Nigeria Adopts American Standards for Oil Industry Operations

Nigeria Adopts American Standards for Oil Industry Operations

Peter Uzoho

Owing to the growing industry demands and the need to keep up with international best practices in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has adopted 10 America Petroleum Institute (API) Standards for the nation.

This was disclosed by the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma, during a joint Technical Committee meeting on Oil and Gas/Petroleum and Petrochemicals held in Lagos recently.

Aboloma, who was represented at the meeting by the Director, Standards Development, SON, Mrs. Chinyere Egwuonwu, revealed that all the standards were critically relevant to operations in the oil and gas industry, hence the need to adopt them in collaboration with the stakeholders as Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).

According to him, adopting international standards as national standard was not a new development, especially where the standards are elaborated by global leaders such as API who since 1919 have established a clout for convening subject matter experts in establishing, maintaining and distributing consensus standards for the oil and gas industry.

He further indicated that, “the API standards being adopted today are recognised not only for their technical specifications but also for their third party accreditation which facilitates acceptance by international bodies and has been a cornerstone in developing standards for the worldwide oil and natural gas industry.”

However, Aboloma cautioned that, “in adopting international standards, we must ensure that the standards are not in conflict with our statutory regulatory requirements and special consideration should be on or environmental factors, economic considerations, security of products, national interest and most of all global best practices.”

He added that the nation’s oil industry does not exist in isolation and that the standards adopted would ensure the availability of the NIS, enhancing market competitiveness, prevention of dumping of goods, promoting export and a reliable basis for technological transfer and industrial development.

The API Standards adopted and rechristened NIS include: API RP 50 2013 Natural Gas Processing Plant Practices for Protection of the Environment; API RP 520; 2014 Sizing, selection and Installation of Pressure-relieving devices in Refineries Part 1 Sizing and selection; and API RP 520 2: 2015, Sizing, Selection and Installation of Pressure; Relieving Devices in Refineries Part II Installation.

Others are: API 553: 2012 Refinery Valves and Accessories for Control and Safety Instrumented Systems; API 554: 2007 Process Instrumentation and Control; API 12L: 2008 Specification for Vertical and Horizontal Emulsion Treaters; API 2000:2014 Venting Atmospheric and Low –Pressure Storage Tanks; API 12F:2008 Specifications for Shop-Welded Tanks for Storage of Production Liquids; API 12D: 2008 Specification for Field Welded Tanks for Storage of Production Liquids; and API STD 610: 2011 Centrifugal Pumps for Petroleum Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries.

Related Articles