, said zone comprising a relative positioning mark of the tubular components.
• Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a second variant of the tubular connection illustrated in Figure 1 illustrating a zone of said variant, said zone comprising a relative positioning mark of the tubular components.
• the X axis corresponds to the axis of revolution of the tubular components in the assembled state of the tubular connection, said X axis also defining an axis of the tubular connection.
• the “radial” orientation is directed orthogonal to the X axis and the “axial” orientation is directed parallel to the X axis.
• the terms “external” and “internal” are used to define the relative position of an element, with reference to the X axis. An element close to the X axis is thus qualified as internal or radially internal as opposed to an element qualified as external or radially external located radially on the periphery.
• Figure 1 illustrates a sectional view of a tubular connection 1 according to one embodiment of the invention.
• the tubular connection 1 is formed by assembling a first tubular component 2 with a second tubular component 3.
• the first tubular component 2 comprises a first main body 4 and a first connection portion 5.
• the first connection portion 5 is formed on an external surface of the first tubular component 2, the first tubular component 2 thus being qualified as “ male” (or “pin” in the English term).
• the first connection portion 5 comprises, successively from the first main body 4 to a first free end 6 of the first tubular component 2, a first external sealing surface 7, a first thread 8, a first internal sealing surface 9 then said first free end 6 of the first tubular component 2.
• the second tubular component 3 comprises a second main body 10 and a second connection portion 11.
• the second connection portion 11 is formed on an internal surface of the second tubular component 3, the second tubular component 3 being thus qualified as “female” (or “box” in the English term).
• the second connection portion 11 comprises, successively from the second main body 10 to a second free end 12 of said second tubular component 3, a second internal sealing surface 13, a second thread 14, a second external sealing surface 15 then said second free end 12.
• the first thread 8 comprises a plurality of first teeth 16.
• the first teeth 16 have a width, taken parallel to the axis X at an identical radial tooth height on each of said first teeth 16 , variable along the axis X. More particularly, said first teeth 16 have an increasing width along the axis [59]
• the first teeth 16 respectively have a first root 17, a first engagement flank 18, a first crest 19 and a first loading flank 20.
• the first engagement flanks 18 are turned towards the first free end 6.
• the first loading sides 20 face the first main body 4.
• the second thread 14 comprises a plurality of second teeth 21 with variable tooth width, said second teeth 21 having an increasing width in a second direction oriented from the second free end 12 towards the second main body 10 , the first direction and the second direction thus being opposite with respect to the axis 24 and a second loading side 25 facing the second main body 10.
• Figure 1 illustrates the tubular connection 1 in the assembled state.
• This assembled state is obtained by screwing together the first tubular component 2 and the second tubular component 3.
• the first teeth 16 are engaged with the second teeth 21.
• the first teeth 16 and the second teeth 21 are engaged with interference.
• the first engagement flanks 18 interfere with the second engagement flanks 23 and the first loading flanks 20 interfere with the second loading flanks 25.
• first internal sealing surface 9 and the second internal sealing surface 13 are in contact with interference in order to guarantee the good sealing of the tubular connection 1, in particular against fluids circulating inside the tubular connection 1.
• the first external sealing surface 7 and the second external sealing surface 15 are also in contact with interference to ensure the good sealing of the tubular connection 1, in particular against fluids outside the tubular connection 1.
• a mark 26 is arranged on the first tubular component 2. More particularly and as illustrated in Figure 2, this mark 26 is arranged on the external surface of the first main body 4.
• the mark 26 includes a nominal optimal relative position, that is to say a theoretical position defined in the specifications intended for the manufacture of the first tubular component 2, this nominal optimal relative position being called nominal position in the rest of the description.
• This nominal position defines a relative position between the first tubular component 2 and the second tubular component 3, and more particularly between the second free end 12 and the first tubular component 2, in which the different elements of the first tubular component 2 and the second tubular component 3, in particular the sealing surfaces ?, 9, 13 and 15, are positioned so as to ensure optimal operation of the tubular connection 1.
• Mark 26 further comprises a nominal lower terminal and a nominal upper terminal which define on either side of the nominal position areas of relative positioning between the acceptable tubular components 2 and 3.
• these nominal lower and upper limits can define an acceptable interference loss between the sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15 or, on the contrary, a maximum acceptable interference limit in relation to optimal interference.
• this mark 26 is subject to the manufacturing tolerances of the first tubular component 2 and the second tubular component 3.
