Wired pipe and method for making

A method for making a wired drill pipe joint, comprising:

• forming an electrically conductive material into a conduit structure, the conduit structure being internally hollow, radially expanding the conduit structure to conform to an interior of the wired drill pipe joint substantially without plastic deformation of the electrically conductive material, the conduit structure longitudinally contractible corresponding to radial expansion;
• coating an interior surface of the wired drill pipe joint with an electrically insulating, bonding material;
• inserting the conduit structure into the wired drill pipe joint;
• attaching an electrical connector to one longitudinal end of the electrically conductive material;
• seating the electrical connector in a feature formed therefor in the interior surface of the wired drill pipe joint;
• radially expanding and correspondingly longitudinally contracting the electrically conductive material to conform to the interior surface of the wired drill pipe joint;
• coupling an additional electrical connector to another longitudinal end of the electrically conductive material;
• and
• seating the additional electrical connector on the another longitudinal end in a feature formed therefor on the interior surface of the wired drill pipe joint.

A method for terminating an electrical conductor disposed in a pipe joint, comprising:

• inserting an electrical connector into the pipe joint until the electrical connector seats on a feature formed on an interior surface of the pipe joint;
• inserting a radially expandable electrically conductive material into the interior of the pipe joint;
• inserting a locking ring into an interior of the electrically conductive material until the locking ring seats on a feature formed in an interior surface of the electrical connector;
• and
• inserting a cutting ring onto the exterior of the electrically conductive material until a sharp edge on the cutting ring shears a part of the electrically conductive material extending from the locking ring.

A method for making a wired drill pipe joint, comprising:

• forming an electrically conductive material into a conduit structure, the conduit structure being internally hollow, radially expanding the conduit structure to conform to an interior of the wire drill pipe joint substantially without plastic deformation of the electrically conductive material;
• inserting the conduit structure into the wired drill pipe joint;
• and
• radially expanding the conduit structure to conform to an interior surface of the wired drill pipe joint, wherein the radially expanding comprises internally pressurizing an inversion liner disposed inside the conduit structure.