Product Bulletin PR-7.

6-2007Jan26-EXT
Rev. 6 – 29 March 2018

Grant Prideco™
NOV Wellbore Technologies
Product Management Dept.
10100 Houston Oaks Dr.
Houston, TX 77064
+1 (281) 921-3600 main
nov.com/grantprideco/

GPDS™ and API Interchangeability and Transition Point

Connecting a Grant Prideco™ Double Shoulder connection, referenced hereafter as GPDS, to the
API connection it is interchangeable to, may introduce a weak point in your drill string as the
double shoulder connection could be streamlined. However, if this limitation is seen as an issue,
it could easily be overcome.

Design Consideration

Grant Prideco has designed GPDS connections to be fully interchangeable with API connections
of similar size. Please refer to table 1 in appendix for reference on the interchangeability. Further
details on this interchangeability could be found in another product bulletin (PR-5.XX-2009Feb13-
EXT).

Let us first start with considerations on double shoulder connections and the possible
streamlining that engineers could use when optimizing the drill stem products design. Figure 1
illustrates the cross sectional view of typical double-shouldered connection. Its secondary torque
shoulder provides increased torsional capacity compared to a standard API rotary shoulder
connection; across drill pipe sizes GPDS connections show a 33 to 71% maximum make up torque
increase over API connection, with similar tool joint outside and inside diameters.

In most cases, this torque requirement exceeds driller’s need and connections are often
streamlined. Internal diameter is typically enlarged to improve hydraulic performances of the
drill pipe assembly. The outside diameter could also be reduced to improve the fishability and
reduce impact on ECD.

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It is important to note that when connecting streamlined GPDS™ with API rotary-shouldered
connections the make-up torque and torsional strength will be affected for two reasons:
• The secondary shoulder, or torque shoulder, will not engage.
• The torsional characteristic of the connection association is a result of the actual
connection pin internal diameter (ID) and box outside diameter (OD) at interface point.

Please refer to the tables 2 to 6 for actual torsional values applicable to the various configurations
(API to API, GPDS to GPDS, and GPDS to API) for GPDS sizes 31, 38, 40, 50 and 55. For other sizes
or other tool joint OD/ID configurations, please enquire from Grant Prideco technical marketing
group.

It is essential to understand that the make-up torque value can be different and that the right
torque shall be applied at every connection interface. In particular, one should understand that
the weakest point may be when connecting a GPDS pin (with a large ID) into an API box that is
normally connected to an API pin with a smaller ID.

Example:
If the string is mixing drill pipe with NC 38 connections (5” OD x 2 1/8” ID) with the interchangeable
GPDS 38 (5” x 2 7/16”), the maximum make up torque (MUT) for the API to API connection is
15,900 ft-lb. The GPDS 38 to GPDS 38 is rated at 17,500 ft-lb. However, the GPDS 38 pin to NC 38
box has a maximum MUT of 13,200 ft-lb. See yellow highlighted cells in the table 3 below.

How to avoid the weak point in your string

If the reduction of make-up torque at the interface point is an issue, we recommend keeping the
GPDS and API pipe in different sections of the string and not mixing them randomly. Since the
GPDS connection would typically deliver higher torque, this pipe would more likely be at the top
of the string. The “weak point” at the interface could easily be eliminated by using one crossover
sub (GPDS box up x API pin down) between the drill pipe sections, cut in a material having the
same specified minimum yield strength as the pipe tool joints.

Note that subs cut in raw material matching API Specification 7 for drill stem subs have properties
that are different from those of drill pipe tool joints and generally come with a lower material
specified minimum yield strength (SMYS), which would reduce the torsional properties of
connections accordingly.

Example:
With the above example, we would not have the connection association that was bringing the
lowest MUT of 13,200 ft-lb anymore. If the sub uses a material with a SMYS of 120,000 PSI, the

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string connection rating becomes 17,500 ft-lb in the GPDS™ 38 top connection, down to the cross
over sub upper connection, and then 15,900 ft-lb in the NC 38 drill pipe subsequent section. If
using a material to API Specification 7, the SMYS would be 110,000 PSI leading to a rating of
16,000 ft-lb in the upper part of the string and 14,600 ft-lb for the lower one.

Please do not hesitate to contact Grant Prideco™ representative for further data relating to the
connections you wish to use.

