US 12,000,750 B2
Method for assessing the quality of the coupling of two tubular components
Celine Sches, Boulogne-Billancourt (FR); and Denis Bourlart, Boulogne-Billancourt (FR)
Assigned to VALLOUREC OIL AND GAS FRANCE, Aulnoye-Aymeries (FR)
Appl. No. 17/044,096
Filed by VALLOUREC OIL AND GAS FRANCE, Aulnoye-aymeries (FR)
PCT Filed Apr. 9, 2019, PCT No. PCT/FR2019/050828
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 30, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/197772, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1853137 (FR), filed on Apr. 10, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0088396 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. G01L 5/24 (2006.01); B23P 11/00 (2006.01); E21B 17/042 (2006.01); E21B 19/16 (2006.01); F16L 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01L 5/24 (2013.01) [B23P 11/00 (2013.01); E21B 17/042 (2013.01); E21B 19/165 (2013.01); F16L 15/001 (2013.01); E21B 19/164 (2013.01); F16L 2201/10 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for coupling a first tubular component including a threaded portion with a second tubular component including a threaded portion, which comprises:
engaging the first tubular component on the second tubular component;
rotating the first tubular component relative to the second tubular component in order to screw the threaded portions together;
obtaining a set of points constituting a curve that represents the torque applied when screwing the first tubular component into an end position as a function of the number of turns performed by the first tubular component relative to the second tubular component;
comparing one or more parameters of the curve obtained with one or more reference curves in a database of reference curves in which each reference curve is associated with an assessment of a quality of a coupling of first and second reference tubular components; and
assessing a quality of the coupling of the first and second tubular components according to the step of comparing the curve obtained with the one or more reference curves,
wherein the comparing step comprises comparing the shape of at least one portion of the curve obtained,
wherein at least one reference curve in the database is associated with a coupling status representative of a conform status, and at least one reference curve in the database is associated with a coupling status representative of a non-conform status of the coupling of the first and second reference tubular components,
wherein each reference curve in the database that is associated with the non-conform status is associated with an additional status that characterizes a problem that generated the non-conform status of the coupling of the reference tubular components, and
wherein an algorithm is configured to calculate a sum of the torque losses for a plurality of portions of the curve that include downward-sloping portions of the curve located between the start of screwing and a bearing point.