Pipe Specifications, Standards, and Codes

2022 / 07 / 25

Pipe specifications are invaluable when buying any tubing. These files help pinpoint user requirements so that manufacturers can produce products specific to the application area Specifications markers help customers address their demands clearly when placing orders, and these requirements are especially relevant when purchasing items that go beyond the industry standard and codes.

When companies receive these specifications, they work to create pipes that meet all the criteria. From the chemical makeup and makeup properties to the pipe ends, there are specifications for every aspect of the pipe. Customers can use these guides to create products customized to fit their applications. For example,e when ordering steel pipes for use in oil and gas, if you want your API 5L  pipe to have a Titanium content of less than 0.15%, you will need to mention this specification on your order.

Why Are Specifications Important?

● Specifications allow manufacturers to meet demands that require very specific designs and service options.

● Specifications give customers to find the best pipe for their project by optimizing customization.

Pipe Standards

Pipe standards refer to the specific criteria that govern the design of pipe components. These rules get regarded as the norm for most piping production as several professional bodies, agencies, and groups contribute to its composition. Pipe standards are enforced to ensure efficiency and safety in manufacturing.

Industry standardization offers several benefits for pipe production. Since they are formulated only after consultation with industry experts, firms, standard organizations, relevant interest parties, and the government, these criteria can help stabilize and regulate the industry prices. From cutting down on material costs to specifying the exact procedures and equipment used in production, pipe standardization brings many benefits.

Another essential role of these rules is in establishing safe manufacturing practices. By helping clear the air about production systems and necessary ingredients, they set a clear guide that the industry can emulate. Pipe standards also improve pipe quality by setting up mandatory testing procedures. Piping components like flanges, bolts, gaskets, and more also have a specific section under these standards.

However, unlike codes, the implementation of most of these standards is voluntary. For this reason, there are no legal perks for abiding by these specifications in pipe production. Manufacturers are responsible for these putting rules into practice as well overlas ooking the legality.

Benefits of Pipe Standards

● Pipe standards introduce uniformity into pipe production by enforcing specific criteria on materials, equipment, technology, procedure, design, and more.

● These rules establish a system themphasizeszes on product-value, safe manufacturing processes, reliable production, and sustainable market.

● Rather than being an enforced set of rules, pipe standards are more a suggestion-like incentive. It is up to the manufacturers to comply with these rules.

● These criteria help introduce a routine balance to the production, especially for the workers Since the pipes are made according to a fixed set of rules, the end product is also thus similarly uniform.

● Pipe standards help improve the system by optimizing material use, cutting down on inventory, and ensuring the easy availability of similar pipes.

Types of Standard Certification

● ASTM: American Society for Testing and Material

● ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

● API: American Petroleum Institute

● ANSI: American National Standards Institute

● JIS: Japanese Industrial Standards

● AISI: American Iron and Steel Institute

● DIN: Deutsches Institut fur Normung

● BSI: British Standard Institute

● NF, TOCT, DS, DTD, GB, CSA, AMS, EN, SAE.

Important Industry Standards

API – American Petroleum Institute

● API 5L – Line Pipe

● API 6D – Valves for pipelines

● API 6FA – Valves fire test

● API 12D – Welded tanks for finished liquid product storage (field-welded)

● API 12F – Welded tanks for finished liquid product storage (shop-welded)

● API 12J – Separators (oil/gas)

● API 520 – Pressure safety valves

● API 594 – Valves (wafer and wafer-lug)

● API 598 –  Product inspection for valves

● API 599 – Plug Valves – Flanged/Butt-weld pipe ends

● API 600 – Gate valves-flanged/Butt-weld pipe ends

● API 602 –  Threaded/Buttweld pipe ends

● API 608 – Ball valves-flanged/ Butt-weld pipe ends

● API 609 – Butterfly Valves (lug and wafer type)

● API 610 – Pumps (centrifugal)

● API 617 – Compressors (centrifugal)

● API 618 – Compressors (reciprocating)

● API 619 – Positive displacement compressors (rotary type)

● API 620 – Low-pressure storage tanks (design/construction)

● API 650 – Breather valve

● API 660 – Heat exchangers for general refinery use

● API 661 – Air-cooled heat exchangers for general refinery use

ASTM Specs

These codes designate the common material standards.

● ASTM A 53 Gr. B – Carbon Steel Seamless and Welded Pipe

● ASTM A106 Gr. B – Carbon Steel Seamless Pipe

● ASTM A 672 Gr. B60 – Carbon Steel ERW Welded Pipe

● ASTM A333 Gr. 6 – Low-Temperature Carbon Steel Seamless and Welded Pipe

● ASTM A671 Gr. CC60 – Low-Temperature Carbon Steel Welded Pipe Only

● ASTM A335P11, P22, P5, P9, P91 & P92 – Low Alloy Steel Seamless Pipe Only

● ASTM A691 – Low Alloy Steel Welded Pipe Only

● ASTM A 312TP304, TP316, TP321 & TP347 – Stainless Steel Seamless & Welded Pipe

● ASTM A358 Gr. 304, 316, 321 & 347 – Stainless Steel Welded Pipe only

● ASTM A105 – Carbon Steel  Forged Fittings

● ASTM A350 Gr. LF2 – Low-Temperature Carbon Steel Forged Fittings

● ASTM A182 Gr. F11, F22, F5, F9, F91 &F92 – Low Alloy Steel Forged Fittings

● ASTM A182 Gr. F304, F316, F321 & F347 – Stainless Steel Forged Fittings

● ASTM A234WPB – Carbon Steel Wrought Fittings

● ASTM A420 Gr. WPL6 – Low-Temperature Carbon Steel Wrought Fittings

● ASTM A234 Gr. WP11, WP22, WP5, WP9, WP9 & WP92 – Low Alloy Steel Wrought Fittings

