Method and apparatus for externally and internally testing for leaks in connections between tubular members

A method for externally hydrostatically testing an integral connection between a first section of pipe bearing a first series of threads on at least one of its ends, a second section of pipe bearing a second series of threads on at least one of its ends, and a coupling bearing both a third series of threads on one of its ends and a fourth series of threads on another of its ends, with said first pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a first external annular orifice is defined between said first section of pipe and said coupling with said first annular orifice being in fluid communication with a first space defined between said first series of threads of said first section of pipe and said third series of threads of said coupling, and with said second pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a second external annular orifice is defined between said second section of pipe and said coupling with said second annular orifice being in fluid communication with a second space defined between said second series of threads of said second section of pipe and said fourth series of threads of said coupling, and wherein each of said first and said second external annular orifices and each of said first and said second spaces do not constitute a portion of said integral connection's interference seals, said method comprising:

• supplying a leak testing apparatus having a first annular housing and a second annular housing, said first annular housing including at least first annular sealing means and said second annular housing including at least second annular sealing means, and said leak testing apparatus having a first conduit formed in said first annular housing and in said first annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said first housing and said first annular chamber, and having a second conduit formed in said second annular housing and in said second annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said second housing and said second annular chamber;
• placing said leak testing apparatus circumferentially about selected portions of said connection with said first annular housing surrounding and contacting said first section of pipe with a portion of said first annular sealing means contacting a first selected outer portion of said connection, and with said second annular housing surrounding and contacting said second section of pipe with a portion of said second annular sealing means contacting a second selected outer portion of said connection, and with said first annular chamber placed in fluid communication with said first external radial orifice and said second annular chamber placed in fluid communication with said second external radial orifice;
• providing means for determining a possible leak in said connection and operatively connecting said means for determining to said conduits,
• supplying a pressurized hydrostatic test fluid to said leak testing apparatus by moving said fluid from said first and said second exterior portions of said housing, through said first and said second conduits, respectively, through said first and said second annular chambers, respectively, and into said first and said second spaces, respectively;
• and
• selectively applying said pressurized hydrostatic test fluid principally in the vicinity of said external radial orifices without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection in the vicinity of said interference seals between said coupling and each of said first and said second pipe sections threaded therein, which radially applied test pressures would tend to substantially affect said interference seals' bearing pressure;
• and
• determining if said connection leaks through appropriate use of said means for determining.

A method for externally hydrostatically testing an integral connection between a first section of pipe bearing a first series of threads on at least one of its ends, a second section of pipe bearing a second series of threads on at least one of its ends, and a coupling bearing both a third series of threads on one of its ends and a fourth series of threads on another of its ends, with said first pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a first external annular orifice is defined between said first section of pipe and said coupling with said first annular orifice being in fluid communication with a first space defined between said first series of threads of said first section of pipe and said third series threads of said coupling, said coupling having a first outer annular face positioned circumferentially about said first section of pipe and positioned substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said first section of pipe, and with said second pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a second external annular orifice is defined between said second section of pipe and said coupling with said second annular orifice being in fluid communication with a second space defined between said second series of threads of said second section of pipe and said fourth series of threads of said coupling, said coupling having a second outer annular face positioned circumferentially about said second section of pipe and positioned substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said second section of pipe, said method comprising:

• supplying a leak testing apparatus having a first annular housing and a second annular housing, said first annular housing including at least first annular sealing means and said second annular housing including at least second annular sealing means, and said leak testing apparatus having a first conduit formed in said first annular housing and in said first annular sealing means, to allow fluid communications between an exterior portion of said first housing and said first annular chamber, and having a second conduit formed in said second annular housing and in said second annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said second housing and said second annular chamber;
• placing said leak testing apparatus circumferentially about selected portions of said connection with said first annular housing surrounding and contacting said first section of pipe with a portion of said first annular sealing means contacting a first selected outer portion of said connection, and with said second annular housing surrounding and contacting said second sections of pipe with a portion of said second annular sealing means contacting a second selected outer portion of said connection, and with said first annular chamber placed in fluid communication with said first external radial orifice and said second annular chamber placed in fluid communication with said second external radial orifice;
• providing means for determining a possible leak in said connection and operatively connecting said means for determining to said conduits,
• supplying a pressurized hydrostatic test fluid to said leak testing apparatus by moving said fluid from said first and said second exterior portions of said housing, through said first and said second conduits, respectively, through said first and said second annular chambers, respectively, and into said first and said second spaces, respectively;
• and
• selectively applying said pressurized hydrostatic test fluid principally in the vicinity of said external radial orifices with the fluid impinging simultaneously radially inwardly against a respective localized circumferential, external surface portion of each of said first and said second sections of pipe, and longitudinally against each of said first and said second outer annular faces of said coupling, without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection in the vicinity of said interference seals between said coupling and each of said first and second pipe sections threaded therein, which radially applied test pressures would tend to substantially affect said interference seals' bearing pressure;
• and
• determining if said connection leaks through appropriate use of said means for determining.

