Betting on Environmentally Friendly Thread Compounds Kimberly Milligan Matthews Bestolife Corporation 2222 Vanco Drive Irving, TX 75061 Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) regulations for the oil and gas (O&G) industry are plentiful, and the stakes are high if an organization chooses not to comply with them. Even though rules continue to multiply, their implementation creeps slowly, depending on the risk severity. For example, over the past several years, the O&G industry has been slow to phase out lead-based thread compounds and replace them with nonmetallic options. Thread compounds are grease-based lubricants with a high solids content. The finished product is applied to threads of rotary shoulder connections, casing, and tubing joints in order to lubricate, protect, seal, and control make-up of pipes. Heavy metals such as lead powder, copper flake, and zinc dust are typical solids used in thread compounds. The O&G industry is finally beginning to see a shift where end users want to switch to lead-free products. As a result, many thread compound manufacturers are electing to stop making leaded products. Furthermore, the next wave of regulations, not new but swiftly being accepted globally, to affect the thread compound industry requires environmentally friendly products. After a brief overview of EH&S regulations, this paper will describe some reasons why anhydrous calcium and calcium complex greases can fulfill the need for a biodegradable, nontoxic, and nonbioaccumulative matrix for environmentally friendly thread compounds. Additionally, this paper will explore the performance characteristics and ecological toxicity of both grease types compared to a conventional lithium grease base for thread compounds. Technical terms specific to thread compounds and their applications are italicized the first time they appear in the text, and they are defined at the end of this paper.
Example of a thread compound - 26 NLGI Spokesman | VOLUME 84, NUMBER 2 | May/June 2020
