Table of Contents:
- Introduction: What is the API Q1 10th Edition?
- Why was There a Need to Update the API Q1 9th Edition?
- What are the Differences Between the API Q1 9th Edition and the API Q1 10th Edition?
- How Does Adoption of the API Q1 10th Edition Affect Companies and Service Providers?
- If My Company is Currently Certified with API Q1 9th Edition, Do I Need to Re-certify?
- How Can I Learn or Be Trained on the API Q1 10th Edition?
- References and Citations
Introduction
API Q1 10th Edition is the newest revision to the oil and natural gas industry’s standard quality management system, created by the American Petroleum Institute (API) almost 40 years ago. Since its original publication, the API Q1 specification has periodically published revised editions to keep pace with its mission to provide essential best practices, standards and guidance for quality management systems for the companies, suppliers, and clients of the industry. The API Q1 10th Edition specification is the Institute’s most up-to-date standard for quality management, and represents the ongoing efforts of this large and influential trade organization to keep industry standards aligned with current policies and regulations in the industry.
The API Q1 10th Edition has been designed to allow for changing conditions and incorporates current industry wide standards for quality management. As such, it is an indispensable publication for the implementation of quality management in this ever-evolving industry. The API Q1 10th Edition includes substantial changes from the 9th Edition which have resulted in greater alignment with the latest ISO 9001 standard (the global system used by many industries and organizations), and have enhanced the abilities of members to provide improved safety, quality, and improvements in efficiency throughout the industry. Among the ways the API Q1 10th Edition seeks to accomplish these goals are the standard’s expansion to include service providers for the oil and gas industry, which were previously guided by the separate API Q2 specification standard. Additional revisions include changes in requirements for record-keeping, greater approval requirements for supplier evaluation, and a change in the length of time a company must retain records. All of the modifications that make up the API Q1 10th Edition are included to provide assurance that the most rigorous safety and quality standards are applied to every aspect of service that the oil and gas industry provides. These changes and updates between the 9th and 10th Editions are further described below.
Why Was There a Need to Update the API Q1 9th Edition?
API Specification Q1 was first published almost 40 years ago, and from then until now the standard has been revised numerous times. These periodic revisions are necessitated by the industry’s need to adapt to challenges brought about by technological advances, operational changes, and requirements for increased quality, safety and excellence in the oil and gas industries. Additionally, changes to the standard are prompted by the feedback of users, the desire to better serve customers and clients, and the need to shift with changing governmental and environmental requirements. The API Q1 10th Edition represents the latest and most comprehensive standard of requirements the industry must adopt and maintain in order to ensure a management system that lowers risks while offering greater efficiency and quality products across the spectrum of services provided by the energy sector, a critically important part of the global economy and one upon which all people of the world depend. It is therefore imperative that the oil and gas industry keep pace with new developments around the world in order to enable this vital sector of the energy industry to provide rigorous standards of operational excellence. The API Q1 10th Edition fulfills that need.
What are the Differences Between the API Q1 9th Edition and the API Q1 10th Edition?
The differences between the API Q1 9th Edition and the updated API Q1 10th Edition are significant and substantial. The result of a collaborative effort by manufacturers, operators, and suppliers both domestic and international, the API Q1 10th Edition represents a milestone in quality management for the oil and natural gas industry while addressing current conditions within the industry. The main changes include:
- Expansion of the scope of API Q1 to include companies that provide services for the industry, including product activities, engineering design, distribution and logistics, and even software development. The 10th Edition incorporates what was previously covered by the separate API Q2 specification standard for service companies and organizations into this revised, single API Q1 document, creating a more streamlined management tool to ensure that both manufacturers and their suppliers adhere to the same stringent quality and safety standards. By folding API Q2 into the 10th Edition, the American Petroleum Institute has brought about a more comprehensive approach to quality management.
- Expansion of the time requirement for the retaining of records. The 9th Edition required records to be retained for 5 years, while the new 10th Edition increases that length of time to 10 years. This provides many benefits. For example, if there is a safety incident, the expanded time frame for access to records may help to determine why the incident occurred, thus helping to resolve the problem. The extension of record keeping also allows companies to have greater data sample sizes for success analysis when determining if their initiatives have delivered the expected results. These are important considerations for an industry where advanced equipment and technologies may be in use for long periods of time, even decades.
- Allowance for additional methods of creating and maintaining quality management manuals. Over the many versions of API Q1, there have been requirements for companies to maintain quality manuals. The 10th Edition allows companies to create alternative ways to document their quality management systems, while also still being permitted to maintain quality manuals. This enables companies to consider additional and alternative documentation systems that may serve their needs and corporate workplaces better.
- Changes to the supplier evaluation process. The 10th Edition expands the requirements for the approval process for suppliers, and adds conditions for approval of supplier purchases as well as periodic reevaluations. In particular, this affects the early stages of selecting a supplier (in that it requires additional evaluation), as well as when the supplier’s contract is up for renewal (in that it requires a full reconsideration of the efficacy of that supplier and the products or services purchased from them). In short, the 10th Edition greatly increases the focus on supplier quality, and requires companies bring their suppliers into line for delivering products and services which meet the API guidelines for quality.