An apparatus for externally hydrostatically testing an integral connection between two sections of pipe, each of said sections of pipe bearing threads on at least one of its ends, said pipe sections being joined together by threadedly engaging one of said pipe sections with the other of said pipe sections wherein an interference seal is provided between selected mating surfaces carried on corresponding male and female ends of said joined sections of pipe, and wherein an external radial orifice is defined between said joined sections of pipe which radial orifice is in fluid communication with a space defined between said threads borne on said male and female ends of said joined pipe sections, said apparatus comprising:

• an annular housing including an annular seal which seal defines an annular chamber, and having a conduit formed in said annular housing and in said annular seal, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said housing and said annular chamber said annular seal adapted for sealingly engaging said connection in the immediate vicinity of and on either side of said radial orifice said annular chamber being in fluid communication with said radial orifice when said sealing means contained within said annular housing is in sealing engagement with said connection;
• valve means associated with said housing for admitting through said conduit and into said annular chamber a pressurized hydrostatic test fluid;
• said sealing means cooperating with said annular housing to confine said hydrostatic test fluid in a localized area about said radial orifice, and to channel pressure exerted by said hydrostatic test fluid principally about said radial orifice, without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection about said interference between said mating surfaces on said corresponding male and female ends of said sections of pipe, which radially applied test pressures would tend to substantially affect said interference seal's bearing pressure;
• and
• means for determining a possible leak in said connection by detecting a loss of said hydrostatic test fluid from said annular chamber through said interference seal.

An apparatus for externally hydrostatically testing an integral connection between a first section of pipe bearing a first series of threads on at least one of its ends, a second section of pipe bearing a second series of threads on at least one of its ends, and a coupling bearing both a third series of threads on one of its ends and a fourth series of threads on another of its ends, said connection being formed by said first pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a first external annular orifice is defined between said first section of pipe and said coupling with said first annular orifice being in fluid communication with a first space defined between said first series of threads of said first section of pipe and said third series of threads of said coupling, and said connection being further formed by said second pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a second external annular orifice is defined between said second section of pipe and said coupling with said second annular orifice being in fluid communication with a second space defined between said second series of threads of said second section of pipe and said fourth series of threads of said coupling, and wherein each of said first and said second external annular orifices and each of said first and said second spaces do not constitute a portion of said integral connection's interference seals, said apparatus comprising:

• a first annular housing including at least first annular sealing means which said first annular sealing means defines a first annular chamber, and a second annular housing including at least second annular sealing means which said second annular sealing means defines a separate second annular chamber;
• a first conduit formed in said first annular housing and in said first annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said first housing and said first annular chamber, and having a second conduit formed in said second annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said second housing and said second annular chamber, said first annular chamber being in fluid communication with said first external annular orifice and said second annular chamber being in fluid communication with said second external annular orifice;
• valve means associated with said housing for admitting through said first and said second conduits and into said first and said second annular chambers, respectively, a pressurized hydrostatic testing fluid;
• said first annular sealing means cooperating with said first annular housing to confine said hydrostatic test fluid in a localized area about said first external annular orifice, and to channel pressure exerted by said hydrostatic test fluid principally about said first external annular orifice, without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection about said interference between said first pipe section and said coupling;
• said second annular sealing means cooperating with said second annular housing to confirm said hydrostatic test fluid in a localized area about said second external annular orifice, and to channel pressure exerted by said hydrostatic test fluid principally about said first external annular orifice, without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection about said interference between said second pipe section and said coupling;
• and
• means for determining a possible leak in said connection by detecting a loss of said hydrostatic test fluid from said first annular chamber and said second annular chamber through said interference seals.

An apparatus for externally hydrostatically testing an integral connection between a first section of pipe bearing a first series of threads on at least one of its ends a second section of pipe bearing a second series of threads on at least one of its ends, and a coupling bearing both a third series of threads on one of its ends and a fourth series of threads on another of its ends, said connection being formed by said first pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a first external annular orifice is defined between said first section of pipe and said coupling with said first annular orifice being in fluid communication with a first space defined between said first series of threads of said first section of pipe and said third series threads of said coupling, said coupling having a first outer annular face positioned circumferentially about said first section of pipe and positioned substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said first section of pipe, and said connection being further formed by said second pipe section being threadedly engaged with said coupling wherein a second external annular orifice is defined between said second section of pipe and said coupling with said second annular orifice being in fluid communication with a second space defined between said second series of threads of said second section of pipe and said fourth series of threads of said coupling, said coupling having a second outer annular face positioned circumferentially about said second section of pipe and positioned substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said second section of pipe, said apparatus comprising:

• a first annular housing including at least first annular sealing means which said first annular sealing means defines a first annular chamber, and a second annular housing including at least second annular sealing means which said second annular sealing means defines a separate second annular chamber;
• said first annular housing cooperating with said first annular sealing means both to sealingly engage an outer circumferential surface of said first section of pipe and to sealingly engage longitudinally against said first outer annular face of said coupling,
• said second annular housing cooperating with said second annular sealing means both to sealingly engage an outer circumferential surface of second section of pipe and to sealingly engage longitudinally against said second outer annular face of said coupling;
• a first conduit formed in said first annular housing and in said first annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between an exterior portion of said first housing and said first annular chamber, and having a second conduit formed in said second annular housing and in said second annular sealing means, to allow fluid communication between exterior portion of said second housing and said second annular chamber, said first annular chamber being in fluid communication with said first external annular orifice an said second annular chamber being in fluid communication with said second external annular orifice;
• valve means associated with said housing for admitting through said first and said second conduits and said first and said second annular chambers, respectively, a pressurized hydrostatic testing fluid;
• said first annular sealing means cooperating with said first annular housing to confine said hydrostatic test fluid in a localized area about said first external annular orifice, and to channel pressure exerted by said hydrostatic test fluid principally about said first external annular orifice, without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection about said interference between said first pipe section and said coupling;
• said second annular sealing means cooperating with said second annular housing to confine said hydrostatic test fluid in a localized area about said second external annular orifice, and to channel pressure exerted by said hydrostatic test fluid principally about said first external annular orifice, without applying substantial test pressures radially to an outer annular surface portion of said connection about said interference between said second pipe section and said coupling;
• and
• means for determining a possible leak in said connection by detecting a loss of said hydrostatic test fluid from said first annular chamber and said second annular chamber through said interference seals.