1

David L. Miller, PE, F.ASCE

Director, Standards

Stephanie Meadows

Upstream Senior Policy Advisor

Washington, DC

July 2011

API Introduction and API HF 

Standards for the Oil and Natural 

Gas Industry
2

Topics

• API History

• API Standards and Standards Development

• API HF related standards and publications

• Use of API Standards

• Conclusions
3

API History

• 1919: API founded as non-profit national trade 

association, New York City

• Three initial priorities – taxes, statistics, and 

equipment and operational standards

• 1969: API relocates to Washington, DC

• Heightened interest in public policy issues
4

Background on API Standards 

Program

The API Standardization Department was formed in 1923, and 

the first API standard was published the following year on 

drilling threads.

All industry segments now active in standardization:

• Exploration and Production

• Refining

• Marketing

• Pipeline Transportation
5

Standards Development Process

• API is accredited by the American National 

Standards Institute (ANSI)

- Openness, Balance, Consensus, Due Process

- Regular program audits (conducted by ANSI)

• Transparent process (anyone can comment on any 

document – www.api.org/standards)

- All comments must be considered 
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API Standards

• ~600 technical standards covering all aspects of 

the oil and natural gas industry

• Standards undergo regular review

• Foundation of Self Supporting Programs

• Basis for Worldwide Operations

• Core of Institute’s Technical Authority
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• HF1, Hydraulic Fracturing Operations – Well Construction and 

Integrity Guidelines, 1st Edition, October 2009

• Guidance Document contains 10 sections:

• Scope, References, General Principles, Casing Guidance, 

Cementing and Casing

• Well Logging and Other Testing, Well Construction 

Guidelines, Perforating, Data Collection, Analysis, and 

Monitoring

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
8

• HF1, Hydraulic Fracturing Operations – Well Construction and 

Integrity Guidelines, 1st Edition, October 2009

Section 7 – Well Construction Guidelines - Key Environmental Protection 

Covers the four main components of conductor, surface, intermediate, and production casing

Various Casing strings are used to ensure ground protection

Section notes that in addition to the recommendations, operators must be aware of local geological 

conditions and state regulations

Casing depths are determined in advance as part of the drilling plan:

Assure isolation, Meet regulatory requirements, Achieve well integrity, Contain well pressure

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
9

HF Related Documents and 

Standards – HF1 diagram 
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• HF2, Water Management Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing, 

1st Edition, June 2010

• Guidance Document contains 7 sections:

• Scope, Definitions, Introduction and Overview, Hydraulic 

Fracturing Process

• Water Use and Management Associated with Hydraulic 

Fracturing, Obtaining Water Supply for Fracturing, Water 

Management and Disposal Associated with Hydraulic 

Fracturing

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
11

HF Related Documents and 

Standards – HF2 

Section 7 - Water Management And Disposal Associated With Hydraulic Fracturing – Key 

Environmental Protection

Well permits specify all fluids, including fracturing fluids and flow back water, 

must be removed

Water disposal can include:

•UIC well

•Treatment at a facility or on site

•Reused/recycled

Operators should prepare for proper management and disposal by working with state, 

regional and local regulators to ensure surface and groundwater quality

Primary potential destinations for flow back/production fluids generally include the following:

- injection wells, which are regulated under either a state or federal UIC program;

- municipal waste water treatment facilities;

- industrial waste treatment facilities;

- other industrial uses;

- fracture flow back water recycling/reuse.
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HF Related Documents and 

Standards – HF2 
13

• HF3, Practices for Mitigating Surface Impacts Associated with 

Hydraulic Fracturing, 1st Edition, January 2011

• Guidance Document contains 15 sections:

• Scope, Terms & Definitions, Introduction & Overview, Stakeholder 

Engagement, Wide-scale Development, Selection of Hydraulic 

Fracturing Fluids, Management of Chemicals and Materials, Transport of 

Chemicals and other Materials

• Pre-job Planning, Water Management, Maintaining Equipment & 

Facilities, Minimizing Surface Disturbance, Protecting Air Quality, 

Preserving Visual Resources, Mitigating Noise Impacts

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
14

• HF3, Practices for Mitigating Surface Impacts Associated with 

Hydraulic Fracturing, 1st Edition, January 2011

Section 7 – Management of Chemicals and Materials, Key Environmental Section: 

Like other exploration and production activities, both service companies and operators have key roles in managing

the chemicals and materials stored and utilized on site for fracturing operations. It is the responsibility of the service

companies to educate operators about the various fluids and additives that may be used as a part of a fracture fluid.

An essential first step is providing operators with the Material Safety and Data Sheets (MSDS) for products used in

their wells.

Operating companies have the responsibility to understand the base fluids and additives that may be used as a part

of a fracture fluid and to utilize proper handling procedures of the fluid during fracture treatment and flowback. Service

companies work with operators for optimal fracturing designs, which should include a full complement of suggested

fluid alternatives, along with the potential environmental impacts and costs associated with each alternative. Training

and procedures for operating and handling for each chemical utilized in the fracturing process improve

responsiveness to potential surface incidents. As part of the overall operation plan, service companies should provide

operating and handling procedures for each chemical utilized, including those for emergencies and disposal.

API recommends that operators be prepared to disclose information on chemical additives and their ingredients

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
15

• 51R, Environmental Protection for Onshore Oil and Gas 

Production Operations and Leases, 1st Edition, July 2009

• Recommended Practice contains 8 sections:

• Scope, References, Acronyms and Abbreviations, 

Government Agencies

• Lease Roads, Production, Injection/Disposal Wells, Lease 

Gathering and System Lines, Production and Water 

Handling Facilities

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
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Annex A – Good Neighbor Guidelines – Key Environmental Protection Section

The oil and natural gas industry is dedicated to responsible development of oil and natural gas resources. 

