The American Petroleum Institute (API) represents the oil and natural gas industry. They produce more than 900 standards that serve as the basis for quality programs that maintain regulations for production material and lubricants, and certification programs for storage tanks, pressure vessels, and piping inspectors. API publishes reports that include recommended practices, research reports, and specifications on pipelines, valves and environmental procedures.
There are more than 20 API standards addressing the manufacturing, application and safety of valves. Specific standards include:
API SPEC 6D - Specification for Pipeline Valves. API Specification 6D is an adoption of ISO 14313: 1999, Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries-- Pipeline Transportation Systems-Pipeline Valves. This International Standard specifies requirements and gives recommendations for the design, manufacturing, testing, and documentation of ball, check, gate, and plug valves for application in pipeline systems.
API STD 598 - Valve Inspection and Testing. The standard covers inspection, supplementary examination and pressure test requirements for both resilient-seated and metal-to-metal seated gate, globe, plug, ball, check and butterfly valves. Pertains to inspection by the purchaser and to any supplementary examinations the purchaser may require at the valve manufacturer’s plant.
API STD 527 - Seat Tightness of Pressure Relief Valves R(2002). Describes methods of determining the seat tightness of metal and soft-seated pressure relief valves, including those of conventional, bellows and pilot-operated designs.
API STD 602 - Steel Gate, Globe, and Check Valves for Sizes NPS 4 (DN 100) and Smaller for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries-Ninth Edition
API STD 607 - Fire Test for Quarter-turn Valves and Valves Equipped with Nonmetallic Seats – Sixth Edition
API STD 609 - Butterfly Valves: Double-flanged, Lug- and Wafer-type-Seventh Edition This standard covers design, materials, face-to-face dimensions, pressure-temperature ratings, and examination, inspection and test requirements for gray iron, ductile iron, bronze, steel, nickel-based alloy, or special alloy butterfly valves that provide tight shutoff in the closed position. The standard covers the following Category A and B butterfly valves.