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Tubing is ordered by outside diameter and nominal weight, but a usable size lookup also has to show wall thickness, nominal inside diameter, drift clearance, and the outside envelope of the selected NUE or EUE coupling. Build the line item from the tables below, then verify the final combination against the licensed governing edition, mill data, and completion design.
Forever Steel's API 5CT tubing pipe supply page covers commercial supply scope, available grades, connection options, inspection records, and quotation inputs. This page has a narrower job: it helps buyers look up geometry and turn a selected row into a controlled request for quotation.
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Key takeaways Order against API Spec 5CT, 11th Edition plus the applicable addenda and errata — not just “latest API 5CT.” PSL1/PSL2 labels do not apply to 11th Edition orders; state edition, grade/type, manufacturing route, and connection instead. Nominal ID and standard drift are pipe-body reference values, not a substitute for load-case selection or connection engineering. Nominal weight is a line designation for early tonnage planning, not the invoiced shipping mass. |
API Specification 5CT, 11th Edition, was published in December 2023. API has since issued Addendum 1 (May 2025) and later errata, including Errata 3 in June 2026. A purchase order should identify the 11th Edition together with the applicable addenda and errata, rather than writing only ‘latest API 5CT.’
The 11th Edition no longer uses the Product Specification Level labels that appeared in the 10th Edition, so an 11th Edition tubing order should not be described as PSL1 or PSL2. State the edition, grade/type, size and nominal weight, manufacturing route, connection, range, supplementary requirements, inspection scope, and document package directly.
The values below are a procurement working lookup for common tubing lines — not a stock promise, a performance rating, or a substitute for the licensed standard. Nominal ID is calculated from nominal OD minus twice the nominal wall. Standard drift is shown as a reference passage value for the pipe body; end sizing, upset geometry, integral-joint products, special drift, and installed couplings all need separate confirmation.
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Tubing OD in / mm |
Nominal weight lb/ft / kg/m |
Nominal wall in / mm |
Nominal ID in / mm |
Reference drift in / mm |
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1.900 / 48.26 |
2.75 / 4.09 |
0.145 / 3.68 |
1.610 / 40.89 |
1.516 / 38.51 |
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2-3/8 / 60.33 |
4.00 / 5.95 |
0.167 / 4.24 |
2.041 / 51.84 |
1.947 / 49.45 |
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2-3/8 / 60.33 |
4.60 / 6.85 |
0.190 / 4.83 |
1.995 / 50.67 |
1.901 / 48.29 |
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2-3/8 / 60.33 |
5.80 / 8.63 |
0.254 / 6.45 |
1.867 / 47.42 |
1.773 / 45.03 |
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2-7/8 / 73.03 |
6.40 / 9.52 |
0.217 / 5.51 |
2.441 / 62.00 |
2.347 / 59.61 |
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2-7/8 / 73.03 |
7.90 / 11.76 |
0.276 / 7.01 |
2.323 / 59.00 |
2.229 / 56.62 |
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2-7/8 / 73.03 |
9.35 / 13.91 |
0.340 / 8.64 |
2.195 / 55.75 |
2.101 / 53.37 |
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3-1/2 / 88.90 |
7.70 / 11.46 |
0.216 / 5.49 |
3.068 / 77.93 |
2.943 / 74.75 |
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3-1/2 / 88.90 |
9.20 / 13.69 |
0.254 / 6.45 |
2.992 / 75.99 |
2.867 / 72.82 |
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3-1/2 / 88.90 |
10.20 / 15.18 |
0.289 / 7.34 |
2.922 / 74.22 |
2.797 / 71.04 |
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3-1/2 / 88.90 |
12.70 / 18.90 |
0.363 / 9.22 |
2.774 / 70.46 |
2.649 / 67.28 |
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3-1/2 / 88.90 |
15.50 / 23.07 |
0.449 / 11.40 |
2.602 / 66.09 |
2.477 / 62.92 |
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4.000 / 101.60 |
9.50 / 14.14 |
0.226 / 5.74 |
3.548 / 90.12 |
3.423 / 86.94 |
