Thread compounds are used on a common basisthroughout the full life of Oil & Gas Tubular Goods (OCTG),whether as a storage compound applied in the mill, or in theyard, or as a make-up compound for running in hole.Dischargeable compounds have an impact on theenvironment, due to some of their components such as leadand due to the quantity released. Past initiatives - like greendopes - have brought valuable, but only partial resolution tothis problem.The optimum solution is the increasingly popular dopefreeconnection approach. This paper presents the first worldwideimplementation of a complete Cr13 production string appliedwith a dopefree connection: 16000 ft of 4'1/2 13%Cr-L80Premium CLEANWELL ? tubing joints run in a North Seaoffshore gas well in the Netherlands.The paper explains the specific requirements for using thisnew 'no application - no discharge' lubricating film. It alsoexamines the present QA-QC procedures (storage, threadinspection, tally, drift etc…) that ensures' no leaks' in theproduction string as well as the lessons learnt throughout theentire implementation of this dopefree system.Finally, in addition to the improvements of existing HSEpractices, the paper highlights the other benefits recordedduring this first implementation, including rig time savings,improvement of the protection of the threads, reduction of pipehandling.
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