Design and mechanical properties analysis of drill pipe’s joint thread with unequal taper under complex loads

The design of drill pipe joint thread with unequal taper is proposed to investigate the fracture failure of the API NC38 used in the drill pipe joint of the SU36-8-4H2 well. The effect of changes in thread taper on the stress distribution and mechanical properties of drill pipe joints is analyzed and compared with the API standard thread to determine the optimal thread structure with unequal taper. The results reveal highly concentrated stress at the last engaged thread root of API NC38 single-shoulder thread (SUT) may cause early yield failure of the joint threads. Adjusting the unequal taper of the pin thread mitigates uneven stress distribution in NC38 single and double-shoulder threads and enhances connection strength, particularly for SUT-II and DUT-I. However, altering the box thread's unequal taper modifies the stress concentration slightly in NC38 single and double-shoulder threads. This offers limited tensile and compressive strength improvement. The maximum Mises stress value of SUT-II is reduced by 56.69% compared to SUT. The maximum Mises stress value of DUT-I is reduced by 34.87% compared to NC38 double-shoulder joint thread (DUT). This design approach can guide the optimization of other API threads and enhance joint strength for non-API and specialized taper threads.