Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Below is a brief description of many of the terms used in the Steel Pipe and Energy Industries.
AGA - American Gas Association.
AISI - American Iron and Steel Institute.
ANSI - American National Standards Institute. Administers and coordinates voluntary standardization and conformity assessment systems.
Was formerly the ASA.
API - American Petrolium 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 Equivelant. 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.
Coupling - A 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.
DRL - Double Random Length. Minimum 35' average lenngth - 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 - Standard pipe weight designation (XS). Sometimes referred to as 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 - Full 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 - Freight On 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)