Patent ID: 8869900

Claim:
An offshore drilling riser apparatus for use in offshore drilling for oil or other fossil fuels, the offshore drilling riser apparatus comprising: a plurality of offshore metal drilling riser sections coupled serially end-to-end, wherein each of the offshore metal drilling riser sections, prior to being coupled to another offshore metal drilling riser section, comprises: an offshore metal drilling riser section tube haying a first end and a second end; a first metal riser flange that is mechanically joined to the first end of the offshore metal drilling riser section tube, forming a first mechanical joining; a second metal riser flange that is mechanically joined to the second end of the offshore metal drilling riser section tube, forming a second mechanical joining; and wherein the offshore drilling riser apparatus is capable of withstanding dynamic loads exerted by an offshore drilling rig and a body of water in which the offshore drilling riser apparatus is suspended, based on: the offshore metal drilling riser section tube is consisting of at least one aluminum alloy selected from the group of: 2XXX alloys, 5XXX alloys, 6XXX alloys, 7XXX alloys and Al—Li alloys, the metal riser flanges are adapted to couple the plurality of offshore metal drilling riser sections serially end-to-end, the first and the second mechanical joinings are non-welded so that, in each respective mechanical joining, each respective metal riser flange is physically distinct from each respective end of the offshore metal drilling riser section tube to maintain a pre-joining physical integrity of such metal riser flange, and wherein the metal riser flanges, of the first and the second mechanical joinings respectively, are secured by threads over the offshore metal drilling riser section tube, wherein the threads are selected from the group consisting of: a taper, buttress, and breach thread.