API Standards for Oil & Gas
The American Petroleum Institute (API) writes standards for the oil and gas industry: how to design, build, inspect and operate equipment, and how to work safely. They are voluntary on their own, but regulators, contracts and insurers often make them mandatory in practice.
- Oil & Gas
- Refineries
- Inspectors & Welders
Common standards
| Standard | What it covers |
|---|---|
| API 510 | In-service inspection, repair and alteration of pressure vessels |
| API 570 | Piping inspection, repair and alteration |
| API 653 | Aboveground storage tanks: inspection, repair, alteration |
| API 1104 | Welding of pipelines and related facilities |
| API RP 54 | Occupational safety for oil and gas well drilling and servicing |
| API RP 75 / 750 | Safety and environmental management and process hazard management |
| API 2201 | Safe hot tapping practices |
| API 2219 | Safe operation of vacuum trucks in petroleum service |
| API 2217A | Guidelines for work in inert confined spaces |
How they are used
- Inspectors need API certifications (such as 510, 570 and 653) to inspect and rate equipment.
- Welders qualify to API 1104 procedures for pipelines. See AWS Welding Codes.
- Operators and contractors use API recommended practices to design safety programs for drilling, servicing and processing.
- Authorities may incorporate API standards into laws and permits.
Relation to OSHA
- OSHA rules apply first: process safety management (1910.119), hot work, confined spaces and others. See Process Safety Management.
- OSHA may refer to API standards as recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice (RAGAGEP).
- Fire and explosion practices such as hot tapping are described in API 2201. See Hot Tapping.
What workers should do
- Know which standards your employer and the site use
- Follow the written procedures that come from them
- Ask about the safe way to do tasks such as hot work, vessel entry and tank cleaning
- Report equipment damage, leaks and overdue inspections
Note: API standards are copyrighted, and editions change. The above is a summary; get the current edition for any work that depends on it.
Standards & references
Last updated: