Commonly used drill pipe sizes and inner diameters

Drill pipes are crucial in the oil drilling industry, serving the dual purpose of creating boreholes and advancing drill bits. These pipes are available in a variety of sizes to accommodate the drilling of wells at different depths and through various types of rock strata. The following overview will detail the common sizes and inner diameters of drill pipes.

International Standard Drill Pipes:

- AW Drill Pipe

Manufactured by Atlas Copco, an American company specializing in drilling rigs and tools, AW drill pipes are extensively utilized in rock drilling and mining exploration. They are available in diameters ranging from 27mm to 43mm, with inner diameters between 18mm and 31.75mm. Designed for heavy-duty applications, these high-strength pipes are ideal for deep hole drilling and specialized engineering applications, typically used for shallow well drilling up to 100 meters in depth. The standard lengths are 6 meters, 9 meters, or 12 meters.

- BW Drill Pipe

Slightly smaller than AW pipes, BW drill pipes are widely employed in fields such as geological exploration, foundational engineering, and water conservancy projects. They come in diameters from 36mm to 60mm and have inner diameters ranging from 22mm to 36mm. BW pipes are more suited for shallower drilling compared to AW pipes and are commonly used for wells between 100 meters and 200 meters deep, with lengths typically being 6 meters, 9 meters, or 12 meters.

- NW Drill Pipe

These pipes have a larger diameter and are thicker and more robust, making them suitable for deep hole geotechnical exploration and hydraulic drilling. NW drill pipes have diameters from 47mm to 89mm and inner diameters from 32mm to 56mm. As high-performance drilling tools capable of withstanding heavy loads and impact, they are primarily used for drilling depths between 200 meters and 600 meters, with the standard length being 3 meters or 6 meters.

- HW Drill Pipe

Featuring a larger diameter and enhanced durability, HW drill pipes are extensively used in geological drilling and oil exploration. They are available in diameters from 76mm to 146mm and inner diameters from 46mm to 101mm. Known for their superior quality and endurance, these pipes are perfect for a range of deep hole and heavy-duty drilling operations, typically used for wells between 600 meters and 1000 meters deep, with lengths usually being 3 meters or 6 meters.

- HWT Drill Pipe

The HWT drill pipe, with a diameter of 3.45 inches (88mm) and an inner diameter of 2.625 inches (66.7mm), is designed for drilling depths between 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters. These pipes generally come in lengths of 3 meters or 6 meters.

- PW Drill Pipe

The PW drill pipe, measuring 4.25 inches (108mm) in diameter with an inner diameter of 3.75 inches (95.3mm), is suitable for drilling depths ranging from 1,500 meters to 2,000 meters. The standard lengths for these pipes are also 3 meters or 6 meters.

Chinese Standard Drill Pipes:

- Φ42 Drill Pipe

The Φ42 drill pipe is a common domestic standard, characterized by a diameter of 42mm and an inner diameter of 28mm. It is versatile for various geological drilling and engineering structure exploration applications.

- Φ50 Drill Pipe

The Φ50 drill pipe, with a diameter of 50mm and an inner diameter of 34mm, is widely applicable across different sectors, including geotechnical exploration and foundational construction.

- Φ60 Drill Pipe

Among the larger diameter pipes in the domestic standards, the Φ60 drill pipe has a diameter of 60mm and an inner diameter of 40mm. It is well-suited for drilling operations in deeper applications such as highway tunneling and subway construction projects.