History of API Spec Q1 Development

The API Spec Q1 standard, established in 1985, has evolved into the leading quality management system for oil and gas companies, enhancing efficiency, safety, and environmental management while addressing the API Q1 vs Q2 debate.
9 min read
9 min read

Introduction

Quality management system (QMS) standards are the underpinning guidance that companies use to create management practices to improve and maintain excellence in their companies. Although various QMS standards have existed since the 1940s,[1] the development of modern globally-used standards became prevalent in the 1980s, with the creation of the leading standards such as ISO 9001 (issued by the International Organization for Standardization).[2] However, while ISO 9001 is a broadly applicable standard useful in many industries, it lacks the specificity to deal with the unique operating procedures, risks, and quality concerns found in some sectors. As a result, industry trade organizations took inspiration from the work of the ISO to create their own QMS standards. This is where the story of API Spec Q1 begins.

Created by the American Petroleum Institute (API), the revolutionary API Spec Q1 (often shortened simply to API Q1) is a quality management system standard which provides guidelines and best practices for companies active in the oil and natural gas / energy industry. The American Petroleum Institute is a membership-based trade organization with a rich history. Established in 1919 to set industry standards and represent the business interests of its hundreds of member companies across the United States,[3] the API now helps shape global quality practices with the API Q1, the de facto standard which is used worldwide.

Virtually all companies directly involved in the oil and gas industry, as well as firms which support the industry by providing services or products, are either required to follow API Q1 standards or can enhance their operations and business opportunities by achieving certification. As such, the standard extends to thousands of companies across the globe, and is a significant force in shaping not only industry operations, but the petrochemical products we all depend on. But, how did the API Spec Q1 standard become so omnipresent, and what motivated the American Petroleum Institute to create it in the first place?

API Spec Q1: A Brief History of API Quality Management

From nearly the beginning of its existence as a trade organization, the American Petroleum Institute has sought to acknowledge the safety and quality of its members. To achieve that aim, in 1924, the API introduced its well-known Monogram Program, a voluntary self-certification which companies could apply for. This program was one of the first coordinated efforts in the world to demonstrate an industry’s commitment to quality.[4] Featuring the Monogram mark on oil and gas equipment meant that the company that manufactured or operated it vouched for its compliance with API best practices. This system worked well for many decades, but by the start of the 1980s, the concept of quality management had shifted, and a need for verification, rather than self-certification, was required. This awareness, which evolved from the United States military’s Training Within Industry quality management programs of World War II,[5] as well as the Japanese quality emphasis practices collectively known as kaizen,[6] emphasized a set standard of quality principles to achieve efficiency and safety, as well as quality. This prompted the API to begin developing one of the first industry-specific quality management system standards, which would be used to verify and certify companies that wished to participate in its Monogram Program. This quality management system standard was API Spec Q1.

In early 1983, the API formed an internal working group to devise the quality management guidelines which would form the basis of their planned standard. Roughly in tandem with this, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a Switzerland-based non-governmental organization, began the development of their family of quality management system standards (later to be known as the ISO 9000 series).[7] Because both teams worked independently and without knowledge of the other’s activities, the two standards were not initially related in terms of language or application. The API finalized their standard in late 1984 and officially published the 1st Edition of API Spec Q1 on January 1, 1985. The ISO took a little longer, revealing the initial version of the ISO 9000 series in 1987.[7] Thus, the API standard beat the better-known ISO to the punch, going into effect nearly two full years earlier and continuing the API’s longstanding global leadership role in defining industrial quality standards. However, as time passed and the API and ISO standards evolved, the API gradually aligned its Spec Q1 to mirror the language, guidance, and formatting of the mainline ISO standard, ISO 9001. By the time the 9th Edition of the API Spec Q1 standard existed, there was extremely high overlap in the approach a company could employ to utilize either standard.

The API also followed the global lead of the ISO in establishing ‘families’ of related standards. Just as the ISO has the 9000 series ‘family’ of standards for quality management, the API created the API Q1 and API Q2 standards. While API Q1 was tailored to manufacturers of oil and gas equipment, API Q2 covered suppliers of services to the industry. However, with recent developments, the API has consolidated most of these roles into the latest API Spec Q1 edition, which will be discussed later.