Conclusions

It is important to be aware of the consequences of mixing interchangeable connections together,

to avoid creating torsional weak points at connection transition.

If this torsional “weak” point is seen as a limiting factor, an easy mitigation consists of keeping
the various connections (GPDS and API rotary shouldered connections) in separate sections of
the string and using a crossover sub at the interface with appropriate yield properties.

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Appendices

Table 1 – GPDS™ to API connection interchangeability

GPDS™ API Obsolete Connection
GPDS 26 NC 26 2 3/8 IF – 2 7/8 SH
GPDS 31 NC 31 2 7/8 IF – 3 1/2 SH
GPDS 38 NC 38 3 1/2 IF – 4 1/2 SH
GPDS 40 NC 40 4 FH – 4 1/2 DSL
GPDS 46 NC 46 4 IF – 4 1/2 XH
GPDS 50 NC 50 4 1/2 IF – 5 1/2 DSL – 5 XH
GPDS 55 5 1/2 FH -
GPDS 65 6 5/8 FH -

Table 2 – Maximum Recommended MUT (ft-lb) for GPDS 31 to NC 31 associations

GPDS 31 Pin NC 31 Pin
2.000” ID 1.625” 2.000” ID 2.125” ID
GPDS 31 Box 4.125” OD 10,300 10,100 7,900 7,100
4.125” OD 7,900 8,500 7,900 7,100
NC 31 Box
4.375” OD 7,900 10,100 - -

Legend (Tables 2-6)

API to API
API Pin to GPDS™ Box or GPDS™ Pin to API Box
GPDS™ to GPDS™
Common Configurations
- Connection is dangerously (box or pin) weak! Not applicable. Ask Grant Prideco representative for further details

Table 3 – Maximum Recommended MUT (ft-lb) for GPDS 38 to NC 38 associations

GPDS 38 Pin NC 38 Pin
2.438” ID 2.563” ID 2.125” 2.438” ID 2.563” ID
4.750” OD - 14,900 - 11,500 11,500
GPDS 38 Box 4.875” OD 17,400 - 13,700 13,200 12,100
5.000” OD 17,400 15,400 15,900 13,200 12,100
4.750” OD 11,500 11,500 - 11,500 11,500
NC 38
4.875” OD 13,200 12,100 - 13,200 12,100
Box
5.000” OD 13,200 12,100 15,900 13,200 12,100

Note: See Legend below Table 2

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Table 4 – Maximum Recommended MUT (ft-lb) for GPDS 40 to NC 40 associations
GPDS 40 Pin NC 40 Pin
2.563” ID 2.688” ID 2.563” ID 2.688” ID
GPDS 40 Box 5.250” OD 21,800 19,600 16,600 15,300
NC 40 Box 5.250” OD 16,600 15,300 16,600 15,300

Note: See Legend below Table 2

Table 5 – Maximum Recommended MUT (ft-lb) for GPDS 50 to NC 50 associations

GPDS 50 Pin NC 50 Pin
3.000” ID 3.250” ID 3.500” ID 2.750” 3.250” ID 3.500” ID
GPDS 50 Box 6.625” OD 49,600 43,000 35,900 38,000 30,700 26,700
6.500” OD 34,200 30,700 26,700 34,200 30,700 26,700
NC 50 Box
6.625” OD 34,500 30,700 26,700 38,000 30,700 26,700

Note: See Legend below Table 2

Table 6 – Maximum Recommended MUT (ft-lbs) for GPDS 55 to 5 1/2 FH associations

GPDS 55 Pin 5 1/2 FH Pin
3.500” ID 3.750” ID 4.000” ID 3.125” ID 3.250” ID 3.500” ID 4.000” ID

GPDS 55 7.000” OD 55,800 52,200 43,800 37,700 37,700 37,700 33,400

Box 7.250” OD 61,200 52,700 43,700 47,200 47,200 43,300 33,400
7.000” OD 37,700 37,700 33,400 - - 37,700 33,400
5 1/2 FH
7.250” OD 43,300 38,500 33,400 47,200 47,200 43,300 33,400
Box
7.500” OD 43,300 38,500 33,400 50,000 47,800 - -

Note: See Legend below Table 2

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Figure 1 – Double Shoulder Connection

Author Marketing & Product Management G. Plessis

Approval Marketing & Product Management G. Plessis

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