API Winter Standardization Conference 2017

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 2017 API Winter Standardization Conference in Austin, Texas the week of January 16th. My main focus was on the following:

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

 

Important Changes

The following important changes are coming (click the link below to jump to section):

• API Standard 20M for Machining Services
• API Spec. Q1, 9th Edition, Addendum 2
• API Spec. Q1, 10th Edition and ISO 9001:2015
• API Spec. Q2, future revision
• ISO TS 29001, gains attention in the EU
• Technical Report 18TR4, Welding
• Technical Report 18LCM, Life Cycle Management
• Technical Report 18TR2, Q2 Guidance

Subcommittee 18 Overview

1. 1. Technical Report 18TR4 – Technical Report on the Evaluation of Welding Requirements as Applicable to API Product Specifications has been approved and is now in the edit and publishing cycle (this is the SC 18 Task Group 6 output; the group that I chaired). This report has to do with standardizing welding requirements across API Monogram Program product specifications where welding is performed. The report does not identify welding requirements; however, it does expand upon ASME Section IX and AWS D1.1 requirements related to applicable product specifications.

 

1. 1. Technical Report 18LCM – Product Lifecycle Management System Requirements for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry has been approved and is now in the edit and publishing cycle.This document applies to the repair of upstream “. . . pressure-containing and pressure-controlling products for wellbore fluids but may also be applied to other equipment that is specified by the product owner or customer . . .” equipment. Once this report goes through the comment resolution process, it will be released for another review cycle.

 

1. 1. API Spec. Q1, 9th Edition, Addendum 2 – A new addendum will be released to identify BSEE concerns over industry bolting issues. While only a few sections of Q1 will be changed, the intent of the changes will be significant. Some of the changes (these are only examples) will relate to the following; however, take note that the wording has not yet been finalized:
      • • Purchasing controls related to changes in the supply chain that can negatively affect the quality of critical activities or products

       

      • • Supplier ability to meet the applicable API product specification and industry standards

       

      • • Supply chain – suppliers and any associated sub-supplier(s)

       

      • • The addition of coating and plating that can impact product function as addressed in Validation of Process for Production and Servicing

       

      I strongly suggest no action with regards to changing your management system until the addendum has been issued. While the new Q1 changes have been proposed due to the bolting issues, the changes would apply to any product where quality may be impaired.

      If you are interested in further reading, I suggest you go to the BSEE home page and type in “bolting” into the search bar: http://www.bsee.gov/.

      A ballot resolution meeting will be held next week. Once all the comments have been responded to, the document will begin the editing and publishing process.

 

1. 1. ISO 9001:2015 – SC18 Task Group 2 has the responsibility to review the ISO 9001:2015 document and identify the changes that will be need to API Spec. Q1. TG2 has held several meetings and begun their efforts and Q1, 10th Edition changes are underway. They are making good progress, so hopefully this document will be published soon.

 

1. 1. API 18TR2, Guidance to API Specification Q2 – has been published and has been released for comments.

 

1. 1. API Spec. Q2, Specification for Quality Management System Requirements for Service Supply Organizations for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries, First Edition (2011), Addendum 1 (2016) – A 2-year extension has been granted for the extension of Q2’s 5-year review and revision process. This means that Spec. Q2 will be evaluated over this period for potential changes.

 

1. ISO/TS 29001, Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries – Sector-specific quality management systems — Requirements for product and service supply organizations – ISO/TS 29001 is back! A draft document has been published and is in the review and comment stages. The commenting and publishing processes will take some time. TS 29001 is being revitalized based upon the ISO 9001:2015 issuance and the level of interest to the oil & gas operating companies in the European Union.

