Product Bulletin PR-5.

10-2009Feb13-EXT
Rev. 10 – 11 September 2020

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

API and Proprietary Connection Interchangeability

Executive Summary
This bulletin addresses a frequently asked question on interchangeability, whether it is between
API connections or NOV Grant Prideco Proprietary connections. The only connections, which are
interchangeable with API connections, are of the GPDS™ (Grant Prideco Double Shoulder) series,
the EIS™ as well as API connections with NOV Grant Prideco SST™ and SRT™ fatigue resistant
thread forms.

All other connections are not interchangeable, as some of their geometrical characteristics would
create interferences that would result in either not being able to make up the connections or
damaging them seriously.

Introduction
All connections, either API or NOV Grant Prideco’s proprietary, are defined by a set of dimensions
that are gathered into two groups. The first group defines the threaded area. The second one is
made of all remaining dimensions.

To be interchangeable dimensions of the first group need to be identical to the extent that they
provide proper thread engagement without interference. Thread forms such as the SST™ and
SRT™ are not exactly identical but do not create interference as shown in Figure 4.

Additionally, other interface dimensions (second group) of the non-threaded areas have to be
compatible.

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When making up a double shoulder connection to an API connection, compatibility dictates that
no unexpected contact of the unthreaded areas be created, particularly between the double
shoulder pin nose (with the API box fade in) and the double shoulder box internal counterbore
(with the API pin end).

API Stress Relief Features

The most commonly used stress relief features normally machined on BHA tools (API pin relief
groove and API box boreback) are disregarded since each consists of removing more material in
the high stress areas which doesn’t create additional interferences. As a consequence, they will
not impact the interchangeability.

Grant Prideco non interchangeable connections with API

For all of the below listed connections the dimensions of the first group do not match with API
connections, making them non-interchangeable with API connections. Refer to Figure 1 for a
scaled overview of some of the listed connections. The non-interchangeability of HT and XT
clearly appears on it.

 HT™
 XT™ series (XT™, XT-F™, XT-M™, uXT™)
 TurboTorque™ series (TT™, TT-M™, TF-M™)
 Delta™
 CT-M™
 GT-M™
 MaXit™
 DC™
 MW™
 FMC
 wSeries (wGPDS™, wXT™, wTT™, wDC™)
 DPR HP™
 VX™, VX-M™
 Nano™

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EIS™
EIS is a double shoulder connection that is interchangeable with API NC and API FH Connections
only. This is due to the physical geometry of the connection. While the API connection is
interchangeable with a variety of double shouldered connections including EIS, this does not
mean that EIS will be able to interchange with these. In particular EIS™ and GPDS™/uGPDS™ are
NOT interchangeable.

Please refer to the below table for an easy reference.

EIS™ API Obsolete connection

2-7/8 PAC EIS™ 2-7/8 PAC
NC26 EIS™ NC26 2 ⅜ IF - 2 ⅞ SH
NC31 EIS™ NC31 2 ⅞ IF - 3 ½ SH
NC38 EIS™ NC38 3 ½ IF - 4 ½ SH
NC40 EIS™ NC40 4 FH - 4 ½ DSL
NC46 EIS™ NC46 4 IF - 4 ½ XH
NC50 EIS™ NC50 4 ½ IF - 5 ½ DSL - 5 XH
NC77 EIS NC77
5 ½ FH EIS™ 5 ½ FH
6 ⅝ FH EIS™ 6 ⅝ FH

GPDS™/uGPDS™
For GPDS™ and uGPDS™, the interchangeability was a design objective and all thread dimensions
of the first group have been kept identical to API connection. The dimensions of the second
group have been selected in order to avoid unexpected interference during connection make-
up that would result in additional unwanted internal friction, and therefore an uncontrolled
make-up condition in the connection.