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4.000 / 101.60 |
11.00 / 16.37 |
0.262 / 6.65 |
3.476 / 88.29 |
3.351 / 85.12 |
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4-1/2 / 114.30 |
10.50 / 15.63 |
0.224 / 5.69 |
4.052 / 102.92 |
3.927 / 99.75 |
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4-1/2 / 114.30 |
11.60 / 17.26 |
0.250 / 6.35 |
4.000 / 101.60 |
3.875 / 98.43 |
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4-1/2 / 114.30 |
13.50 / 20.09 |
0.290 / 7.37 |
3.920 / 99.57 |
3.795 / 96.39 |
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4-1/2 / 114.30 |
15.10 / 22.47 |
0.337 / 8.56 |
3.826 / 97.18 |
3.701 / 94.01 |
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4-1/2 / 114.30 |
18.90 / 28.13 |
0.415 / 10.54 |
3.670 / 93.22 |
3.545 / 90.04 |
Reading rule: choose the OD family first, then the nominal-weight line within it. Two tubing strings sharing the same OD can have different walls, IDs, and drift clearances — a heavier line generally reduces the available bore, which can affect completion-tool passage and flow area even when the outside diameter is unchanged.
|
Field |
What it tells the buyer |
Common purchasing error |
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Tubing OD |
Pipe-body outside diameter family |
Treating 2-7/8 in as the bore |
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Nominal weight |
Commercial line designation in lb/ft |
Using it as guaranteed shipment mass |
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Nominal wall |
Reference pipe-body wall |
Ignoring manufacturing tolerance |
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Nominal ID |
OD minus twice nominal wall |
Using nominal ID as a drift acceptance value |
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Drift |
Minimum passage checked with the applicable mandrel |
Assuming it proves connection or tool compatibility |
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Coupling OD |
Maximum external envelope of the selected connection |
Checking only tubing-body clearance |
NUE and EUE describe standard tubing end configurations. EUE uses an externally upset pipe end and normally carries a larger coupling envelope than NUE. Connection choice is not a keyword-level substitute for engineering review — confirm tensile capacity, pressure/leakage requirements, upset clearance, completion equipment, make-up requirements, and the mill's licensed connection scope.
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Tubing OD in / mm |
NUE coupling OD in / mm |
EUE coupling OD in / mm |
NUE min length in / mm |
EUE min length in / mm |
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1.900 / 48.26 |
2.200 / 55.88 |
2.500 / 63.50 |
3.750 / 95.25 |
3.875 / 98.43 |
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2-3/8 / 60.33 |
2.875 / 73.03 |
3.063 / 77.80 |
4.250 / 107.95 |
4.875 / 123.83 |
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2-7/8 / 73.03 |
3.500 / 88.90 |
3.668 / 93.17 |
5.125 / 130.18 |
5.250 / 133.35 |
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3-1/2 / 88.90 |
4.250 / 107.95 |
4.500 / 114.30 |
5.625 / 142.88 |
5.750 / 146.05 |
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4.000 / 101.60 |
4.750 / 120.65 |
5.000 / 127.00 |
5.750 / 146.05 |
6.000 / 152.40 |
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4-1/2 / 114.30 |
5.200 / 132.08 |
5.563 / 141.30 |
6.125 / 155.58 |
6.250 / 158.75 |
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Coupling values above are reference dimensions for standard configurations. Confirm the exact API 5B thread form, coupling stock, grade, finish, special-clearance option, and current controlled drawing before purchase. A proprietary premium connection must be identified by its exact licensed designation — never as a generic ‘premium thread.’ |
Compare the maximum outside diameter of each completion tool, plug, gauge, or intervention assembly with the required drift clearance. Keep an engineering allowance for tolerances, deposits, scale, deformation, and operating conditions — a tool smaller than nominal ID is not automatically acceptable if it does not clear the specified drift requirement.
