Api Specification Q1:The Quality System Specification For The Oil And Gas Industry
Authors: Peurifoy C.K. 
Published: October 2008

Quality standards/specifications have been in use by the aerospace and nuclear industries for many years. Nutlear industry personnel are familiar with quality specifications such as "Appendix B, 10 CFR50" ("Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Appendix B - Quality Assurance Criteria For Nuclear Power Plants and Fuel Reprocessing Plants"), ANSI N45.2 ("Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Nuclear Power Plants", now known as ANSI NQA 1).

The Oil and Gas Production Industry began using the American Petroleum Institute's Specification Q1, "Specification for Quality Programs" (1st Edition, January 1, 1985) in late 1984. The generic ISO 9000 Series Standards, "Quality management and quality assurance Standard", were developed at about the same time and were published for public use in 1987.

By late 1989 and into the ready nineties, the formation of the European Economic Community and the issuance of the EC Procurement Directives sparked a rush by companies worldwide to comply with all the requirements necessary to do business in Europe. The ensuing "ISO Mania" has created a windfall for any company providing ISO 9000 quality system certification, consulting, training and almost anything to do with ISO 9000. It is difficult to miss one of the hundreds of newspaper and trade magazine articles promoting the ISO 9000 Quality Standards for use in almost every industry.

This paper will discuss the latest developments of both the lesser known API Spec Q1 and the much publicized ISO 9001 as well as discuss some of the similarities and differences between them and possible future trends. It will also review some of the strengths and weaknesses of both documents to support the sentiment that API Spec Q1, in conjunction with the API Monogram Program, is the best quality standard for use in ordering equipment, materials and services for the Oil and Gas Industry.

DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS

The first version of API Spec Q1 began in draft form in early 1983 after the American Petroleum Institute made the decision to change its monogram program from a "self certification program" to a one that required third party verification. This third party verification was developed to ensure that API Licensees or prospective licensees actually had a documented quality program that was implemented and capable of producing products in accordance with specified API requirements for equipment and material. As a basis for the program, the API Executive Committee on Standardization formed the API Committee on Quality (API Committee 18), which maintains a balance of users and manufacturers, and charged it the task of developing a quality system specification that could be used in conjunction with the API Product Specifications to operate the API Monogram Program. The result was the First Edition of API Spec Q1, dated January 1, 1985.

During the same time period API Spec Q1 was being developed, the International Organization for Standardization's Technical Committee 176 was developing the ISO 9000 series of quality assurance standards, including ISO 9001.