Figure 2 depicts a GPDS 50 pin connection made up to an API NC 50 box connection. One can see
that these two connections are perfectly identical from primary seal to the end of the threaded
area and that the pin nose doesn’t interfere with the fade out of the API box connection. Figure 3
depicts the reversed configuration and one can see that the standard API pin connection at its
maximum length will not contact the secondary shoulder of the GPDS 50 box.

Please refer to the below table for an easy reference.

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 GPDS™ / uGPDS™ API Obsolete connection
GPDS 26 / uGPDS 26 NC26 2 ⅜ IF - 2 ⅞ SH
GPDS 31 / uGPDS 31 NC31 2 ⅞ IF - 3 ½ SH
GPDS 38 / uGPDS 38 NC38 3 ½ IF - 4 ½ SH
GPDS 40 / uGPDS 40 NC40 4 FH - 4 ½ DSL
GPDS 42 / uGPDS 42 NO API CORRESPONDING SIZE
GPDS 46 / uGPDS 46 NC46 4 IF - 4 ½ XH
GPDS 50 / uGPDS 50 NC50 4 ½ IF - 5 ½ DSL - 5 XH
GPDS 55 / uGPDS 55 5 ½ FH
GPDS 65 / uGPDS 65 6 ⅝ FH

SST™ / SRT™
SST is a modification of the pin connection thread profile that incorporates a dual radius at thread
root and a slightly shallower pin taper. See Figure 4 for a magnified view of the thread profile.
As shown, part of the stabbing flank is removed to allow this dual root radius. By only removing
more material on the stabbing flank of the thread, no interference is created and therefore the
interchangeability with a conventional API box connection of the same type and size is
maintained.

SRT™ is a fatigue resistant thread form on both pins and boxes without any modification of the
taper. In the same manner, this modification allows interchangeability with the API standard
connection.

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Interchangeability of Connections Summary

The below table shows the pin connection and what box connections can be used. Please note
that the table shows physical capability of connections ability to make up to each other. Due
diligence will be required to determine the MUTs and tensile strength seen at the interface due
to various material strengths, ODs, IDs, secondary shoulder engagement, etc.

Pin Connection Box Connection Pin Connection Box Connection

API NC API SRT HT None
GPDS uGPDS API NC
GPDS SRT API FH
uGPDS GPDS
EIS GPDS SRT
API FH GPDS XT XTF
uGPDS uXT
FH SRT XT-M XT-MF
EIS XTF XT
API REG REG SRT uXT
REG SST API REG XT-MF XT-M
REG SRT uXT XT
REG SRT API REG XTF
NC SST API NC TT None
NC SRT TT-M None
GPDS TF-M None
GPDS SRT Delta None
uGPDS CT-M None
NC SRT API NC GT-M None
GPDS MaXit None
GPDS SRT MW None
uGPDS DC None
GPDS API NC FMC None
API FH wGPDS None
GPDS SRT wXT None
uGPDS wTT None
GPDS SRT API NC wDC None
API FH EIS API NC
GPDS API FH
uGPDS Nano None
DPR HP None VX None
VX-M None

Table 1: Interchangeability of connections

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Conclusions
Interchangeability of connection depends on having matching thread dimensions and not
creating unwanted interferences in the unthreaded area.

Of the NOV Grant Prideco proprietary connections, only the GPDS, uGPDS, and EIS double
shoulder connections are interchangeable with API rotary shouldered connections.

The thread form modification of SST or SRT is also interchangeable with the API connections of
similar type and size.

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Appendices

Figure 1 – Scaled view of NC / GPDS / HT / XT

Figure 2 – GPDS50 pin connection torqued into an API NC50 box connection

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Figure 3 – API NC50 pin connection torqued into a GPDS50 box connection

API thread form

SST™/SRT™
enlarged
thread root
radius
Figure 4 – SST™/SRT™ thread form mod

Author Marketing & Product Manager G. Plessis

Approval Marketing & Product Manager G. Plessis
Product & Manufacturing Engineering John Price
Director of Innovation Richard Griffin

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