Wear resistant tubular connection

1. A casing coupling comprising: an outer surface, a box end including an end edge and a threaded interval therein, an extension between the end edge and the threaded interval, the extension including a non-load bearing inner surface and an outer-facing surface; and a hardfacing on the outer facing surface.

2. The casing coupling of claim 1 wherein the extension extends beyond any load bearing threads of the threaded interval.

3. The casing coupling of claim 1 wherein the extension is formed to be generally cylindrical.

4. The casing coupling of claim 1 wherein the end edge defines a leading edge of the casing coupling during insertion of the casing coupling into a well.

5. The casing coupling of claim 1 wherein the box end is on a mill end.

6. The casing coupling of claim 1 wherein the hardfacing is applied on the outer-facing surface of the extension without overlapping the threaded interval.

7. A casing coupling comprising: a main body formed as a cylinder and including a first end, a second end, an outer surface and an axial inner bore defined by an inner surface, load bearing threads formed from material of the main body and positioned on the inner surface adjacent the first end, and an extension on only one end of the main body, the extension being positioned between the load bearing threads and the first end and including a wear resistant material on an external surface of the extension, the wear resistant material having a wear resistance greater than the material forming the load bearing threads.

8. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the load bearing threads are part of a threaded interval and the extension extends beyond any threads of the threaded interval.

9. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the first end is the lower end.

10. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the first end is a mill end.

11. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the external surface is generally cylindrical.

12. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the wear resistant material is in the form of a hardband.

13. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the extension extends axi-symmetrically about the first end relative to an axis defined by the axial inner bore.

14. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the wear resistant material is positioned on the external surface of the extension substantially without overlapping the load bearing threads.

15. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the wear resistant material is applied by hard facing.

16. The casing coupling of claim 7 wherein the wear resistant material is formed by heat treatment.

17. A casing string comprising: at least one casing joint including an externally threaded pin end and a casing coupling including a box end including an end edge and material forming a threaded interval therein, and an extension between the end edge and the threaded interval, the extension including a wear resistant material on an outer surface of the extension, the wear resistant material having a wear resistance greater than the material forming the threaded interval, the casing coupling threadedly engaged by load bearing threads of the threaded interval to the pin end of the at least one casing joint with the extension spaced from contact with the pin end and extending out beyond any threads of the pin end.

18. The casing string of claim 17 wherein the end edge defines a leading edge of the casing coupling during insertion of the casing string into a well.

19. The casing string of claim 17 wherein the box end is on a mill end.

20. The casing string of claim 17 wherein the extension has a non-threaded inner surface.

21. The casing string of claim 17 wherein the wear resistant material is positioned substantially without overlapping the threaded interval.

22. The casing string of claim 17 wherein the wear resistant material is applied by hard facing.

23. The casing string of claim 17 wherein the wear resistant material is formed by heat treatment.

24. A casing connection comprising: a casing joint including a pin end with threads formed thereon and a casing coupling including a box end including an end edge and a threaded interval therein, and an extension between the end edge and the threaded interval, the extension including a wear resistant material on an outer surface of the extension, the wear resistant material having a wear resistance greater than the threaded interval, the casing coupling threadedly engaged by load bearing threads of the threaded interval to the threads of the pin end with the extension spaced from contact with the pin end and extending out beyond the threads of the pin end.

25. The casing connection of claim 24 wherein the end edge defines a leading edge of the casing coupling during insertion of a casing string including the connection into a well.

26. The casing connection of claim 24 wherein the box end is on a mill end.

27. The casing connection of claim 24 wherein the extension has a non-threaded inner surface.

28. The casing connection of claim 24 wherein the wear resistant material is positioned substantially without overlapping the threaded interval.

29. The casing connection of claim 24 wherein the wear resistant material is applied by hard facing.

30. The casing connection of claim 24 wherein the wear resistant material is formed by heat treatment.

31. A casing connection comprising: a casing joint including a tubular body and a pin end extending from the tubular body, the pin end including threads formed thereon; and a casing coupling including a box end, the box end including an end edge and a threaded interval therein, and an extension between the end edge and the threaded interval, the extension including a wear resistant material on an outer surface of the extension, the wear resistant material having a wear resistance greater than the threaded interval, the casing coupling threadedly engaged by load bearing threads of the threaded interval to the threads of the pin end with the extension extending out over the tubular body of the casing joint.

32. The casing connection of claim 31 wherein the end edge defines a leading edge of the casing coupling during insertion of a casing string including the connection into a well.

33. The casing connection of claim 31 wherein the box end is on a mill end.

34. The casing connection of claim 31 wherein the extension has a non-threaded inner surface.

35. The casing connection of claim 31 wherein the wear resistant material is positioned substantially without overlapping the threaded interval.

36. The casing connection of claim 31 wherein the wear resistant material is applied by hard facing.

37. The casing connection of claim 31 wherein the wear resistant material is formed by heat treatment.