That said, the API has by no means sublimated API Spec Q1 to the prevailing ISO norms. Like other industry-specific standards, it has instead selected a niche where it can be additive to, rather than in conflict with, broader ISO approaches. As was the case when it was first developed, API Spec Q1 guides companies in oil and gas to achieve the best and most specific efficiency, safety, and quality practices needed in this industry – in other words, to hold API members and partners to a higher standard, surpassing the broad guidance of the ISO. In this way, the API ensures that its sector, critical for the economic and political activity of the world, operates at the level necessary to achieve excellence and continued success.

Where Does API Q1 Fit in the World of Quality Management Systems?

API Q1 is an industry-specific QMS standard tailored to a particular set of business operation needs, rather than a catch-all standard which provides guidance generally applicable to multiple sectors. In this sense, it is closer in substance and tone to other industry QMS standards like AS9001 (the standard used by the aerospace industry) or IATF 16949 (used by the automotive industry). However, like those standards, it is inspired by, relates to, and works in harmony with ISO 9001, the leading general QMS standard.

How API Q1 and ISO 9001 Compare and Are Related

As noted above, API Q1 and ISO 9001 work in tandem with and support one another. It is entirely possible for a company to be compliant with and certified under both API Q1 and ISO 9001. Throughout the continued development of the API Q1 standard, the American Petroleum Institute has mirrored and referenced the ongoing development of the ISO 9000 family of standards, and has ensured that API Q1 reflects the best practices found in ISO 9001.

An easy way to think about the two: ISO 9001 covers everything a general company would need to create an effective quality management system. API Q1 covers everything additional that an oil and gas company might also need, above and beyond what is in ISO 9001. Therefore, if a company is already API Q1 certified, it is likely to be relatively easy to also be certified for ISO 9001. While it may not be necessary for a company to have certifications for both systems, in instances where a firm serves multiple clients and needs to demonstrate their quality management practices via certification, it can be extremely beneficial to be certified by both. Thus, if a company has one certification and needs another, the best approach is to consider what additional management and quality confirmation steps may be necessary, and then add them to the existing practices. Software solutions, such as our AI-driven QMS2GO, can greatly assist in these tasks by quickly analyzing what may be needed and what to add, potentially saving weeks of work and thousands of dollars in consultation fees.

API Q1 vs API Q2: Which is Current with the 10th Edition?

As noted above in the brief history of quality management, the API previously maintained both the API Q1 and API Q2 standards, with the chief distinction between them being that API Q1 covered manufacturers of oil and gas equipment, while API Q2 covered companies providing services to the oil and gas industry. This distinction was maintained as recently as the 9th Edition of API Q1 (as well as the 2nd Edition of API Q2, the most recent iteration of that standard). However, in September 2023, the API released the 10th Edition of API Q1, and this latest version expanded guidance to cover companies providing a variety of services, including engineering and design, physical product realization activities (such as inspection, testing, and servicing), and other physical product-related activities (such as distribution, logistics, and software development).[8] This means that, in most cases, service-related enterprises that previously needed API Q2 guidance can instead utilize API Q1 guidance, and thereby be in complete alignment with the companies they are servicing. In the question of API Q1 vs. API Q2, for most companies, the obvious choice is going with API Q1 10th Edition.

Now, this doesn’t mean that API Q2 is depreciated. The standard remains in effect, and companies which are certified for API Q2 will remain so. However, as the movement toward consolidation of the standards continues, it will be increasingly desirable for companies to be fully aligned, and certified under a current version of the dominant standard, to maintain full compliance and trust with their industry partners. Therefore, in the coming years it will be incumbent upon companies certified under API Q2 to transition to the API Q1 10th Edition.

What’s New in the API Q1 10th Edition?

The API Q1 10th Edition has introduced a variety of benefits, updates, and upgrades over the 9th Edition.[9] These include:

  • An expansion of scope to cover companies that provide services (as explained above)
  • An extension of the records retention period (from 5 years to 10 years)
  • New means for companies to memorialize their management systems (besides manuals)
  • Additional steps for supplier evaluation (particularly for early-stage and re-evaluation)
  • Increased focus on ensuring supplier quality (to guarantee quality industry-wide)
  • Alignment with the ISO’s 9001:2015 QMS standard (for synchronicity with global norms)
  • Improved employee training requirements (to boost skill development)

 

These far-reaching changes, as well as fundamental alterations of keywords in the standard (such as how the word ‘product’ is defined), mean that the standard is now much more comprehensive and responsive. As companies across the industry transition to the new edition, there will be clear changes and renewed emphasis on ensuring that firms at all levels work hard to improve their efficiency, safety, and quality.

