API Summer Standardization Conference 2015

Welcome to QSI’s API Standardization Conference Newsletter
(Exploration & Production)

Updates from the President

I recently attended the following American Petroleum Institute’s meetings at the 2015 API Summer Standardization Conference in San Francisco, CA. While I attended many meetings, my main focus was on the following:

• SC 18 – Subcommittee on Quality
• SC 20 – Subcommittee on Supply Chain Management

Note: API has a Summer and Winter Standardization Conference. Each year there is a different venue. For more information about API’s conferences, visit their Calendar of Events.

During this conference, I also received an award for 25 years of service in API standards development work.

For more information about my API service, visit my LinkedIn profile here.

The Standardization Process

The API has somewhere in the neighborhood of 650 technical documents, including, but not limited to specifications, standards, recommended practices and technical reports (see “API Publications Catalog” in the Helpful API Webpages table below).

The API conferences are a means for over 7,000 volunteer professionals to meet to discuss their continuing work related to creating new technical documents and evaluating others for revision and evaluating industry requests for interpretation of technical requirements and the incorporation of new or additional information into the standardization activities.

The Exploration & Production standards activities are overseen by the Committee on Standardization of Oilfield Equipment and Materials (CSOEM) (see “CSOEM” in the Helpful API Webpages table below). The CSOEM is supported by the following Subcommittees (SC) which include the requisite number of task groups and work groups to accomplish the necessary work to keep the standardization process moving (SC: 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20).

As a general rule, technical documents are typically numbered to follow the SC number (e.g., Spec. 6A, 6D, 6DSS); however, there are some exceptions to this scheme.

Changes

While it is impossible to be involved in all of the technical meetings held at the standardization conferences, it is important to understand that these meetings result in the development of new documents and changes to existing technical documents. Fortunately, the API has several webpages dedicated to the identification of changes (see “What’s New?” and “Standards Addenda & Errata” in the Helpful API Webpages table below.)

Also, as mentioned in the API Winter 2015 Standardization Conference Newsletter, remember to perform a gap analysis to document changes to the product specifications and other industry codes and standards that have an impact upon your product and quality management system. Here is a summary of the actions you should take:

• A gap analysis will need to be performed to document the differences between the previous and the new revisions
• A determination will need to be made as to whether or not the changes to any product specifications present a risk to your existing design and/or current quality management system (i.e., a risk assessment to Q1, Section 5.3)
• A management of change (MOC) will need to be implemented with regards to the revised specification

Ethics Policy

The API has placed into effect an ethics website found here. Shown below is a quotation from this site:

“The American Petroleum Institute is dedicated to providing our members best-in-class service and our employees a safe and productive workplace. Our Standards of Conduct and related policies are very clear (API Policies and Procedures are available on Pipevine). All employees are responsible for carrying out their jobs in a manner reflecting standards of ethics that are consistent with generally accepted criteria for personal integrity. This means individual conduct that is legal, that reflects honesty, and that does not conflict with the best interests of API. All employees who are aware of a violation of this policy must take appropriate action so that the violation is promptly addressed.

API values your input and that is why we have selected EthicsPoint to provide us with an anonymous and confidential method to hear your suggestions, concerns or report of misconduct. Please take some time to review our company’s standards of conduct, employment and sexual harassment policies. If you find that you are unclear regarding an issue of misconduct or you have a question please voice your concern. The information you provide will be sent to the appropriate API designee by EthicsPoint on a totally confidential and anonymous basis. We value your role as a citizen of the API community.”

This site was discussed in a presentation at the API SC 18 meeting and applies to all API personnel, including API auditors for the API Monogram Program and API Quality Registrars.

Any questions about API’s Ethics Policy should be sent to the American Petroleum Institute.

Subcommittee 18 Overview

1. Task Group 2 (TG2) was put into action again and a Work Group was initiated to perform a gap analysis of the Final Draft International Standard ISO 9001:2015 as it applies to API Spec. Q1.
   • Charge: To be developed / published.
   • Status: New, formed during this conference.

2. Task Group 3 (TG3) – Task Group on Recommendations for Improvements to the API Monogram Program
   • Charge: To review issues and develop recommendations for improvements to the API Monogram program.
   • Status: The TG is finalizing their work and a Technical Report related to the subject of “manufacturing capability” will be published and sent out for review and ballot after the work has been completed. Manufacturing capability relates to the minimum facility, equipment and/or process requirements a facility must have in order to be licensed under the API Monogram Program. It also has to do with the amount of subcontracted work that may be let to the supply chain.

