Tech

Note

9305
Hydril Company
P. O. Box 60458
Houston, Texas 77205-0458
(281) 449-2000

7 5/8" 29.70 lb/ft L-80 SuPreme LX

COMBINED LOAD OPERATOR QUALIFICATION TEST
Oct-93
To evaluate the SuPreme LX connection for use in production casing service, Hydril and a major operator jointly
conducted tests in 1993 at an independent testing facility. Four samples of 7 5/8" 29.70 lb/ft L-80 SuPreme LX were
manufactured to seal tolerance extremes. Sample 1 was used for make-and-break followed by hydrostatic pressure to
failure. Sample 2 was used for combined load and thermal tests followed by external hydrostatic pressure tests and
finally tension to failure. Samples 3 and 4 were used for combined load and thermal tests with Sample 4 then used for
thermal cycling tests.
Sample 1, manufactured to maximum seal interference, was made up and broken out three times to maximum torque of
9700 ft-lbs without damage. This test was followed by hydrostatic pressure to failure. At 10300 psi, 50% higher than the
API pipe body internal yield rating, the sample leaked. This 10300 psi created a simultaneous capped-end tension load of
382 kips. This combined load produces a triaxial equivalent stress in nominal dimension pipe body of 95 ksi.
Sample 3 was made up three times to maximum torque of 9700 ft-lbs and broken out without damage. Samples 2, 3, and
4 were then made up to the minimum torque of 6400 ft-lbs. These three minimum seal interference samples successfully
completed a series of combined load tests. Some of the more extreme load cases were:
nitrogen gas pressure to 6890 psi plus tension to 405 kips.
nitrogen gas pressure to 5510 psi plus tension to 311 kips plus 10/100' bending (bending adds a tension to the outer
curvature of the sample of 142 kips for a total tension of 453 kips).
nitrogen gas pressure to 5510 psi with compression to 127 kips.
nitrogen gas pressure to 5510 psi plus tension to 15 kips plus 10/100' bending (bending adds a compression to the
inner curvature of the sample of 142 kips for a total compression of 127 kips).
nitrogen gas pressure to 5510 psi with tension to 513 kips.
With the temperature raised to 300F, the three samples were taken through another test series using similar loads. Sample
4 was then subjected to 5510 psi nitrogen gas pressure with 405 kips tension and thermally cycled between 120F and
300F for a total of 10 cycles.
After combined load testing, Sample 2 was externally tested with loads including:
external hydrostatic pressure to 4260 psi with no axial load.
external hydrostatic pressure to 3520 psi plus tension to 302 kips.
external hydrostatic pressure to 4260 psi plus compression to 127 kips.
This sample was finally subjected to tension to failure and fractured in the box critical section at a tension load of 754 kips.
This load was 25% higher than the rated joint strength of the connection and 10% higher than the API pipe body yield
strength. This load was also about 2% higher than the actual yield strength of the pipe body as indicated by the load-deflection curve. The pipe body of this sample yielded at about 740 kips.
Gas sealing performance and structural capability of the SuPreme LX connection subjected to combined loads was demonstrated. The connections remained gas tight throughout testing and retained rated performance. All failure loads exceeded
ratings with the stress in the pipe body having exceeded the yield strength of the steel in both the tension to failure test and
the internal pressure to failure test.

Tech 9305

7/10/00