API Winter 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 subcommittee meetings at the 2015 API Winter Standardization Conference in New Orleans, LA:

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

I realized that many people may not understand the full breath of API’s standardization activities.

For example:

1. Did you know that Q1, 9th Edition is at errata 2?
2. Did you know Spec. 6A is going to the 21st Edition?
3. Did you know that Spec. 6D was revised to the 24th Edition in 2014 and is already at errata 2?

While it may seem that this is business as usual, companies that are licensed under an API product specification or that have a quality management system certification are obliged to follow API Spec. Q1, Clause 4.4.4, Use of External Documents in Product Realization, which states:

“When API product or other external specification requirements, including addenda, errata, and updates, are used in the design or manufacture of the product, the organization shall maintain a documented procedure for the integration of these requirements into the product realization process and any other affected processes.”

In other words, this means a consideration whether or not:

• 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 represent 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 will need to be implemented with regards to the revised specification

Shown below are some examples of how you can interact with API webpages to receive the most up-to-date information related to your product specification or other external specification requirements.

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

I have also shown below a listing of the specifications and standards that SC 20 has available and/or is working on. Note that:

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

Specifications & Standards

• Castings, Spec 20A (Published March 2012)
• Open Die Forgings, Spec 20B (Published April 2013)
• Closed Die Forgings, Spec 20C (Published October 2009)
• Non-Destructive Examination, Standard 20D (Published September 2013)
• Alloy and Carbon Steel, Spec 20E (Published August 2012)
• Corrosion-Resistant Bolting, Spec 20F (under development)
• Welding Services, Standard 20G (under development)
• Heat treating Services, Standard 20H (under development)
• Distributors of Metallic Material for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries distributors, Standard 20J (under development)

Note: API has a Summer and Winter Standardization Conference. Each year there is a different venue. For more information about API’s conferences click here.