Patent ID: 7404438

Claim:
A tubular member comprising: a welded pipe formed from a very low carbon steel alloy having iron at a concentration of at least ninety-five percent by weight of the steel alloy, chromium at a concentration of less than approximately 0.1% by weight of the steel alloy, and carbon at a concentration of between approximately 0.03% and 0.06% by weight of the steel alloy; the steel alloy quenched to produce a concentration of martensite of at least ninety percent by volume of the steel alloy; the steel alloy tempered to produce desired ductility and strength to accommodate radial expansion of the tubular member between approximately twenty percent and forty-five percent; a pin end and a box end formed on the pipe with a longitudinal bore extending through the pipe from the pin end to the box end; an external threaded portion formed on the pin end and an internal threaded portion formed within the box end; and the external threaded portion and the internal threaded portion operable to be releasably engaged with other respective internal and external threaded portions of other tubular members.