NOV Grant Prideco continues to advance rotary-shouldered connection technology with development of the new TurboFrac™-M connection. The TurboFrac-M connection is a specialized version of the TurboTorque®-M connection designed to meet the needs of today’s completion operations. Hydraulic fracturing and other completion operations in deep and high pressure wells can impose extremely high pressure and compressive loads on the completion string. “Fracking” is an operation involving pumping special fluids downhole to break up the formation allowing the hydrocarbons to more easily flow from the well. Compared to TurboTorque-M, the TurboFrac-M connection has tool joints with larger profile and made from higher strength material to withstand the higher loads.

TurboFrac™-M Connection  incorporates the other TurboTorque features including a double-start thread which reduces the number of revolutions required to makeup the connection by 50%, reducing trip time.

The thread form also provides a unique dual-radius thread root that offers a step-change improvement in fatigue resistance. A metal-to-metal seal provides pressure integrity. Due to the high pressures and loads involved, performance of the connection will be validated on a project specific basis with extensive finite-element analysis and laboratory testing programs designed to replicate the expected harsh, aggressive dynamic loads to the connections.