CLEANWELL®: the rig-ready dope-free solution that makes pipe running safer, faster and more efficient
As oil and gas operators continue to drill increasingly complex wells, they must optimize costs while addressing technical, safety and environmental challenges. One way to respond to these issues is to switch to alternative solutions to thread compounds, also known as dope, on tubing and casing connections. Vallourec’s CLEANWELL® solution offers operators a rig-ready, multifunctional coating that improves safety, enhances operational efficiency and optimizes total cost of operation (TCO), while supporting cleaner operations for wells both on and offshore.
According to an IEA market report, global oil demand increased by 24% between 2024 and 2025. In 2025, global oil demand continued to grow, increasing by approximately 0.65 million barrels per day, or 0.7% year-on-year. As the search for oil and gas reserves continues throughout the world, operators are using newer technologies to drill to new depths and must prioritize solutions that optimize their time on the rig.
Work slowdowns can occur when outdated thread compound is used. One simple but highly impactful way of achieving more favorable outcomes on the rig is to switch from regular dope to advanced integrated solutions. Vallourec’s CLEANWELL® proprietary dope-free solution eliminates the time-consuming process of removing connection storage compound and replacing it with running compound, helping operators gain time with equipment that arrives ready for the rig. And it has the added benefit of extending product shelf life in storage to three years or more, compared with products stored with compound.
Applied directly in the mill, CLEANWELL® integrates a dry multifunctional coating that combines anti-corrosion, lubrication and operational performance benefits. It protects tubing and casing against potential problems such as pipe corrosion, and, for more critical materials such as chromium or high alloy grades, it prevents early galling wear caused by friction between connections during make-up. CLEANWELL® connections greatly reduce back-out and reject rates during operation. The result: enhanced operational efficiency, less production downtime and lower risk of cost overruns across the pipe lifecycle.
How does CLEANWELL® works?
CLEANWELL®’s multi-layer dry coating is applied in the mill to VAM® premium OCTG connections. This alternative to storage and running dopes demands far less manual operation on the jobsite.
The pipes and connections essentially arrive to the jobsite ready to use. Thanks to its completely dry surface, workers can execute a quick visual inspection on the equipment without even having to touch the pipes at all. No need to spend time applying compound. With faster slip-to-slip running time, fewer back-outs, and almost no rejects ever, CLEANWELL® saves money and optimizes total cost of ownership (TCO).
Focus on the CLEANWELL® dope-free dry lubrication solution
Vallourec’s CLEANWELL® solution is based on a multi-layer system featuring a dry engineered lubricant film applied in the mill on premium OCTG connections as an alternative to storage and running dopes. This multifunctional coating is designed to combine corrosion protection, make-up performance and dope-free ease of use in one rig-ready solution.
Getting dope-free solutions from an industry leader
Vallourec has been a leading tubular solutions provider for the oil and gas industry for over 50 years. It began perfecting dope-free solutions in the early 2000s, creating the CLEANWELL® line of multi-functional industrial coating in direct response to two developments. First, it listened to the challenges customers were facing and knew that it could draw on its wealth of experience in steel materials to find a better solution. Secondly, Vallourec saw the need for a dope-free product that would be in conformity with developing regulations in certain regions such as the North Sea.
Vallourec has continuously evolved CLEANWELL® to deliver greater performance. Its latest version, launched in 2019, combines enhanced corrosion protection for up to three years of storage with outstanding repeatability and stability during make-up.
Designed for a wide range of casing, liner and tubing applications, CLEANWELL® can be used in all types of wells, including offshore, HP/HT, deviated and deep and ultra-deep wells. It is fully compatible with regular dope ends and accessories, helping operators improve inventory management, simplify deployment and boost performance. It is applied on VAM® premium connections directly in the mill to a variety of steel materials including carbon, sour service, 13 chromium and corrosion resistant alloys. CLEANWELL® has been qualified according to the industry’s most demanding protocols, including API RP5 C5:2017 CAL-IV and ISO13679:2019 CAL-IV.
CLEANWELL® has been used to great success in a variety of oil and gas projects, resulting in up to 30% faster running times on the rig. By delivering consistent make-up with near-zero back-outs and rejects, the technology reduces operational disruptions and non-productive time, resulting in lower costs.
And stock turnover is much less as well, due to fewer instances of pipe corrosion and fewer returns from the rig.
Eliminating thread compound means also eliminating discharge during drilling operations which contaminate the wellbore and impair formation permeability, leading to reduced productivity. CLEANWELL® on the other hand, eliminates this risk by preventing residue accumulation at the source, helping prevent equipment plugging, ensuring cleaner wellbores, preserving formation integrity, and supporting optimal long-term performance without the need for post-drilling cleaning.
Keeping out of the red zone
From a safety standpoint, the CLEANWELL® solution also presents great advantages over traditional compounds. Many running and storage compounds still used today contain substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR). And since these compounds must be applied at the well site, it means unnecessarily exposing employees to these substances which require specific precautions.
Even with CMR-free compounds, onsite application still requires manual intervention close to the pipes, increasing workers’ exposure to the red zone. Compound spills or run-off can also create slippery surfaces on the rig floor. By eliminating the need to apply running dope, CLEANWELL® reduces manual handling and helps keep workers out of the red zone, while also reducing slip risks and the need for subsequent clean-up.
Beyond improving safety, CLEANWELL® also helps reduce environmental impact. Conventional dope can be discharged into the environment, while rig-floor clean-up requires additional water. By eliminating dope application and clean-up, CLEANWELL® reduces these impacts and supports better water management throughout the pipe lifecycle.
As environmental regulations become more stringent, with many jurisdictions mandating lead-free or CMR-free compounds, dope-free solutions like CLEANWELL®—which eliminate discharge entirely—emerge as a more sustainable, compliant and operationally efficient option.
CLEANWELL® success stories from the field
For a North Sea operator, HSE was the initial driver behind the adoption of CLEANWELL® on its offshore rigs, before the operator recognized benefits extending well beyond HSE. Norway’s stringent regulations require operators to eliminate discharge, making the removal of running compounds a key HSE priority.
The first running of the latest generation of CLEANWELL® strings took place in 2019, and in total over 14,000 CLEANWELL® joints have been delivered so far to the operator in Norway for casing and tubing in all types of grades—from carbon steel to corrosion-resistant alloys. This has resulted in efficiency gains throughout the pipe lifecycle, and compliance with all regulations in effect.
The CLEANWELL® solution’s flexibility was further demonstrated when deployed on a customer’s offshore and onshore fields in the Middle East. Encompassing several types of applications from injector to producer wells—including challenging Extended Reach Drilling designs—CLEANWELL® was employed on over 2,000 joints, an equivalent of 24 km (15 mi).
The operator’s onshore and offshore applications required extreme high torque and tight clearance connections for very specific well designs and lateral strings, some of which were over 6,000 m (20,000 ft). CLEANWELL®, combined with Vallourec VAM® HTTC connections with Special Clearance offered a rig-ready solution and superior performance.
In 2025, the first VAM® SLIJ-3 with CLEANWELL® was run for an American operator in the HP/HT waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The 397 joints, totaling over 15,000 ft, were run smoothly with zero rejects, offering the first success story of the region.
Responding to higher demands
To meet growing customer demand worldwide, Vallourec has deployed CLEANWELL® capabilities across several sites, enabling the Group to serve customers across key markets and respond to their needs around the world.
Thanks to its rig-ready ease of use, enhanced operational efficiency, multifunctional coating performance, and safety and environmental benefits, CLEANWELL® is one of the best solutions for today’s oil and gas operators.
