Friction Applications for the Oil Field Industry

Weld integrity is a must in the oil field drilling industry. Proven reliability of friction welded connections, coupled with the process advantages such as being clean, fast, consistent, and free of operator-induced error, makes friction welding one of the leading methods of joining flanges to valve bodies, drill pipe, high-pressure hose couplings, and manifold tubes.

A typical string of drill pipe can be three to four miles long, composed of 30-foot sections. The friction welds support the lower drill stem assembly (made up of other drill pipes, drill collars and the drilling bit) and transmit the rotary torque needed for drilling. Friction welding produces a metallurgical bond strong enough to take the high torque and highly loaded rotary tension due to directional drilling.

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