Work directly with Onega Ulanova, an API Spec Q1 consultant, former American Petroleum Institute (API) lead auditor and IRCA-certified ISO 9001 lead auditor with 16 years in quality management systems. She performs API Q1 gap assessments against the 10th Edition, builds and upgrades API Q1 and API Q2 quality management systems, runs internal and mock certification audits, trains employees, and prepares oilfield manufacturers and service suppliers for API certification and monogram audits. Start with a free 20-minute consultation.
API Spec Q1 is the American Petroleum Institute specification for quality management systems used by organizations that manufacture products for the petroleum and natural gas industry. It builds on ISO 9001 and adds industry-specific requirements: design and development control, contingency planning, management of change, risk assessment, validation, product traceability with material test reports, service-related provisions, and control of externally provided products and services. API Q1 certification is issued by API, not by a consultant, and it is a prerequisite for most API monogram licences.
API Spec Q2 is the companion specification for service supply organizations in the petroleum and natural gas industry: companies that provide field services such as wireline, coiled tubing, cementing, inspection, machining services, welding and equipment maintenance. Q2 puts the emphasis on service execution: service quality plans, risk assessment for each service, contingency planning, competence and training of field personnel, control of service equipment, and management of change at the wellsite.
The short answer: API Q1 applies if you manufacture product, API Q2 applies if you deliver services. Manufacturers of valves, wellheads, flanges, drilling equipment and machined components certify to Q1. Service supply organizations that perform work at the wellsite or in the field certify to Q2. Companies that do both, for example a machine shop that also provides field repair and inspection services, often hold both certificates and run one integrated system so documentation, audits and management review are not duplicated.
The current version of the standard is API Spec Q1 10th Edition, published in 2023. Compared with the 9th Edition it expands the scope beyond direct oil and gas manufacturing to include organizations that support the industry, including engineering design, distribution and logistics suppliers, and it restructures the requirements around risk, competence and management of change. Companies certified to the 9th Edition must transition their system, close the gaps and be audited against the 10th Edition. A gap assessment is the fastest way to find out how far your existing system is from the new requirements.
Twenty minutes, no charge, no obligation. You describe where you are: certified to the 9th Edition or starting from zero, which customer or contract is driving the requirement, and what exists on paper today. You get an honest read on scope, effort and timeline, including the parts you can do yourselves, plus a short priority list of what to fix first. If we are not the right fit, we will say so.
Based in Ruston, in north Louisiana, serving manufacturers and service companies across the United States, the Gulf Coast, Permian Basin and internationally. Document review, system development, training, internal audits and certification preparation are delivered remotely over video, with on-site visits for process walkdowns and mock audits. If you are searching for an API Q1 consultant near you, audit experience in oilfield manufacturing matters more than drive time.
API Q1 certification is formal recognition by the American Petroleum Institute that your quality management system conforms to API Spec Q1. API audits your system and issues the certificate; it is commonly required by operators and is a prerequisite for most API monogram licences.
API Q1 applies to organizations that manufacture product for the petroleum and natural gas industry. API Q2 applies to service supply organizations that deliver field and support services. Companies doing both often certify to both and run one integrated system.
Yes. Manufacturers that also provide field service, repair or inspection frequently hold both certificates. The two specifications overlap heavily, so a single quality manual, one audit programme and one management review can satisfy both plus ISO 9001.
No. API Spec Q1 is built on ISO 9001 but adds oil and gas requirements including design control, contingency planning, management of change, product traceability and validation. An ISO 9001 certificate does not make you API Q1 compliant, though a working ISO 9001 system is a strong head start.
The 10th Edition, published in 2023. It expands scope to organizations supporting the industry, including engineering design, distribution and logistics, and restructures requirements around risk, competence and management of change.
For a manufacturer starting with little documentation, six to nine months is realistic: build and implement the system, generate real records, complete an internal audit cycle and a management review, then the API audit. Companies with a functioning ISO 9001 system often need a gap assessment and two to four months of remediation.
It depends on scope: number of sites, product lines, whether you need Q1 only or Q1 plus Q2 and ISO 9001, and how much of your current system survives a gap assessment. Engagements are quoted as a fixed project or a defined block of hours and scoped on the free call.
No, but most first-time applicants use one because API auditors sample records hard, and the requirements that trip shops up, design control, contingency planning, management of change and traceability, are the ones with no ISO 9001 equivalent.
No. Only API can audit and certify your system. A consultant can run your internal audits and a mock certification audit, which is where an ex-API lead auditor is most valuable: you see the findings before API does.