Helical Hardbanding

Abstract

A tubular component (e.g., a drill pipe, work string pipe, etc.) with one or more hardbanding treatments on an external surface of the tubular component. One or more or all of the hardbanding treatments have a helical or spiral shape. The hardbanding treatment provides 1) enhanced durability to the central region of the tubular component at potentially lower costs, 2) enhanced strength and/or rigidity of the central region of the tubular component to reduce the amount of bending or flexing of the tubular component during the insertion and/or removal of the tubular component into/from a wellbore, and/or 3) improved fluid and debris flow about the central region of the tubular component.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A tubular hardbanded component comprising:
 a tubular body; said tubular body having a first end, a second end, and an exterior surface; said tubular body having minimum diameter;   a box secured to said first end of said body and a threaded pin member connected to said second end of said body; said box having a maximum diameter; said threaded pin member having a maximum outer diameter, said minimum outer diameter of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said box; said minimum outer diameter of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said threaded pin; and,   a hardbanding treatment positioned at least partially about said exterior surface of said body; at least a portion of said hardbanding treatment is spaced from said box and said pin member; said hardbanding treatment is a helically-shaped continuous band about said exterior surface of said body; said helically-shaped continuous band has first and second side edges and first and second ends, said first and second side edges are spaced from one another, said first and second ends are spaced from one another; said helically-shaped continuous band includes a first hardbanding layer and a second hardbanding layer, said first and second hardbanding layers are positioned adjacent to one another; at least a portion of each of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body; a majority or all of said top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body; said first and second hardbanding layers each have a height; at least a portion of each of said first and second hardbanding layers located above said exterior surface of said body.   
     
     
         29 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band includes a third hardbanding layer; at least a portion of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers; at least a portion of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         30 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 29 , wherein a majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers, and majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         31 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 28 , wherein a maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than a differential height between said minimum outer diameter of said body of said tubular member and said maximum outer diameter of said box; said maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said threaded pin member. 
     
     
         32 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 29 , wherein a maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than a differential height between said minimum outer diameter of said body of said tubular member and said maximum outer diameter of said box; said maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said threaded pin member. 
     
     
         33 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band has a width formed at least partially by said first and second hardbanding layers in contact with another or positioned less than 0.5 in. from one another; said first and second hardbanding layers each have a height, greater than 50% of said height of each of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         34 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 32 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band has a width formed at least partially by said first and second hardbanding layers in contact with another or positioned less than 0.5 in. from one another; said first and second hardbanding layers each have a height, greater than 50% of said height of each of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         35 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 28 , wherein said tubular component is a drill pipe. 
     
     
         36 . The tubular hardbanded component as defined in  claim 34 , wherein said tubular component is a drill pipe. 
     
     
         37 . A method for hardbanding a tubular component comprising:
 providing a tubular component; said tubular component comprising a tubular body, a box, and a threaded pin member; said tubular body having a first end, a second end and an exterior surface; said tubular body having minimum diameter; said box secured to said first end of said body; said threaded pin member connected to said second end of said body; said box having a maximum diameter; said threaded pin member having a maximum outer diameter, said minimum outer diameter of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said box; said minimum outer diameter of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said threaded pin; and,   applying a hardbanding treatment at least partially about said exterior surface of said body; at least a portion of said hardbanding treatment is spaced from said box and said pin member; said hardbanding treatment is a helically-shaped continuous band about said exterior surface of said body; said helically-shaped continuous band has first and second side edges and first and second ends, said first and second side edges are spaced from one another, said first and second ends are spaced from one another; said helically-shaped continuous band includes a first hardbanding layer and a second hardbanding layer, said first and second hardbanding layers are positioned adjacent to one another; at least a portion of each of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body; a majority or all of said top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body; said first and second hardbanding layers each have a height; at least a portion of each of said first and second hardbanding layers located above said exterior surface of said body.   
     
     
         38 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band includes a third hardbanding layer; a majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers; a majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         39 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , wherein a maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than a differential height between said minimum outer diameter of said body of said tubular member and said maximum outer diameter of said box; said maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said threaded pin member. 
     
     
         40 . The method as defined in  claim 38 , wherein a maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than a differential height between said minimum outer diameter of said body of said tubular member and said maximum outer diameter of said box; said maximum height of said helically-shaped continuous band extending above said exterior surface of said body is less than said maximum outer diameter of said threaded pin member. 
     
     
         41 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band includes a third hardbanding layer; at least a portion of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers; at least a portion of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         42 . The method as defined in  claim 40 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band includes a third hardbanding layer; at least a portion of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers; at least a portion of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         43 . The method as defined in  claim 41 , wherein a majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers, and majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         44 . The method as defined in  claim 42 , wherein a majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is positioned on a top surface of said first and second hardbanding layers, and majority or all of said third hardbanding layer is spaced from and is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         45 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band has a width formed at least partially by said first and second hardbanding layers in contact with another or positioned less than 0.5 in. from one another; said first and second hardbanding layers each have a height, greater than 50% of said height of each of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         46 . The method as defined in  claim 44 , wherein said helically-shaped continuous band has a width formed at least partially by said first and second hardbanding layers in contact with another or positioned less than 0.5 in. from one another; said first and second hardbanding layers each have a height, greater than 50% of said height of each of said first and second hardbanding layers is located above said exterior surface of said body. 
     
     
         47 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , further including the step of at least partially cleaning said exterior surface of said body to remove oxides from said exterior surface prior to applying said hardbanding treatment to said body. 
     
     
         48 . The method as defined in  claim 46 , further including the step of at least partially cleaning said exterior surface of said body to remove oxides from said exterior surface prior to applying said hardbanding treatment to said body. 
     
     
         49 . The method as defined in  claim 37 , wherein said tubular component is a drill pipe. 
     
     
         50 . The method as defined in  claim 48 , wherein said tubular component is a drill pipe.