Subcommittee 20 Overview

1. 1. Document Under SC20
      There is quite a bit of activity in this Subcommittee; shown below are the specifications and standards that are being worked on:
      • Castings, Spec 20A (Published March 2012)
      • Open die forgings, Spec 20B (Published April 2013)
      • Closed die forgings, Spec 20C (Published November 2015)
      • Non-destructive examination, Standard 20D (Published September 2013)
      • Alloy and carbon steel bolting, Spec 20E (Published August 2012)
      • Corrosion-resistant bolting, Spec 20F (Published June 2015)
      • Welding services, Standard 20G (under development)
      • Heat treating services, Standard 20H (Published October 2015)
      • Distributors, Standard 20J (in editing)
      • Don-metallic seals, Standard 20L (under development)
      • Machining services, Standard 20M (final draft)
      • Continuous furnace heat treating services, Standard 20N (under development)
      • Plating and coating, Standard 20P (under development)
      • Subsurface electronics, Standard 20R (under development)

 

1. 1. Specifications & Standards
      You may notice there is a difference in the designators “specification” and “standard”:
      • • Specifications – licensees under the specifications must follow the requirements of the specification and API Spec. Q1 as specified under the API Monogram Program. In addition, licensees to these specifications will be allowed to use the API Monogram.

       

      • Standards – depending upon the standard, companies may be required to:
        • Follow API Spec. Q1 as their quality management system requirements
        • Follow the requirements specified by the standard

      Additionally, some standards have progressive quality requirements such as a service level 1, 2 or 3. While at this time there are no API requirements to be certified under API Spec. Q1, companies may choose to be certified or may state that they conform to the requirements of the standard.

 

1. 1. Important
      Many API product specifications will consider identifying SC20 documents in the Normative Reference section or elsewhere in the product specification. For example, API Spec. 6D has identified SC20 documents:
      • In Annex G, API 20 Series Supply Chain Management (an Informative Annex)
      • In the Bibliography

 

1. 1. API Standard 20M, Qualification of Suppliers of Machining Services for Use in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries – I am the Chairman of this Task Group; the Task Group has been underway since late 2015. The 20M Standard is intended for the qualification of machining service companies that perform all types of machining for the Oil & Gas Industry.20M is intended to alleviate supplier audits by the equipment manufacturers. It includes 3 levels of Machining Qualification Levels: MQL 1, MQL 2 and MQL 3. Here are some highlights of the 3 levels:
      • • MQL 1 – intended for machining services companies that machine customer owned materials and/or products. MQL 1 suppliers will be required to meet approximately 11 quality management system requirements that have been specifically tailored for machine shops. MQL 1 suppliers cannot purchase materials or outsource services.

       

      • • MQL 2 – intended for machining services that have a more robust quality management system that meets ISO 9001 requirements, including select additional requirements as identified by 20M’s quality management system requirements. MQL 2 machining services suppliers may purchase raw materials and outsource service, but only from customer approved suppliers.

       

      • MQL 3 – intended for machining services that meet the extended requirements of API Spec. Q1 requirements, including select additional requirements as identified by 20M’s quality management system requirements. MQL 3 machining services suppliers may purchase raw materials or outsource services.

      20M will allow MQL 1 machining services suppliers to issue a declaration of conformity to the requirements specified therein. MQL 2 and MQL 3 machining services suppliers are eligible to engage with API under API Quality Registrars for a quality management system certification to ISO 9001 and/or Q1 respectively, as the need dictates.

      The 20M draft was finalized Jan 27, 2017 and is going out for ballot.

 

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 web pages dedicated to the identification of changes:

1. 1. • Standards & Errata Page
      • Annual Standardization Plan

Remember to perform a gap analysis to document changes to the product specifications and other industry codes and standards that has an impact upon your product and quality management system.  Here is a summary of the actions you should take:

1. 1. • A gap analysis will need to be performed to document the differences between the previous and the new revisions (Q1, Section 4.4.4)

 

1. 1. • 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)

 

1. 1. • A Management of Change (Q1, Section 5.11) may need to be implemented with regards to the revised quality management system documents

 

1. 1. • Revised documents (Q1, Section 4.4.3) will need to be reviewed, approved, and distributed

 

1. 1. • Training (Q1, Section 4.3.2.3) will be required for the changes to the quality management system