Threaded and coupled connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291928-B2
Application number	US-202218076205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2022
Priority date	Dec 6, 2022
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

A pipe assembly includes a first pipe, a second pipe, and a collar. The first pipe has a first external thread and a first annular lip that has a first external seal surface and a first internal annular beveled surface. The second pipe has a second external thread and a second annular lip with a second external seal surface and a second internal annular beveled surface. The collar is threadedly coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe to form a coupling connection. The collar has a first internal thread threadedly coupled to the first external thread and a second internal thread threadedly coupled to the second internal thread. The collar has a bore that contacts the first external seal surface and the second external seal surface to form a metal-to-metal seal that is energized under fluid pressure at the first and second internal annular beveled surfaces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe assembly, comprising:
a first pipe comprising a first external thread and a first annular lip residing between the first external thread and a rim of the first pipe, the first external thread comprising a load flank slanted such that an edge between the load flank and a crest of the first external thread overhangs a root of the first external thread, the first annular lip comprising a first external seal surface and a first internal annular beveled surface, the first external thread comprising a first shoulder residing along the first external thread;
a second pipe comprising a second external thread and a second annular lip residing between the second external thread and a rim of the second pipe, the second annular lip comprising a second external seal surface and a second internal annular beveled surface, the second external thread comprising a second shoulder residing along the second external thread; and
a collar configured to be disposed between and threadedly coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe to form a coupling connection, the collar comprising a first internal thread configured to be threadedly coupled to the first external thread and a second internal thread configured to be threadedly coupled to the second internal thread, the collar comprising a bore residing between the first internal thread and the second internal thread and configured to contact, with the coupling connection formed, the first external seal surface and the second external seal surface to form respective metal-to-metal seals that are energized under fluid pressure at the first and second internal annular beveled surfaces to increase a contact pressure of the respective metal-to-metal seals,
wherein the first and second internal threads of the collar each comprises respective internal shoulders configured to bear against the first and second shoulders of the first and second pipes.

2. The pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pipe and second pipe are configured to be disposed within a wellbore and flow production fluid or injection fluid, the first pipe and the second pipe comprising an external diameter of less than 7 inches.

3. The pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first internal annular beveled surface faces away from the first external seal surface, the first internal annular beveled surface comprising a chamfer of between 5° and 25° and a thickness such that the annular lip bends, under fluid pressure and with the coupling connection formed, outwardly to increase the contact pressure of the respective metal-to-metal seal.

4. The pipe assembly of claim 1 , wherein the crest is slanted at an angle of between 10° and 15° such that, in side view, the edge of the first external thread is higher than a second edge of the first external thread, the second edge residing between the crest and a stab flank of the first external thread.

5. A pipe assembly, comprising:
a first pipe comprising a first external thread and a first annular lip residing between the first external thread and a rim of the first pipe, the first external thread comprising a load flank slanted such that an edge between the load flank and a crest of the first external thread overhangs a root of the first external thread, the first annular lip comprising a first external seal surface and a first internal annular beveled surface;
a second pipe comprising a second external thread and a second annular lip residing between the second external thread and a rim of the second pipe, the second annular lip comprising a second external seal surface and a second internal annular beveled surface; and
a collar configured to be disposed between and threadedly coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe to form a coupling connection, the collar comprising a first internal thread configured to be threadedly coupled to the first external thread and a second internal thread configured to be threadedly coupled to the second internal thread, the collar comprising a bore residing between the first internal thread and the second internal thread and configured to contact, with the coupling connection formed, the first external seal surface and the second external seal surface to form respective metal-to-metal seals that are energized under fluid pressure at the first and second internal annular beveled surfaces to increase a contact pressure of the respective metal-to-metal seals;
wherein the collar further comprises a third annular lip residing between the first internal thread and a first rim of the collar pipe, the third annular lip comprising a first internal seal surface and a first external annular beveled surface, and the collar further comprises a fourth annular lip residing between the second internal thread and a second rim of the collar pipe, the fourth annular lip comprising a second internal seal surface and a second external annular beveled surface, wherein the first and second internal seal surfaces are configured to contact, with the coupling connection formed, respective external walls of the first and second pipes to form respective metal-to-metal seals that are energized under fluid pressure at the first and second external annular beveled surfaces to prevent fluid from flowing across the coupling connection.

6. A pipe assembly, comprising:
a first pipe comprising a first external thread and a first annular lip residing between the first external thread and a rim of the first pipe, the first external thread comprising a load flank slanted such that an edge between the load flank and a crest of the first external thread overhangs a root of the first external thread, the first annular lip comprising a first external seal surface and a first internal annular beveled surface;
a second pipe comprising a second external thread and a second annular lip residing between the second external thread and a rim of the second pipe, the second annular lip comprising a second external seal surface and a second internal annular beveled surface; and
a collar configured to be disposed between and threadedly coupled to the first pipe and the second pipe to form a coupling connection, the collar comprising a first internal thread configured to be threadedly coupled to the first external thread and a second internal thread configured to be threadedly coupled to the second internal thread, the collar comprising a bore residing between the first internal thread and the second internal thread and configured to contact, with the coupling connection formed, the first external seal surface and the second external seal surface to form respective metal-to-metal seals that are energized under fluid pressure at the first and second internal annular beveled surfaces to increase a contact pressure of the respective metal-to-metal seals;
wherein the first external thread comprises a first tapered thread, a second tapered thread, and a shoulder residing between the first tapered thread and the second tapered thread, the first tapered thread comprising a first square thread with the load flank slanted with respect to a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the first pipe and the second tapered thread comprising a second square thread with a second load flank slanted with respect to the plane, and wherein the first internal thread comprises two corresponding tapered threads spaced by a shoulder, the two corresponding tapered threads configured to be threadedly coupled to the first and second tapered threads.

7. The pipe assembly of claim 6 , wherein the load flank is slanted at an angle of between 2° and 8° with respect to the plane, and a stab flank of the first external thread is slanted in a common direction as the load flank at an angle of between 7° and 15° with respect to the plane.

8. The pipe assemb

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Owoeye Oladele
• Moyaibed Jasem

Classifications

• E21B17/042

  Threaded · CPC title

• E21B17/0423 Primary

  with plural threaded sections, e.g. with two-step threads · CPC title