The oil and gas industry relies on pipes for nearly every operation, making them a central part of the industry. Even though they are made of hard materials like steel and aluminum, they are prone to damage, making pipe protection so vital.
Pipes are manufactured to very precise measurements so that they can stand up to the stresses of drilling and completion. But any damage can lead to catastrophic failures – oil spills, hazards, environmental disasters, and more. That’s why companies across the industry work so hard to protect their pipes.
The best way to protect your pipes is to invest in high-quality and API-compliant products. As a leading manufacturer of pipe protection products, MSI makes a wide range of products that work in different situations and protect against different types of damage. Here is a deeper look at the different product lines that we offer for the oil and gas industry.
1. Thread Protectors
The threads on pipes are machined to very strict standards. The result is pipes that thread together so tightly that they make an air-tight seal every time. Although the threads are made of tough materials, they are actually the weakest part of the pipe. The threads must be perfectly aligned so that they work properly. But since they are machined so thin, they can be easily damaged by other pipes.
Thread protectors are components that are placed on the ends of pipes over the threads to protect them. The design of each one is a bit different, but they mostly resemble a big plastic cap on the end of the pipe. They are made of semi-soft materials, mostly plastics, that are too soft to damage the pipe but hard enough to protect it from other things.
Learn more about why it’s important to use pipe protection.
With thread protectors on, pipe ends are safe from impact. Pipes are often stored in large piles, and all of that metal moving around can lead to damage. Thread protectors serve as large bumpers for the ends of the pipes so that they don’t scrape or bang into each other and result in damaged threads.
Thread protectors are also used to protect against pipeline corrosion. Oil and gas industry pipes are often made out of iron and steel alloys, which are prone to rusting and corrosion. This is partly because pipes are usually stored outside, where they can be exposed to the elements around-the-clock. Enough moisture can make any pipe rust, which weakens the surface of the pipe. The rest of the pipe can withstand rusting, but the threads and inside cannot.
Using thread protectors on both ends of the pipe keeps the threads safe from corrosion since they are covered. It also seals the pipe shut so that the inside is protected from moisture that can cause corrosion as well.
View MSI’s extensive offering of durable, reliable, and safe thread protectors.
2. Pipe Chocks
Since pipes are cylindrical, they tend to roll unless they are left on a completely flat surface. A rolling oil and gas pipe is highly dangerous since they are very hard and heavy. Furthermore, one rolling pipe can move other pipes and cause an entire stack of them to roll out of control. One of the ways of stopping this is with pipe chocks.
Chocks are stoppers that are used to keep round things from rolling. In this case, our chocks are specifically designed to work with pipes in the oil and gas industry.
Chocks are easy to use; just put some on each side of a pipe. They stop pipes from rolling based on gravity. From a still position, pipes rarely pick up enough speed to roll up and over a chock. They are simple tools, but they are very effective in keeping heavy pipes in place.
Our chocks can also be nailed down thanks to having two holes in the back. That way, you can nail them to the wood spacing blocks used to transport stacks of pipes. If the chocks can’t move, then the pipes shouldn’t move either.
View MSI’s different pipe chock products.
Bumper Rings
While pipes are very strong, two pipes rubbing against or slamming into each other can do a lot of damage to both of them. To make sure that your pipes keep a safe distance when packed tightly together, use bumper rings.
A bumper ring is a ring made of semi-hard rubber. You can wrap them around pipes since they are cut open on one side. They create a cushioned barrier between the pipes so that they don’t bump or scrape against each other.
View MSI’s different bumper rings to maintain the integrity of your pipes.
Use All Three Options for the Best Safety System
If you are trying to decide which pipe protection system to use, the best answer is to use all three at the same time. With all three, your pipes are well-protected against the most common threats that will lead to them having to be recycled or discarded. Chocks and bumper rings are very simple to install once you have them. The best part is that they are completely reusable.
Thread protectors can be a bit trickier to choose since there are so many varieties. There are options for inner and outer threads of many shapes and sizes. You just have to match the threads to the protector for the right size pipe.
Learn more about the different types of oilfield pipe threads.
Get High-Quality Pipe Protection Products from MSI Pipe Protection
Get the pipe protection products you need from MSI. Contact us today for help selecting the right pipe protection options for your business. Rest assured that your pipes are safe with our pipe protectors.
