What Is Yellow Band Pipe?

Yellow pipe

Pipes are used for transporting a variety of liquids and gases. When it comes to transporting oil, drill pipes are essential parts of an oilfield. However, it’s difficult to tell the condition of the pipes by simply examining the exterior. 

If you see a yellow-banded pipe, you may wonder what this color means, and how it pertains to the pipe condition. Here is a quick overview of the yellow band pipe and what these band colors mean. 

Why Is Pipe Color Coded?

In the field, drill pipes are under high amounts of stress. They are exposed to harsh conditions such as extreme temperature and depth. They are also subjected to large amounts of force. Drill pipes are constructed from hollow, thin-walled steel or aluminum alloy piping. Both materials are very durable, and the pipes are reused if their condition allows. 

To determine the condition of the pipes, they must undergo an assessment. The condition of a new or used drill pipe is measured with a spherometer. This assesses the radius of the curved surface of the pipe. The pipe is checked for signs of corrosion and damage during this time. 

Based on the results of the assessment, the drill pipe is placed in a class and marked with a color band. This system was created by the American Petroleum Institute.

5 Classes of Drill Pipe

According to the API Spec 5D, drill pipes are broken down into five classes and assigned colors: 

  1. New – Brand New/ Never Used – 1 White Band
  2. Premium – 80% remaining body wall – 2 White Bands 
  3. Class 2 – greater than 70% remaining body wall – 1 Yellow Band
  4. Class 3 – less than 70% remaining body wall – 1 Orange Band 
  5. Scrap – holes and cracks are present – 1 Red Band 

Each class refers to a painted band on the pipe. Brand new pipes will have one white band, while premium bands have two white bands. Yellow band pipe is a pipe that has less than 80% remaining body wall. This means that the pipe is still usable, although it does have wear at the center.

As pipe prices have risen in recent years, many have begun using yellow band pipe. Although brand new pipe is the strongest, both Premium and Class 2 pipe have much of the original strength of a drill pipe. They can be used for years, are much cheaper than purchasing brand new pipe. 

Contact Reddy Pipe for High-Quality Piping Materials

Reddy Pipe & Supply has been supplying the oil and gas industry in Tulsa with pipe for over 33 years. We provide services such as fittings, couplings, line pipe, structural steel, and more. We understand the importance of customer service and aim to put our customers first. Our sales and customer service team is here to answer any questions you may have. 

To get in touch with us and order your pipe and supplies, give us a call or fill out our online contact form. A member of our team will be in touch with you shortly.

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