Frederic D. Sewell, Humble Oil and Refining Company
The petroleum industry's need to reduce cost challenges users to select the most effective tubular goods inspection for each individual job to minimize the large expense normally incurred with replacement or repair of defective tubular goods. Several diagnostic tools are necessary to meet the many variable inspection requirements for the different grades of new and used tubing, casing, drill pipe, line pipe, and sucker rods. Inspection methods are available which, if properly employed, should detect defects currently considered hazardous. Those associated with ordering and using tubular goods inspections should insure that each inspection dollar earns a profit; this requires selection of the applicable inspection method for each job and economic considerations to determine if the inspection should reduce cost by minimizing possibility of failure or premature retirement of pipe or rods from service.