Used Drill Pipe: What Does the Band Color Mean?

Drill pipes are one of the most essential materials on an oilfield. It's a product that is exposed to harsh conditions like extreme depth and temperature, and subjected to large amounts of force. Drill pipe is made out of hollow, thin-walled steel or aluminum alloy piping which is very durable and can easily be reused if still in good condition.

The physical condition of a drill pipe, new or used, in terms of dimension, surface damage, or corrosion, is measured with a spherometer, which assesses the radius of a curve of a curved surface like a pipe or sphere. Based on this assessment, drill pipe is given a class and marked with a colored band (or two). This system was designed by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and is known as API Spec 5D.

According to API Spec 5D, drill pipe can fall into one of five classes: New, Premium, Class 2, Class 3, or scrap.

Each class has a color-coordinated band painted on a pipe. A brand-new pipe will have one white band, whereas a band classified “Premium” will have two white stripes. While new pipe is of course the strongest, Premium-class pipe has become the standard in the drilling industry.

Drill pipes are very carefully evaluated after use. Pipes are checked using a spherometer, which measures the radius of a pipe or sphere. The market for used drill pipe has expanded over the last several years as prices for new pipe have risen. Premium and Class 2 pipe have much of the original strength of a drill pipe, and lots of useful life left in them, at a much lower cost than new pipe. Premium pipes have 80% or more of the original wall thickness remaining. Premium pipe is not only a more economical purchase versus N-class, but in most cases just as efficient.

Buy and Sell Used Drill Pipe with Eiffel Trading

Eiffel Trading helps customers used steel pipe, as well as other types of steel like used steel plates, used sheet pile, and more. We also help customers purchase equipment, like drill rigs and concrete formwork.

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Ready to sell your used heavy equipment or construction material? List your products today on Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.