In this Industry Insight series, Bud Weightman discusses his recent attendance at the American Petroleum Institute’s 2021 Winter Standardization Conference, held virtually on January 21st, 2021. Bud’s primary focus was on subcommittee updates and news from the API Monogram Program:

• SC18 – Subcommittee on Quality
• SC20 – Subcommittee on Supply Chain Management
• The API Monogram Program / APIQR Forum and News

To view all API Standardization Conference updates, visit the API Insider page.

API Resolution of Appreciation

Joel Russo of Technip FMC, TG 20B Chairman was presented with an API Resolution of Appreciation for his work on Spec 20B, Open Died Forgings for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry.

SC20 Standards and Specifications

The Committee on Standardization of Oilfield Equipment and Materials (CSOEM), Subcommittee 20 (SC20), is tasked with the development and maintenance of API specifications* and standards† on supply chain management for critical materials and processes used in oil and natural gas exploration and production.  These standards include:

• castings, Spec 20A;
• open die forgings, Spec 20B;
• closed die forgings, Spec 20C;
• non-destructive examination, Std 20D;
• alloy and carbon steel bolting, Spec 20E;
• corrosion-resistant bolting, Spec 20F;
• welding services, Std 20G;
• heat treating services, Std 20H;
• distributors, Std 20J;
• non-metallic seals, Std 20L;
• machining services, Std 20M;
• continuous furnace heat treating services, Std 20N;
• plating and coating, Std 20P;
• subsurface electronics, Std 20R;
• additive manufacturing, Std 20S.

The goal of the SC20 specifications / standards are to:

• Support API product specifications / standards where an SC 20 document is specified.
• Be utilized when contractually specified as a requirement for compliance.
• Provide the supply chain with a voluntary method to demonstrate their compliance to specified requirements.

The reference to SC 20 documents in API Product Specifications may be for various purposes, but not limited to the following:

Concurrently, any mention of an SC 20 Specification or Standard in an API Product Specification would be included in the Normative References as well as within the body of the specification.

Note: The API Composite List identifies organizations that hold a current API Product Specification license and/or have a Quality Management System Certification to an SC 20 Standard.

*Specification: Interested companies are eligible to apply for an API Monogram Program License (20A, 20B, 20C, 20E, and 20F).

†Standard: A Quality Registration Program is being identified, developed, clarified, and will eventually be implemented for the service standards (20D, 20G, 20H, 20J, 20L, 20M, 20N, 20P, 20R). Interested parties will be eligible to apply for APIQR Quality Management System Certification.

‡Standard 20M, Qualification of Suppliers of Machining Services for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries is used as an example.

Suppliers who furnish product or services in accordance with SC20 documents could be considered to be Critical Suppliers as addressed by Spec Q1, Clause 5.6.1, Purchasing Control, therefore it is important to evaluate your supply chain and include appropriate language in purchasing documents as specified in Q1, Clause 5.6.2, Purchasing Information.

QSI provides supplier management solutions to reduce costs and risks in your supply chain. Our approach is to validate supplier information by comprehensively documenting the relationship between your company and its suppliers in order to collaboratively drive improvements in supplier performance. With our supplier audits, you will be able to:

• Make better decisions
• Track supplier performance trends
• Drive continual improvements with improvement plans
• Set the industry standard for compliance