• the mark 26 is impacted by the manufacturing tolerances of the threads 8 and 14 which influence the degree of interference between the sides 18, 20, 23 and 25 and therefore the relative position between the first tubular component 2 and the second tubular component 3.
• the nominal position, the nominal upper terminal and the nominal lower terminal defining the mark 26 are also themselves subject to manufacturing tolerances.
• sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15 are also subject to manufacturing tolerances. Thus, there is uncertainty about the reliability of mark 26 to indicate the adequate relative positioning of sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15.
• the mark 26 according to the invention is positioned as a function of the actual parameters of the tubular components 2 and 3.
• the mark 26 is positioned on the first tubular component 2 as a function of parameters of the first component tubular 2 and the second tubular component 3 after their manufacture, these parameters being measured, calculated or obtained by any other means.
• the parameters relating to one of the tubular components 2 or 3 used in the equations below are the real parameters of said tubular component 2 or 3, for example measured after manufacturing.
• the parameters relating to the tubular connection 1, such as for example the target torque CC, the percentage of interference to the seal SI or the interference Ti between the first thread 8 and the second thread 14 are the nominal values of the tubular connection 1, that is to say theoretical values. These nominal values are taken at the target torque for the case of interference.
• a corrected optimal relative position 27 is defined.
• the mark 26 is arranged on the first tubular component not as a function of the nominal position but as a function of this corrected optimal relative position 27, hereinafter called corrected position 27.
• This corrected position 27 is defined as a function of the defined nominal position in the specifications but also as a function of an external diameter OD of the first tubular component 2, a thickness Wt of the first tubular component 2 as well as the thread pitch PDF of the first thread 8.
• the external diameter OD, the thickness Wt and the thread pitch PDF are measured, calculated or obtained by any other means on the first tubular component 2 after its manufacture, these are therefore the real parameters of said first tubular component.
• the corrected position 27 is also positioned according to the target torque CC of the tubular connection 1.
• a positioning correction of the optimal relative position is calculated for the mark.
• This correction corresponds to the equation: in which ST is a tolerance threshold, OD is the external diameter of the first tubular component 2, Wt is the thickness of the first tubular component 2, CC is the target torque of the tubular connection 2 and PdF is the thread pitch of the first thread 8, preferably the largest among a thread pitch of the loading flank and a thread pitch of the engagement flank of the first thread 8.
• the ST tolerance threshold can be determined in numerous ways. Preferably, this tolerance threshold ST can be determined arbitrarily, for example at a value of 96000, this value being adapted to all the connections according to the invention. A single ST tolerance can also be calculated by analysis of the inclination of the threads as well as the thread pitches, in particular the “wedge ratio”, that is to say a difference between the thread pitch of the engagement flanks and the thread pitches of the loading flanks.
• the corrected position 27 takes into account the manufacturing tolerances of the first tubular component 2 and the tubular connection 1 so that this corrected position 27 corresponds to a relative positioning of the second free end 12 relative to the mark 26 in which the sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15 are actually correctly positioned to ensure the sealing of the tubular connection 1.
• the mark 26 arranged from the corrected position 27 includes a corrected lower limit 28 and a corrected upper limit 29 which can be determined in numerous ways.
• the corrected lower limit 28 and/or the corrected upper limit 29 can be determined by, respectively, a nominal lower limit and/or a nominal upper limit.
• mark 26 includes lower and upper tolerance zones determined by the corrected position 27 and these nominal limits.
• the corrected lower bound 28 and/or the corrected upper bound 29 can be determined on the basis of acceptable bound statistics.
• the corrected lower terminal 28 and/or the corrected upper terminal 29 are also determined from the actual structural parameters of the tubular connection 1 in order to further improve the reliability and the precision of mark 26.
• the corrected lower limit 28 is advantageously determined as a function of the minimum interference desired between the sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15.
• the corrected upper limit 29 is advantageously corrected as a function of the desired interference between sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15.
• the lower limit is determined according to the minimum interference desired between the sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15 but also according to the interference between the threads 8 and 14.
• the corrected upper bound 29 is determined according to the desired interference between the sealing surfaces 7, 9, 13 and 15 but also according to the interference between the threads 8 and 14.
• a corrected lower terminal is determined for each of the seals so as to obtain a plurality of corrected lower terminals.
• the corrected lower limit used to define the mark 26 is then the smallest corrected lower limit among this plurality of corrected lower limits.