Compare the selected NUE, EUE, or proprietary connection outside envelope with the minimum casing drift and every restriction along the installation path, including safety valves, nipples, packers, liners, wellhead bores, and any special-clearance connection geometry. The tubing body OD alone is not the controlling external dimension.
Externally upset tubing changes the end geometry. The governing standard, applicable corrections, and approved manufacturing procedure control how end sizing and end drifting are handled. State whether standard or special drift applies, and require the inspection record to identify the mandrel dimensions, test path, and acceptance result.
Nominal weight is a line designation and a planning input, not the final invoiced gross shipping mass. Start by estimating pipe-body mass from nominal kg/m and ordered length, then account for couplings, protectors, packaging, tolerances, tally variation, and any accessories.
Illustrative estimate: 3,000 m of 2-7/8 in x 6.40 lb/ft tubing at 9.52 kg/m gives a nominal pipe-body mass of 28,560 kg. That is not the shipment gross weight — the supplier's final tally and packing list should identify joint count, measured length, net pipe mass, coupling/protector allowance, and gross shipping mass.
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Stage |
Weight basis |
Buyer use |
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Engineering lookup |
Nominal kg/m × planned length |
Early tonnage and string comparison |
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Commercial quotation |
Supplier's quoted mass basis |
Price normalization and freight estimate |
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Production tally |
Actual joints, measured lengths, and traceability |
String planning and release |
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Packing list |
Net and gross shipment mass |
Transport booking and customs documents |
A database selection should not be sent to a mill as only ‘2-7/8 tubing.’ Use the selected dimensions to build a controlled line item and leave engineering-dependent fields open for approval:
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Example RFQ line API Spec 5CT, 11th Edition with applicable addenda and errata; tubing, 2-7/8 in OD x 6.40 lb/ft nominal weight; [grade/type]; [seamless or welded route]; [NUE/EUE/exact proprietary connection]; Range [1/2/3]; standard drift unless otherwise stated; quantity [joints/metres/tonnes]; thread protectors, marking, inspection documents, and packing per attached requisition. |
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RFQ field |
Buyer input required |
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Standard basis |
Edition, addenda/errata, and any supplementary requirements |
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Tubing line |
OD, nominal weight, wall/ID reference, and required drift |
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Material |
Exact grade/type, heat treatment, and service qualification |
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Connection |
NUE, EUE, or exact licensed proprietary designation |
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Service data |
Pressure, temperature, fluids, H2S, CO2, chlorides, and completion duty |
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Inspection |
Hydrotest, NDT, drift, thread gauging, MTC, and witness points |
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Delivery |
Range, quantity, tally, marking, protectors, packing, and destination |
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Do not Use nominal ID or drift alone to select tubing for collapse, burst, tension, compression, fatigue, or combined loads. Infer grade availability from a dimensional row — grade/type, size, weight, and connection availability must be confirmed together. Infer sour-service suitability from grade name alone — define the actual environment and qualification requirements. Compare quotes until both suppliers use the same weight basis, connection, range, inspection scope, and document package. Rely on this page for contract use without reconciling the final line item with the licensed standard, current corrections, approved data sheet, and mill documents. |
1. API 5CT Casing and Tubing Complete Guide — selection framework for product function, grades, size, and connections
2. API 5CT Tubing Guide for Production, Injection, and Corrosive Service — service-condition and RFQ decisions
3. Standard API Threads or Premium Connections — connection-selection boundary
4. API 5CT Pre-Shipment Inspection Checklist — thread, drift, hydrotest, NDT, and tally records
• American Petroleum Institute — API Specification 5CT 11th Edition — official edition announcement and standard scope
• American Petroleum Institute — API 5CT Addenda and Errata — official current correction listing
• American Petroleum Institute — Removal of Product Specification Level Requirements — official transition notice for the 11th Edition
• Wild Well Control — Technical Data Book — public tubing dimensional cross-check; governing API data still controls
