voestalpine Tubulars, manufacturers of high-quality seamless steel pipes and tubes, promoted its DryTec® - the dope-free alternative for premium connections at ADIPEC

The coating offers many significant advantages compared with traditional thread compounds in terms of efficiency, safety and environment protection, and is currently available for its proprietary connections VAGT® and VAsuperior®.

DryTec is lubricant free, saving preparation and installation time. Compared to thread connections with thread compound, where transport/storage compound has to be removed and installation compound has to be applied, connec¬tions with DryTec are ready to install, with no water needed to remove transport/storage compound, also eliminating the potential dangers of handling slippery equipment.

There are savings to be made in not requiring a crew to clean the material in the yard or at the rig site. Additionally, an element of potential human error is removed by avoiding the risk of a poor cleaning job, and/or poor dope application, which can affect connection integrity over the life of the well. The elimination of working steps, such as removing the storage compound, cleaning the threads and applying the running compound, has a noticeable positive impact on cost and time savings, as well as reducing the likelihood of injury to personnel. 

Excess thread compound can clog sand screens, valves, and perforations. It can also cause wire line operation failures and completion fluids contamination. It causes damage to the near-well zone by clogging pores and reducing the inflow rate. DryTec protects against these problems, thus eliminating the risk of well contamination. It also simplifies the disposal of used thread connectors.

Trials have shown that the DryTec technology performs well in extreme conditions of heat and cold, while successful use cases have further proven its efficacy. In the first use of the technology in the USA, Cabot Oil & Gas installed 12,697 feet of voestalpine Tubulars’ production casing, including VAsuperior-ET-DryTec® in June 2021. The benefits of increased safety achieved through less on-site handling, and the minimised environmental risk were well recognised, along with its connection performance on par with the doped product.  

The company commented that DryTec is a “great product”. 

“DryTec could be the safe solution for us in future. In addition, regarding ESG, the disposal of thread protectors is much easier than protectors of doped threads.”

Also in June 2021, Netherlands-based Vermilion installed 3,850 feet of voestalpine Tubulars’ production casing with VAGT-DryTec® with a semi-automatic pipe handler with top drive make-up. 

In addition to the increased safety on-site and time savings for preparation operations compared to pipes with doped threads, the positive environmental aspects as well as easier re-use and disposal of thread protectors were well received.

Vermilion commented, “DryTec will be the future, because it makes work cleaner and there is no contamination of completion tools and thread protectors with dope. DryTec saves all the costs for the pipe thread preparation at the storage yard, creating a monetary benefit for Vermilion.”

Much interest has been shown from the Middle East in this technology, particularly given the elimination of the requirement of water onsite to remove the compound, a clear advantage in desert conditions, and the reduced risk of contamination with sand given that DryTec is not sticky. The environmental benefits are also appreciated, given the increased ESG focus in the region.

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