• a corrected upper limit is calculated for each of the seals and the corrected upper limit used to define the mark 26 is the smallest corrected upper limit among the plurality of corrected upper limits obtained as a function of the plurality of seals.
• the corrected lower limit 28 responds to the equation: — if XRI terminal in
• the inclination of said toric sealing surface corresponds to the angle formed by a straight line connecting the junction points of said toric sealing surface with the portions of tubular component located axially on either side of said toric sealing surface.
• an acceptable interference loss between sealing surfaces may be determined based on the shape of the sealing surfaces, the desired performance of the tubular connection 1 or any other reason. This loss of interference between the sealing surfaces is for example 30%, i.e. a minimum interference of 70% is ensured by the corrected lower limit.
• the corrected upper limit is equal to a minimum value between a first corrected upper limit and a second corrected upper limit, said first corrected upper limit and second corrected upper limit corresponding to the equations: in which SI is the sealing interference percentage, R2 is the acceptable loss of tolerance between the sealing surfaces, STI is the inclination of the first sealing surface, ST2 is the inclination of the second surface sealing and TTdeg is the inclination of the thread corresponding to the tubular component on which the mark 26 is arranged, and Ti is a nominal interference between the first thread and the second thread at the target connection torque.
• Figure 3 illustrates the case of a so-called “flush” tubular connection 1, that is to say whose external diameter is less than 101% of the external diameters of the tubular components 2 and 3 which form it.
• the mark 26 is arranged on the external surface of the first connection portion 5 of the first tubular component 1. More particularly, the mark 26 is arranged between the first main body 4 and the first external sealing surface (not shown.
• FIG. 4 illustrates the case of a tubular connection 1 in which the mark 26 is arranged on the internal surface of the second tubular component 3, that is to say on the tubular component 3 of the female type.
• This mark 26 then makes it possible to validate or reject the tubular connection 1 depending on the relative position between the mark 26 and the first free end 6.
• the mark 26 is then arranged on the internal surface of the second connection portion 11 axially between the second main body 10 and the second internal sealing surface 13.
• the tubular connection illustrated in Figure 1 includes an external groove to collect the grease that can be applied to the tubular components
• the first tubular component can include a chamfer connecting a face of the free end of the first tubular component and a surface internal of said first tubular component, etc.
• the invention is applicable in the context of integral or coupled-sleeved type connection.
• long tubular components have a male type connection element at one end and a female type connection element at the other end, these long components being assembled two by two directly.
• long tubular components comprise at each end a male type connection element, tubular components of shorter length called coupler comprising at each end female type connection elements, two tubular components of great length being associated via a coupler.
• a flush connection is a connection whose external diameter is at most equal to 101% of the external diameter of the body of the tubular component attached to the connection.
• a semi-flush connection is a connection whose external diameter is at most equal to 110% of the external diameter of the body of the tubular component attached to the connection.
• the invention is also applicable in the context of a tubular connection comprising one or more sealing zones, located for example on either side of the threads and/or comprising a central sealing zone.
• the roots and crests of the teeth of the threads may be parallel to the axis of the tubular connection or parallel to the inclination of the threads.
• Such teeth can have a dovetail profile, also called “dovetail”, or even a trapezoidal profile.
• the benchmark can be achieved in different ways.
• a mark can be made, for example, by knurling, by machining a groove forming the visual mark, by laser marking, by paint, by punching the mark or other.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Non-Disconnectible Joints And Screw-Threaded Joints (AREA)
• Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Joints That Cut Off Fluids, And Hose Joints (AREA)
• Gasket Seals (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (3)

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Family Applications (1)

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• 2022
  • 2022-11-07 FR FR2211563A patent/FR3141715B1/fr active Active
• 2023
  • 2023-11-02 WO PCT/EP2023/080593 patent/WO2024099879A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2023-11-02 CN CN202380073644.0A patent/CN120092123B/zh active Active
  • 2023-11-02 JP JP2025522279A patent/JP2025536936A/ja active Pending
  • 2023-11-02 ES ES23798487T patent/ES3063912T3/es active Active
  • 2023-11-02 EP EP23798487.7A patent/EP4616042B1/de active Active
  • 2023-11-07 AR ARP230102990A patent/AR130992A1/es unknown
• 2025
  • 2025-04-30 MX MX2025005082A patent/MX2025005082A/es unknown

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