Introduction
The oil and gas industry would not be where it is today without the groundbreaking changes brought forth by API and their documents for standards and practices – API Q1 and API Q2. API Spec Q2, or API Specification Q2, is a document designed to provide guidelines for quality management systems (QMS), specifically for the petroleum and natural gas industry.
What is API?
API, or the American Petroleum Institute, is the sole institution that represents all of America’s oil and natural gas industry. For over one hundred years, API has been developing standards to ensure and improve operational and environmental sustainability. As such, API has published many documents detailing their specifications and regulations for conducting safe and sustainable work.
The American Petroleum Institute was an organization that sought to set the standards for organization and operation in the oil and gas industry. This was in response to the effect World War I had on America. The National Petroleum War Service Committee was formed by the United States Chamber of Commerce. The attention garnered by the United States government highlighted the importance of this industry in the years after the war, and as such, the American Petroleum Institute was established on March 20th, 1919. Since its inception, it has developed more than 700 standards and practices to ensure operational success and safety.
What is API Spec Q2?
“API Spec Q2”, or API Specification Q2, is a quality management system specifically designed for service supply organizations in the upstream oil and gas industry. Drilling contractors, equipment suppliers, gas well services, etc. all benefit from API’s safety standards and industry guidelines.
The terms “API Q2” and “API Spec Q2” refer to the same set of guidelines and requirements aimed at enhancing service quality. It can be confusing, but the two terms are functionally interchangeable.
API Spec Q2 emphasizes a risk-based approach to quality management. Its central aspect is identifying potential risks and developing and implementing remedies to attempt to prevent said risks. The API Q2 model promotes continuous improvement. It requires companies to track their performance, analyze that data, and implement corrective actions to improve quality and ensure safety.
Typically, it is more difficult to standardize service operations. There are a lot of moving parts and dangerous equipment and processes that need to be carefully and diligently overseen. Lack of such standardization and specific practices can and will lead to catastrophic failure. One prominent example in the oil and gas industry is the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon/British Petroleum (BP) oil spill. This was a tragedy, and a horrific failure of compliance to the standards of the industry. Tragedies of this magnitude are what inspired API to create such standards, updated from the past and more specific to the oil and gas industry.
API formed a technical committee to create API Q2 and its updated, industry specific contents to address issues in the already established standards and practices to prevent tragic accidents like BP from happening in the future. When it comes to their standards and practices, API places significant influence on the importance of training and education for their processes and procedures – API Q1 and API Q2.
As mentioned, companies can be certified in API Spec Q2. This certification ensures that organizations meet industry-specific standards and best practices, promoting efficiency, safety, and traceability.
What is API Q1?
API Q1 is the standard that is primarily intended for companies providing products and services to the oil and gas industry and is very similar to API Q2 in many ways. API Q1 focuses on the design, manufacture, and servicing of products used in the oil and gas industry. It is more focused on the physical goods, machinery, manufacturing, and products that are involved in the oil and gas sector.
This includes manufacturers who design and create the equipment used by drilling operations and refineries. Even companies that develop software for oil and gas industry uses are now covered. This represents a significant rise in the number of companies which can and should now be certified. As such, the need for API Q1 training, whether in person or via online solutions, has dramatically increased since last year.
API Q1 vs API Q2
The differences between API Q1 and API Q2 lie in their specificity. API Q1 is primarily focused on material goods and product realization. Manufacturing, organization, and quality of products. API Q2 is focused on processes and procedures. It is tailored for service supply organizations and emphasizes service quality, risk management, and operational controls.
Why was API Spec Q2 Developed?
The American Petroleum Institute recognized the need for a comprehensive quality management system for service providers. API began the development of API Spec Q2 in an effort aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by service supply organizations in the oil and gas sector.
The development process involved collaboration among various stakeholders, including industry experts, service providers, regulatory agencies, and oil and gas companies. This collaborative approach ensured that the standard was practical and applicable across different contexts.
Demands for a standardized approach to the management of quality services steadily increased as the oil and gas industry expanded globally. Companies sought ways to ensure that their service providers met consistent quality benchmarks.
The petroleum and natural gas industry is a very complex and risky industry. As mentioned, there have been several high-profile incidents that have drawn a lot of attention to those in charge of the industry. These unfortunate incidents highlighted the need for better quality management and risk mitigation practices.
Amidst the public outcry in the wake of these tragedies, certain regulatory bodies, business partners, and customers had also begun demanding higher standards of quality assurance and control. These voices of those also in the industry were heard, and collaborations were initiated to ensure that those who were most familiar with the situations and how they could be best improved were able to provide meaningful input.
Benefits of API Spec Q2
Once a company has successfully implemented the API Spec Q2 standards and practices into their business processes, meaning they have studies the API Spec Q2 documents and have fundamentally understood the material enough to begin operating by its codes, the benefits for the company will be clear. Once implemented properly, the results a company can expect are increased quality and safety for employees and equipment, improved risk management strategies leading to fewer incidents, a rise in operational efficiency leading to reduced waste, cost savings, and better resource utilization.
API offers a process for companies to become ‘certified’ in API Q2 once they have shown significant progress of having implemented the API Spec Q2 standards and practices. Receiving an API Q2 Certification acts as an indication that said company is operating efficiently and safely enough to be recognized by the creators of the efficiency and safety standards the company has been striving to follow. Not only does this certification communicate this achievement of commendable business to other outside parties, but it is also a reminder and trophy, of sorts, of said companies’ success. The API Q2 Certification, as with all other API Certified Auditor Certifications, is valid for three years.
With services like QMS2GO, achieving this success is made very easy. Allow QMS2GO to aid your company to become a member of this elite collection of companies with an API Q2 Certification.
Conclusion
The American Petroleum Institute, API, is an organization that has a long history of excellence in creating standards for the oil and gas industry. API Spec Q2 is a document that regards specification for Quality Management Systems requirements for service supply organizations for the Petroleum and natural gas industries. API Spec Q2 was written in response to the rapidly expanding oil and gas industry globally and the ever-increasing need for better standards and practices that have been recommended and organized by those who are familiar with the industry.
Successful implementation of the API Spec Q2 standards and practices opens the door for companies to become certified by API for their exemplary business practices. Implementing API Spec Q2 operations is made easy with the use of QMS tools, such as QMS2GO. For more information about how QMS2GO can elevate your business and allow you the opportunity to be a part of the elite collective of those that have been certified by API, check out the QMS2GO website.
References and Citations:
[1] Deepwater Horizon – BP Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, epa.gov, https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/deepwater-horizon-bp-gulf-mexico-oil-spill
[2] Everything You Need To Know About API Specification Q2, apexoperationsgroup.com, https://www.apexoperationsgroup.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-api-specification-q2
[3] Spec Q1 and Q2 Training, api.org, https://www.api.org/products-and-services/training/spec-training
AUTHORS

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.

KR Ray is the Content Writing Manager for QMS2GO. As an experienced technical and creative writer with a passion for research and writing, and a fresh face in the industry, he works diligently to create engaging and informative content for QMS2GO.