Glossary

Glossary

 

Word Meaning
AGA American Gas Association.
AISI American Iron and Steel Institute.
Annular Pressure in an annular area. May be a vented or trapped annuli.
ANSI American National Standards Institute. Administers and coordinates voluntary standardization and conformity assessment systems. Was formerly the ASA.
API Petroleum Institute – Issues specifications for the manufacturing of oil field equipment.
ASTM American Society of Testing Materials.
A53A, A53B, A53F, A106 ASTM-specified grades of carbon-steel pipe.
Bale Banded lifts of pipe.
Barlow’s Formula Used to estimate burst pressure of pipes or tubes. Useful in determining the wall thickness required for pipe.
Barrel The standard unit of measure of liquids in the petroleum industry. Contains 42 U.S. standard gallons.
BOE Barrel of Oil Equivalent. The amount of energy resource (in this document, natural gas) that is equal to one barrel of oil on an energy basis.
Bevel Cutting or shaping on the edge of a pipe to form an angle that is not perpendicular to the length of the pipe to facilitate welding. The standard bevel for line pipe is 30°.
Billet A solid semi-finished round or square bar of steel that is heated and pierced to form a hollow tube for seamless pipe.
Black Pipe Steel pipe in which the Outer Diameter has been lacquered (as opposed to bare or galvanized pipe).
Box Internal threaded end of a steel pipe.
Brinell A test which measures the hardness or indentation of pipe using a shaped point of specified weight.
BTC Buttress-threaded and coupled.
Bundle A number of pipe banded together for shipping. Amount per bundle vary depending upon pipe size.
Burst Internal pressure at which tube will yield.
Burst Test A hydraulic test used to determine actual yield and ultimate strength of seamless and welded steel pipe.
Butt-weld Joining two edges or ends of a strip of steel (Skelp) by placing one against the other and welding or fusing the edges (into a cylinder).
Casing Steel pipe used in oil wells to retain the walls of the drilled hole and to keep the environment and the oil from being contaminated.
CFT Hundred foot. Used in pricing (i.e. $520.15 / cft = $5.2015 / ft).
Chamfer To cut at an angle or bevel to eliminate an otherwise sharp corner. A finishing operation prior to threading.
Chemical Properties Normally associated with a limited number of chemical elements. Minimum or maximum limits are established in ASTM specifications.
Cold-drawn Pipe drawn in normal temperatures through a hardened steel or carbide die which produces closer tolerances and higher strength in the pipe.
Conventional Oil and Gas Crude oil and gas extracted by conventional means and methods.
Coupling metal collar with internal threads used to join two sections of threaded pipe.
Cut Lengths Tubing ordered to a specified length, permitting a tolerance of a standardized fraction of an inch over but not under the specified length.
CW Continuous Weld. A sheet of steel is formed into a tubular shape while the steel is hot. When the two edges meet, they are fused or welded together. No additional weld material is necessary. (The tube is always further processed for C.W. tubing by cold drawing).
CWT Hundred weight. Used in handling and trucking pricing.
Die Stamping Permanent marking stamped onto pipe. Required by some specifications.
Double Extra Pipe weight designation (XXS). Sometimes referred to as XXH (double extra heavy).
Drift Minimum ID clearance of pipe is verified by pulling a mandrel of a known size through a length of pipe.
Drifted A mandrel of a known size has been pulled through the length of a pipe to verify the Inner Diameter clearance.
Drilling The use of a rig and crew for drilling operations, and the associated processes such as production testing, data collection and preparation for production.
DRL Double Random Length. Minimum 35′ average length – or as defined in Specifications.
DSAW Double-Submerged Arc Weld.
Ductility The ability of steel to be deformed or altered permanently at normal temperatures without being damaged. Usually reported as elongation or reduction of area.
Eddy Current Testing Non-destructive testing method using eddy current flow to recognize a discontinuity in pipe.
Elongation The amount of permanent extension around the fracture area in a tension test. Listed as a percentage of the original gauge length (i.e. 25% in 2 inches). May also refer to the amount of extension at any stage in any process that continuously elongates steel, as in rolling.
EMI Electromagnetic inspection. A method used to determine wall thickness and detect imperfections in steel tubes.
ERW Electric Resistance Weld. A method used to manufacture electric resistance weld pipe. Typical radio frequency power for welding is supplied at 450,000 cycles/sec.
EUE External Upset Ends. Forging the ends of tubing and drill pipe to provide additional thickness for strengthening connections.
EW Electric Weld. (See ERW)
Expanded Pipe Pipe that has been enlarged circumferentially by mechanical or hydraulic pressure.
Extra Strong pipe weight designation (XS). Sometimes referred to as XH (extra heavy).
Flattening Test A test in which a pipe is flattened between parallel plates that are closed to a specified height.
FLD Length Drift. A test performed as part of used tubing or casing inspection. (See Drift above)
Flush Joint Connection with male and female threads cut directly into the pipe (as opposed to T&C). This provides the same ID and OD clearance as in the middle of the tube when lengths are joined.
FOB Freeon Board. The point in time at which the recipient of a shipment becomes legally responsible for the shipment. Also a common way of stating the terms of delivery for sales of goods.
High Frequency Welding A method used to manufacture electric resistance weld pipe. Typical radio frequency power for welding is supplied at 450,000 cycles/sec. (See ERW)
Hot Stamp Permanent marking placed on pipe by manufacturer per specification.
Hydraulic Fracturing The forced opening of fissures in sub-terrane rocks by introducing liquid at high pressure for the extraction of oil or gas.
Hydrostatic Test A test in which the ends of a pipe are sealed and water is pumped inside to a predetermined pressure.
I.D. Inner Diameter or Inside Diameter of a pipe.
Impact Test A test to determine the behavior of materials when subjected to high rates of loading. The test may be in tension, bending, or torsion.
In Situ Geological term meaning in the original location or position, such as an outcrop that has not been upset by faults.
Joint A length of pipe.
Kip A term indicating 1000 pounds.
Lifts Separated segments of pipe (banded or not banded for ease of handling).
Liner A partial string of pipe that does not run back to surface.
LS Limited Service. Pipe that did not meet specification and is usually rejected at the mill.
LT Loaded Trucks. Indicates seller pays for handling.
LTC Long Thread and Coupling. A casing connection.
Magnetic Particle A non-destructive method of inspection for determining the existence and extent of possible defects in steel.
Magnetic Properties The properties of a material that reveal its elastic and inelastic behavior when force is applied.
Metal-to-Metal Seal A seal in a pipe joint, flapper seal or other area based entirely on the fit or the deformation of one metal surface against another.
Mid Weld Two or more joints welded to form a longer joint.
Nipple short length of pipe threaded on both ends (usually less than 12″).
Nominal, NOM Specified pipe size or wall thickness. Refers to approximate ID or OD size or measurements. Wall thickness is also expressed as nominal.
NUE Non Upset End tubing
O.D. Outer Diameter of a pipe
OCTG Oil Country Tubular Goods
Oiled Pipe that has been protected with a varnish type oil on the OD for temporary corrosion protection during transit and for short term storage.
PE Plain End
PEB Plain End Beveled
Pickling pipe into an acid bath to remove oil and dirt.
Pin Threaded (male) end of pipe.
Protector A cap placed on the end of pipe to protect threads from handling damage
PSI Pounds per Square Inch
Range, R1, R2, R3 Lengths of casing and tubing:
Casing Range 1: 16-25′
Casing Range 2: 25-34′
Casing Range 3: 34-48′
Tubing Range 1: 20-24′
Tubing Range 2: 28-32′

