Patent ID: 6148924
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A method of destabbing a pair of threadably interengaged and generally vertically oriented oil and gas well drill pipe sections that are connectable end-to-end at threaded pin and box joint connections, comprising the steps of:a) providing a pair of pipe joints to be joined, each joint having a generally cylindrically shaped outer surface, end portions with mating faces, and threaded portions that connect to similarly threaded portions of another joint;b) connecting the joints of pipe together;c) affixing a sleeve to the assembly of pipe joints at the mating faces, wherein a lower end portion of the sleeve has a generally cylindrically shaped interior surface that conforms to the lower joint and an upper end portion of the sleeve has a generally cylindrically shaped interior surface that conforms to engages the upper joint;d) destabbing the joints by rotating the upper joint relative to the lower joint and wherein the sleeve lower end portion is configured to tightly engage the lower joint during rotation of the upper joint, and the sleeve upper end portion loosely engages the upper joint during such rotation so that simultaneous rotation and alignment is enabled;e) wherein in step ""d"" the central longitudinal axes of the joints are maintained in alignment.