Where Do We Go from Here?

The history of the API’s commitment to quality management is long, and marked by considerable innovation and success. While other industries have risen to the challenge of creating their own standards, particularly in recent years, few can match the commitment that the API has given to ensuring the very best from its members. Now, with a new era in quality management dawning, the companies of the oil and gas industry have more responsibilities resting upon them than ever. There are not only commitments that must be met in business and to partners, but responsibilities to the world at large, to serve its needs while looking to the future we all jointly share. As companies in this sector evaluate what those responsibilities mean to them, it is of critical importance that they also ensure that quality never fades from the forefront.


Adapting to this moment of change can, of course, be challenging. As standards and requirements shift with time, so too must knowledge and understanding. This is why the use of helpful tools and services is essential. And it’s why we are happy to offer QMS2GO, our quality management system software, which has been specifically designed to provide up-to-date guidance utilizing API Spec Q1 10th Edition data. If your company is in the midst of the transition from the 9th Edition to the 10th, if you’re considering switching from API Q2 to Q1, or if you’re just at the start of your certification journey, we’re here to offer assistance. Please reach out to us today and learn how we can help you understand where our industry is at, where it’s going, and how best to achieve outstanding results along the way.

References and Citations:

[1] Industry Week – Training Within Industry Has its Roots in WWII, But Translates Well Today (5/25/21) – https://www.industryweek.com/talent/education-training/article/21165121/training-within-industry-has-its-roots-in-wwii-but-translates-well-today

[2] American Society for Quality – What is ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems – https://asq.org/quality-resources/iso-9001

[3] American Petroleum Institute – About API – Timeline – https://www.api.org/about#tab-timeline

[4] American Petroleum Institute – APIQR – Monogram Programs Update (1/25/18) – https://www.api.org/~/media/files/certification/monogram-apiqr/0_api-monogram-apiqr/advisories-updates/updates/apiqr-monogram_updates_2018-january.pdf

[5] Industry Week – Training Within Industry Has its Roots in WWII, But Translates Well Today (5/25/21) – https://www.industryweek.com/talent/education-training/article/21165121/training-within-industry-has-its-roots-in-wwii-but-translates-well-today

[6] The Washington Post – What Japan Taught Us About Quality (8/14/93) – https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1993/08/15/what-japan-taught-us-about-quality/271f2822-b70d-4491-b942-4954caa710f8/

[7] One Petro – API Specification Q1: The Quality System Specification for the Oil and Gas Industry (Paper Presented at the Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, TX) (5/2/94) – https://onepetro.org/OTCONF/proceedings-abstract/94OTC/All-94OTC/OTC-7556-MS/43817

[8] American Petroleum Institute – API Releases 10th Edition of API Spec Q1 (9/18/23) – https://www.api.org/news-policy-and-issues/news/2023/09/18/api-releases-10th-edition-of-api-spec-q1

[9] World Oil – API Specification Q1 – The Significance of the New Edition (2/1/24) – https://www.worldoil.com/news/2024/2/1/api-specification-q1-the-significance-of-the-new-10th-edition/

AUTHORS

Onega Ulanova

Onega Ulanova is the co-founder and CEO of QMS2Go, bringing her expertise as a Lead Auditor and Black Belt Six Sigma Specialist. Her entrepreneurial ventures span consulting and prototyping in manufacturing and inventing. With a strong background in quality management, including experience with the American Petroleum Institute, she ensures high standards across all her endeavors.

Nicholas R. Zabaly

Nicholas R. Zabaly is the Editor-in-Chief of QMS2GO’s research and knowledge-base operations. An experienced researcher and technical writer, he has worked closely with the company since its foundation and serves as its lead article writer.

Coming Soon: QMS2GO.AI

Beta Testers Needed:

QMS2Go is seeking pioneers to beta test our new tool that simplifies implementation, boosts daily operations, and enhances compliance. 

Why Join the Beta?

Exclusive Access: Be the first to explore innovative features.

Direct Impact: Your feedback helps refine our solutions.

Competitive Edge: Equip yourself with the latest in QMS technology.

Join Our Beta Test

Spaces are limited — help us redefine excellence in quality management!

REQUEST ACCESS TO THE DATA ROOM


Subscribe to Our Investor List