3. Task Group 5 (TG5) – Quality Management System for the Service Sector
   • Charge: Develop language for potential revisions of Spec Q2, steward the beta-test site assessments for various drilling services and to create a document in order to facilitate the use of the new Spec Q2 (1st Edition).
   • Status: The TG has been underway for some time and is still in the process of going through industry comments and results of past beta-test audits. The TG’s efforts will result in a Q2 guidance document that will be published sometime in the future.

4. Task Group 6 (TG6) – Welding Requirements in the API Product Specifications
   • Charge: To review all API product specifications and recommended practices and to cross-functionally identify requirements for welding, brazing and soldering; the purpose is to identify criteria to be recommended for use where these processes are required.
   • Status: A proposed Technical Report 18TR4, Technical Report on the Evaluation of Welding Requirements as Applicable to API Product Specifications, 1st Edition, was submitted to the committee and interested parties for comments and ballot. Once the ballot process has been completed, the TR will be slated for publication.

   Note: I chaired this work group; work began on this topic in late 2011.

5. Task Group 7 (TG7) – Product Life Cycle
   • Charge: To create a life-cycle management system document that provides the means of identifying the continued compliance of product to its original and/or current manufacturing and design requirements and the ability to demonstrate product compliance to original and/or current product standards and industry/product-specific technical and regulatory requirements throughout the product lifecycle.
   • Status: A draft API Standard 18LCM, Standard for Product Lifecycle Management for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry, was circulated earlier this year for a general review. The TG is continuing their work and addressing the comments they received from the review. The result of this work will be published in the future as an API Standard.

   Note: This document will provide requirements for the maintenance of product throughout its lifetime.

6. Task Group 8 (TG8) – Spec Q1 Guidance Document
   • Charge: To create a document in order to facilitate the use of the new Spec Q1, 9th Edition, and to work with API staff to determine the need for beta-site assessments and/or mock audits based on the new Spec Q1, 9th Edition.
   • Status: API Technical Report 18TR1, Guidance on Changes to API Q1, Ninth Edition, First Edition, was recently published.
7. Task Group 9 (TG9) – Bolting Committee; I am a member of this TG.
   • Charge: To be developed / published.
   • Status: Formed during the winter conference; the full scope of the task group is underway.

Subcommittee 20 Overview – Supply Chain Alert

API Subcommittee chair persons will be discussing with their committees the need to start referencing SC 20 Specifications and Standards in the product specifications they are responsible for. In other words, SC 20 specs will be included in the “Normative References” section of product specifications, e.g., a reference to Spec 20E and/or 20F in valve specifications.

The outcome of this movement will result in licensees having to flow-down these new requirements to their supply chain.

I have also shown below (Specifications & Standards), a listing of the specifications and standards that SC 20 has available and/or is working on.

Notes:

1. Product specifications under SC 20 are eligible to apply an API Monogram once it is determined that an organization meets the API Monogram Program requirements.
2. Service related organizations that conform to one of the following standards are eligible to apply for a QMS certification through API Quality Registrars.

Task Group Updates

1. Task Group “G,” Welding – this TG has been on the docket for a while; however, a chairman was assigned during this conference.
2. Task Group “M,” Machining – this TG was newly established. I will be chairing this TG; its focus is to determine manufacturing capability related to the subcontracting of machining processes.

Value of the API Monogram

The API Standardization Conference Program contained a flier entitled “What does the API Monogram Mean to the Oil and Gas Industry? ” (Flier with Monogram logo reprinted with permission from API.) This information could be useful for helping explain the value of your API license to your customers.

Shown below are some additional examples of how you can interact with and use API’s various sites to find information.

Subject	What does this do for me?
What’s New	This page illustrates the recent changes to API product specifications and recommended practices (RPs).
Annual Standards Plan	This page illustrates the upcoming changes to API product specifications and RPs. This information can be used for the management review process required by Q1, Section 6.5.
Standards, Addenda, & Errata	This page illustrates the current addenda & errata to API product specifications and RPs. This information will alert you to the recent changes and will support the activities required by Q1, Section 4.4, External Documents in Product Realization.
Purchasing Guidelines	This page illustrates the purchasing interface between product specification manufacturers and the buyers of a customer’s organization. It summarizes all of the interfaces between the manufacturer and customer.
Publications Catalog	This page identifies published product specifications and RPs. It can be used by manufacturers and customer organizations alike to determine which publication is meant for specific types of equipment.
API Composite List	This list is useful from a purchaser’s point of view. It identifies those companies that have: – A Product Specification License – An ISO 9001 QMS Certification – A Q1 QMS Certification – An ISO 14001, EMS Certification and/or  – An OHSAS 18001 H&S Management System Certification

Note: Remember that most of the links above are for the API Monogram Program, which relates to Exploration and Production. The API has several other areas in which they publish standards:

• Marketing
• Petroleum Measurement
• Pipeline Transportation
• Refining