ASTM A589 Welded Carbon Steel Water-Well Pipe

ASTM A589 welded carbon steel water-well pipe is designed for the construction of water wells, including drive pipe, reamed and drifted pipe, driven well pipe, and water-well casing. Although ASTM A589/A589M covers both seamless and welded manufacturing routes, the product described here is supplied as electric-resistance-welded carbon steel pipe.

For ERW production, ASTM A589 permits Grade A and Grade B material. Grade B provides the higher mechanical strength, with a minimum tensile strength of 415 MPa and minimum yield strength of 240 MPa. The standard also controls wall thickness, outside diameter, hydrostatic test pressure, pipe ends, couplings, and dimensional requirements according to the applicable water-well pipe type.

The pipe may be supplied with plain ends or threaded and coupled ends. Black or galvanized surface conditions can be specified according to the purchase order and project environment.

Specifications

Main Features

Electric-Resistance-Welded Construction

ASTM A589 permits electric-resistance-welded manufacture for all four water-well pipe Types in Grades A and B. ERW production provides a continuous longitudinal weld and is suitable for controlled-volume production of water-well casing and related tubular products.

For ERW pipe with an outside diameter of 8 in. or greater, the transverse tensile specimen taken across the weld must achieve at least the minimum tensile strength required for the ordered grade.

Defined Grade Strength

ASTM A589 Grade A has a minimum tensile strength of 330 MPa and a minimum yield strength of 205 MPa.

ASTM A589 Grade B increases these minimum values to 415 MPa tensile strength and 240 MPa yield strength.

Grade B is therefore normally selected when higher axial strength and resistance to installation loading are required.

Controlled Wall Thickness

The minimum finished wall thickness is not permitted to be more than 12.5% below the specified nominal wall thickness.

This is particularly important for water-well casing because localized under-thickness can reduce resistance to handling loads, installation loads and external ground pressure.

Hydrostatic Testing of Every ERW Length

Each pipe length is subjected to hydrostatic testing at the pressure specified in the applicable ASTM A589 dimensional table.

For electric-resistance-welded pipe, the specified hydrostatic test pressure is maintained for not less than 5 seconds.

This test verifies pressure integrity of both the pipe body and the longitudinal weld before shipment.

Water-Well-Specific Dimensional Control

ASTM A589 is not simply a general-purpose welded-pipe specification. It separately defines:

Type I – Drive Pipe

Type II – Water-Well Reamed and Drifted Pipe

Type III – Driven Well Pipe

Type IV – Water-Well Casing Pipe

Dimensions, wall thicknesses, coupling arrangements, thread details and hydrostatic pressures vary according to the selected Type and size.

Our Advantages

Weld Seam Control for Water-Well Installation

A professional water-well pipe buyer is concerned not only with base-metal strength but also with longitudinal weld integrity.

Our ASTM A589 welded pipe production can be controlled according to the ordered Grade A or Grade B mechanical requirement. For applicable large-diameter ERW pipe, transverse weld tensile testing can be included in the inspection plan to verify that the weld achieves the minimum tensile strength specified for the ordered grade.

Hydrostatic testing is also performed according to the applicable ASTM A589 size and pressure requirement.

Dimensional Control for Casing and Coupling Assembly

Water-well installation problems commonly occur when outside diameter, wall thickness, inside clearance or threaded-end dimensions are inconsistent.

Production dimensions are therefore controlled against the applicable ASTM A589 Type table rather than using a generic welded-pipe tolerance.

For Type II reamed and drifted pipe, internal clearance can be verified using the specified drift requirement. For threaded and coupled supply, thread and coupling configuration can be produced according to the applicable A589 water-well pipe requirements.

Purchase-Order Traceability by Type, Grade and End Finish

ASTM A589 orders need more information than only diameter and wall thickness.

A technically complete order should identify:

ASTM A589 Type

ERW manufacturing method

Grade A or Grade B

Outside diameter or NPS

Wall thickness

Length

Black or galvanized finish

Plain end or threaded and coupled end

Required coupling configuration

Special inspection requirements

These parameters can be incorporated into the production documentation and inspection records so that the delivered pipe can be checked directly against the purchase specification.

Execution Standards

Application

Groundwater Well Casing

A typical application is a Type IV welded carbon steel casing string used to support the borehole of a drilled groundwater well.

The casing maintains borehole stability, separates unstable soil or rock formations from the water-producing interval, provides a controlled passage for the pump assembly, and protects the well structure during installation and operation.

For this application, ASTM A589 Grade B ERW casing can be selected where higher minimum tensile and yield strength are required.

Chemical Composition

Mechanical Properties