- Significantly, the 10th Edition aligns the API Q1 Standard with the ISO 9001:2015 (the most recent iteration of the ISO 9001 QMS standard, which was issued more recently than the prior API Q1 9th Edition). This important alignment with the ISO global standard ensures that the two most important quality management standards in the world are consistent with each other, and makes each more relevant by increasing the implementation of API Q1 in the oil and gas industries in other parts of the world. In this respect, the 10th Edition also helps enable companies that wish to earn both API Q1 certification and ISO 9001 third-party accreditation, as the overlap between the two standards will now make achieving both easier.
By applying the standards set forth in the API Q1 10th Edition, companies will bring their operations into alignment with the latest industry standards for quality management best practices, thus creating the opportunity to be well-placed in the global marketplace.
How Does the Adoption of the API Q1 10th Edition Affect Companies and Service Providers?
The updated standards in the new API Q1 10th Edition will have a broad impact on the entire oil and gas industry. The enhanced requisites demanded for the approval of suppliers and the need for their ongoing qualification to continue providing services to manufacturers will mean that a wider range of companies must now follow and apply strict guidelines to ensure that the API Q1 standards and industry best practices are met and maintained. All companies, across the entirety of the oil and gas industry that operate within the standards set forth in API Q1 10th Edition, will need to provide increased employee training to aid workers in developing the skills needed to understand and implement these new standards. Employers will need to ensure that employees fully understand the requirements and how these requirements impact their responsibilities. This will take both time and tools for familiarization. API approved training is available to help in this regard, should that assistance be desired. Additionally, knowledge assistance in the form of AI-driven quality management software, such as our offering QMS2GO, can greatly assist in providing this familiarization.
If My Company is Currently Certified with the API 9th Edition, Do I Need to Re-certify?
Yes. API Q1 recertification has always been required with every revision of the standard. This recertification is necessary to ensure that all members are operating within the same set of specifications and guidelines for the industry. All over the world, oil and gas companies are working each and every day to provide energy for the myriad demands of the global economy. This work is technologically advanced, expensive, and can involve significant risk. It is therefore imperative that quality management standards reflect current challenges and conditions under which the industry operates, and that the playing field is the same for all participants. Each revision of the API Q1 standard has sought to accomplish that goal, and the latest version, API Q1 10th Edition, is no exception. It is therefore incumbent on companies currently certified with the 9th Edition to re-certify with the API Q1 10th Edition.
As stated previously, the 10th Edition contains significant revisions from the 9th Edition, which will necessitate changes within member companies in order to ensure compliance. These changes, worked out by stakeholders in the industry (including manufacturers, suppliers, and operators), have been designed to create a more wide-ranging approach to ensuring the most up-to-date quality management standard. These, in turn, will offer members their best opportunity to operate in the vanguard of the global marketplace. Bringing the API Q1 standard up-to-date with the ISO 9001:2015 offers companies the advantage of working within the two preeminent quality standards in the world, creating the conditions for offering the highest possible quality management system to enhance their businesses, products and services, and creating the best value for society. The additional updates to the 10th Edition as outlined elsewhere in this article have been designed with the same objective. It is not only necessary for companies to recertify with the 10th Edition in order to comply with API Q1 regulations, it is in the very best interest of companies to do so.
As the API Q1 10th Edition was adopted in September 2023, and as the API offers a one-year transition window for companies to update their quality management systems to the new standard, the time has arrived for all companies which are currently certified under the 9th Edition to upgrade. This means reviewing the 10th Edition documentation from the API, redesigning existing QMS practices within the company, and then recertifying. The sooner companies can enact these practices, the better. Moreover, it is essential they do so quickly if they do not want to lose certification under the current standard. Since time is short and the need is great, utilizing software solutions like QMS2GO can help tremendously. Even if a company ultimately goes the route of outsourcing their QMS redesign to an external consultant, utilizing QMS2GO in the leadup to hiring the consultant, and then retraining company staff with the 10th Edition specifications (which QMS2GO is specifically programmed to utilize) can significantly speed up the transition, and potentially reduce adoption costs. We know that any change, particularly a substantial one like an update to QMS standards, can be challenging and expensive to adapt to. That’s why we’re here: to make it easier, faster, and cheaper for companies that need to act right away to bring their QMS up to date.
How Can I Learn or Be Trained on the API Q1 10th Edition Standard?
Classes from both the API and from third-party external consultancies are frequently available. If selecting directly from the API (via their API Learning website, or through their API-U certified instructors), you can be assured that the information is accurate and up-to-date. Perhaps the best option is the Institute’s pre-recorded online training course, which is available for $650 at any time. If obtaining information from a third-party consultant, it’s critical to check that their information is specifically for the 10th Edition.
As either a supplement or alternative to a class or consultation, QMS2GO offers a comprehensive database of API Q1 10th Edition knowledge, all made accessible in a simple, user-friendly interface. If you’ve used ChatGPT or a similar AI program, you can use QMS2GO just as easily! And if you’re new to this format of gaining information, it’s just as simple as using an online search engine. Asking QMS2GO various prompts can provide you with precisely tailored information, straight from the API Q1 10th Edition, instantly. You can also ask QMS2GO whether various line items in your current QMS conform with the 10th Edition standard; if not, QMS2GO can provide you with suggestions on how to update them. Regardless of how you go about updating your knowledge and your company’s QMS, and whether you prefer to learn yourself or work with a consultant, QMS2GO can help you along the way. We’ve created this valuable yet inexpensive tool to make this challenging transition easier. So, as you prepare to update to the API Q1 10th Edition, consider QMS2GO. We’ll be your AI-powered assistant to help you achieve excellence!
References and Citations:
[1] 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 [2] 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 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 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.