The persistent problem of sulfide stress cracking (SSC) within drill strings used to drill sour wells has been met with evolutionary metallurgical and manufacturing technology advancements. Field performance of first and second-generation sour service products is
admirable. Still, the desire to exploit reservoirs of traditionally high hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations is increasing. Likewise, underbalanced drilling is becoming increasingly desirable within sour fields. The inability to successfully control the environment which the drill
stem operates in is trending the industry to set new targets and manufacturers are charged to develop new technology that will provide products for tomorrow’s sour service drilling needs. This paper provides background information on the evolution of sour service drill pipe,
introduces advancements in sour service drill pipe metallurgy and manufacturing technology, discusses recently developed specifications for sour service drill pipe and presents case histories where various generations of sour service drill pipe have been successfully used.
Keywords: sour service, sour gas wells, sour drilling, hydrogen sulfide, H2S, sulfide stress cracking, SSC, drill string, drillstring, drill pipe, drillpipe