Responsible development includes good relationships with our neighbors and a commitment to environmental

protection and compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

To be a “good neighbor” in the areas where industry operates, we have three objectives:

— protection of public safety;

— protection of the environment; and

— respect for the property rights of others.

These objectives are achieved through use of sound management processes as part of the responsibility to 

act as a “good neighbor.” As our industry pursues responsible development of energy resources to meet the 

nation’s energy needs, we should strive for better communication and understanding with the land owners, 

lessees, permittees and/or residents (“land owner or surface users”) impacted by our operations.

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
17

• 65-2, Isolating Potential Flow Zones During Well Construction, 

2nd Edition, December 2010

• Standard contains 6 sections:

• Scope, Normative References, Definitions and Terms, 

Barriers

• Barriers, Cementing Practices and Factors Affecting 

Cementing Success, Casing Shoe Testing

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
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Section 5 – Cementing Practices and Factors that affect 

Cementing Success – Key Environmental Protection

- Hole Geometry - Drilling Fluid Type - Casing Hardware

- Close Tolerance and Flow Restrictions - Engineering Design –

Slurry Design and Testing 

- Wellbore Preparation – Cement Job Evaluation – Post 

Cementing Operations

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
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Use of API Standards

• National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act

– NTTAA requires Federal Agencies to use 

voluntary consensus standards and encourages 

participation in the standards development 

process

– API standards are cited in regulations by the 

various agencies including the OSHA, EPA, DOT 

and BOEMRE per the NTTAA

– 100 API standards are cited over 270 times in the 

U.S. Code of Federal Regulations

– API Standards also widely cited by States

– 184 API standards are cited over 3300 times in 

state regulations
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Use of API Standards

• Future Actions:

– API is planning a “stray gas migration” standard 

(update to API RP 90 on annular casing pressure)

– API is planning a HF conference “Commitment to 

Excellence in Hydraulic Fracturing” to be held in 

Pittsburgh on October 4 & 5
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Conclusions

• API standards represents industry’s collective wisdom on 

operational practices, developed and refined over many 

years

• API standards are widely cited by both Federal and State 

Regulators

• All API HF standards available for free on-line
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API Introduction and API HF 

Standards for the Oil and 

Natural Gas Industry

Thank you!

David L. Miller, PE, F.ASCE, miller@api.org

Stephanie Meadows, meadows@api.org

American Petroleum Institute

1220 L Street, NW

Washington, DC 20005

202-682-8000 

www.api.org/Standards

www.api.org/policy/exploration/hydraulicfracturing
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API Introduction and API HF 

Standards for the Oil and 

Natural Gas Industry

Additional Information

HF Document Scopes
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• HF1, Hydraulic Fracturing Operations – Well Construction and 

Integrity Guidelines, 1st Edition, October 2009

• Scope: The purpose of this guidance document is to provide 

guidance and highlight industry recommended practices for 

well construction and integrity for wells that will be hydraulically 

fractured. The guidance provided here will help to ensure that 

shallow groundwater aquifers and the environment will be 

protected, while also enabling economically viable 

development of oil and natural gas resources. This document is 

intended to apply equally to wells in either vertical, directional, 

or horizontal configurations.

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
25

• HF2, Water Management Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing, 

1st Edition, June 2010

• Scope:The purpose of this guidance document is to identify 

and describe many of the current industry best practices used 

to minimize environmental and societal impacts associated with 

the acquisition, use, management, treatment, and disposal of 

water and other fluids associated with the process of hydraulic 

fracturing. While this document focuses primarily on issues 

associated with hydraulic fracturing pursued in deep shale gas 

development, it also describes the important distinctions 

related to hydraulic fracturing in other applications. 

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
26

• HF3, Practices for Mitigating Surface Impacts Associated with 

Hydraulic Fracturing, 1st Edition, January 2011

• Scope: The purpose of this guidance document is to identify and describe practices 

currently used in the oil and natural gas industry to minimize surface environmental 

impacts—potential impacts on surface water, soils, wildlife, other surface 

ecosystems and nearby communities—associated with hydraulic fracturing 

operations. While this document focuses primarily on issues associated with 

operations in deep shale gas developments, it also describes the important 

distinctions related to hydraulic fracturing in other applications.

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
27

• 51R, Environmental Protection for Onshore Oil and Gas 

Production Operations and Leases, 1st Edition, July 2009

• Scope: This standard provides environmentally sound practices for 

domestic onshore oil and gas production operations. It is intended to be 

applicable to contractors as well as operators. Facilities within the scope of 

this document include all production facilities, including produced water 

handling facilities. Offshore and arctic areas are beyond the scope of this 

document. Operational coverage begins with the design and construction of 

access roads and well locations, and includes reclamation, abandonment, 

and restoration operations. Gas compression for transmission purposes or 

production operations, such as gas lift, pressure maintenance, or enhanced 

oil recovery (EOR) is included; however, gas processing for liquids recovery 

is not addressed. Annex A provides guidance for a company to consider as 

a “good neighbor.”

HF Related Documents and 

Standards 
28

• 65-2, Isolating Potential Flow Zones During Well Construction, 

2nd Edition, December 2010

• Scope: This document contains best practices for zone isolation in wells to 

prevent annular pressure and/or flow through or past pressure-containment 

barriers that are installed and verified during well construction. Barriers that 

seal wellbore and formation pressures or flows may include temporary 

pressure-containment barriers like hydrostatic head pressure during cement 

curing and permanent ones such as mechanical seals, shoe formations, and 

cement. Other well construction (well design, drilling, leak-off tests, etc.) 

practices that may affect barrier sealing performance are mentioned along 

with methods to help ensure positive effects or to minimize any negative 

ones.

HF Related Documents and 

Standards