Patent ID: 7857644

Claim:
A pipe segment, comprising: a generally cylindrical body having a pin end connector at a first end and a box end connector at a second end; a generally cylindrical first electrical contact coupled to the cylindrical body proximate the pin end connector, wherein the first electrical contact is substantially electrically insulated from the cylindrical body and is configured to make electrical contact with a corresponding electrical contact in a first adjacent pipe segment when the pipe segment is coupled to the first adjacent pipe segment; a generally cylindrical second electrical contact coupled to the cylindrical body proximate the box end connector, wherein the second electrical contact is substantially electrically insulated from the cylindrical body and is configured to make electrical contact with a corresponding electrical contact in a second adjacent pipe segment when the pipe segment is coupled to the second adjacent pipe segment; and a first conductor connected to the first and second electrical contacts and extending therebetween, the conductor substantially electrically insulated from the cylindrical body, wherein the pin end connector and the box end connector are configured to be machined without effecting the configuration of the first and second electrical contacts to make an electrical connection with electrical contacts in first and second adjacent pipe segments.