Rockwell Hardness Relative resistance of a steel to indentation by a diamond cone. Expressed in hardness scale units.
SAW Arc Weld. A method of manufacturing large diameter pipe.
SC Square Cut. Plain end pipe
Schedule Specifications of different wall thicknesses of pipe.
SEA Special End Area Inspection. Checking for defects at both ends of a steel tube which is being electronically inspected.
Shale A fine-grained sedimentary rock composed of muds, flake of clay minerals and tiny particles of other minerals such as quartz and calcite.
Shoe The bottom of the casing string.
Skelp A piece or strip of steel with a specified thickness, width and edge from which welded pipe is made.
SMLS Seamless. Pipe made without welding.
Spec Specification
SRL Single Random Length. Standard weight pipe that is 16′ – 22′ in length or as defined in specifications.
STC Short Thread and Coupling
STI Steel Tube Institute
STD Standard pipe. Pipe weight designation. Normal wall thickness of line pipe (sch. 40 for 1/8 – 10″ pipe).
Stencil Painted identification and specification markings on a pipe.
Strip A sheet of steel in which the length is many times its width.
Sub A short coupling with different types and/or sizes of ends.
T&C Threaded and Coupled.
T&D Tested and Drifted. A method of verifying the integrity of used pipe.
Test refers to a hydrostatic test in which the ends of a pipe are sealed and water is pumped inside to a predetermined pressure.
TBE Threaded Both Ends.
Tensile Strength The ratio of maximum load per square inch to original cross-sectional area. Also referred to as ultimate strength.
TO Threads only.
Tolerance Specified allowance in deviation of the given dimension of a finished pipe due to inaccuracies in manufacturing. As defined in ASTM or API standards.
Tool Joint Threaded tube, usually thicker and harder, welded onto pipe to provide joint strength and durability exceeding that of flush joint or T&C connections.
Tube Round A solid semi-finished round or square bar of steel that is heated and pierced to form a hollow tube for seamless pipe. (See Billet)
Tubing A relatively small-diameter pipe that is run into a well to serve as a conduit for the passage of oil and gas to the surface.
Ultrasonic A of non-destructive method testing pipe utilizing sound waves.
Victaulic A method of joining or coupling pipe. A groove is cut into the end of each pipe to allow a victaulic coupler to be attached.
XH, XHY Extra Heavy. Pipe weight designation. Pipe that is 1 ½ times as thick as standard pipe (sch. 80 for1/8 – 8″ pipe). Also referred to as XS (Extra Strong).
XXH, XXHY Double Extra Heavy. Pipe weight designation. Pipe that is two times as thick as XH (for ½ – 6″ pipe). Also referred to as XXS (Double Extra Strong).
Yield Strength The stress level at which steel exhibits permanent deformation.