● ASTM A403 Gr. WP304, WP316, WP321 & WP347 – Stainless Steel Wrought Fittings

● ASTM A216 Gr.WCB – Carbon Steel Cast Fittings

● ASTM A352 Gr.LCB – Low-Temperature Carbon Steel Cast Fittings

● ASTM A217 Gr. WC6, WC9, C5, C12, & C12A – Low Alloy Steel Cast Fittings

● ASTM A351 Gr.CF8, CF8M & CF8C – Stainless Steel Casted Fittings

● ASTM A515 Gr. 60 – Carbon Steel Plate and Sheet

● ASTM A516 Gr. C60 – Low-Temperature Carbon Steel Plate and Sheet

● ASTM A387 Gr. 11, 22, 5, 9, 91 &92 – Low Alloy Steel  Plate and Sheet

● ASTM A240 Gr. 304, 316, 321 & 347 – Stainless Steel Plate and Sheet

Codes

Codes and standards are very similar in the way they provide a basis for manufacturers to follow. As they have been created after much study, codes work as a uniforming force in the piping market by tickling design, inspection, installation, and more. In piping, codes are crucial as they offer a guide for several production processes, including

● Type of materials used

● Load capacity

● Working stress of pipe

● Thermal expansion/contraction

● Wall thickness

● Pressure variations

● Dead weight.

Since they carry so much data, codes become an essential way to communicate between teams and even for clients. The other benefit of these specifications is that they are legally enforceable and are therefore mandatory. This feature ensures that manufacturers abide by the strict rules for plant operation if they wish to hold on to their licenses.

Importance of Codes

● Codes carry much information about designing, installing, inspecting, and more.

● Unlike standards, pipe codes are legally backed and mandatory for manufacturers, ensuring product quality, as well as worker safety.

● Codes provide workers, producers, and other agents a guide to follow during manufacturing.

● These rules help create interchangeable uniform products as they follow the same procedures, use the same raw materials, and more.

● Codes are integral for communicating information between different teams, the customer, and the manufacturer.

● Codes ensure that all pipe manufacturing is legal and well-equipped as the plants are granted official approval only if they abide by these rules.

1. Pipe Specification: Carbon Steel Pipes

ASTM specs beginning with “A” signals for its ferrous nature while “B” and “D” show their non-ferrous and plastic properties.

ASTM A53- For Welded and Seamless Pipes

This specification covers seamless/welded/galvanized pipes between Nominal Pipe Size ⅛ to NPS 26. It supports Schedules 10 to 160 as well as STD, XH, and XXH.

Chemical Properties

★ NOTE: These elements should not make up more than 1% of the steel composition.

Tensile Properties

ASTM A106- For Seamless Pipes Only

This specification includes seamless carbon steel pipes for high temperature service. The NPS range under this criteria is NPS ⅛ to NPS 48. It supports Schedules 20 to XXH, as well as wall thickness more than XXH.

Under ASTM A106 the minimum wall thickness cannot exceed 12.5% of the nominal wall thickness.

Chemical Properties

● The total of Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, and V shall not exceed 1%

Tensile Properties

●  The minimum wall thickness for these high temperature pipe should not exceed 12.5% under the nominal wall thickness specified.

API 5L Pipes- For Oil and Gas Pipelines

Commonly Used Grades:  B, X42, X52, X60, X65

API 5L Grade B Pipe: Chemical Properties

Tensile Properties

ASTM A333 Pipes- For Low-Temperature Service

This specification covers seamless and welded carbon and alloy steel pipes. It includes Schedules 10 through 160, as well as STD, XH, as well as XXH. The NPS for this specification is ¼ inch to NPS 42 inch.

Chemical Properties

Tensile Properties

2. Pipe Specification: Alloy Steel Pipes

ASTM A335

Covering Schedules 40 through 160, XXH, XH, and STD, this specification covers seamless alloy steel pipes for high temperature use. Pipes under this specification have higher molybdenum and chromium than carbon steel pipes., and have NPS between ¼ to 24.

● ASTM A335 Pipes Used in Power Plants: Grades P11, P22, P91

● ASTM A335 Pipes Used in Refineries: Grade P5, P9

Chemical Properties

Tensile Properties

3. Pipe Specification: Stainless Steel Pipes

These pipes are developed to fight corrosion since they include chromium, molly, nickel, and iron.

● Grades for Use in Gas and Oil: 304, 316, 321

Type 321 is a pipe made from titanium stabilized chromium nickel austentic stainless steel. Due to its chemical make up, it is used for high temperature applications, usually at temperatures between 800 to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grade 321: Tensile Properties

Chemical Properties

4. Pipe Specification: Nickel Alloy Pipes

These pipes have high Ni Cr Mo content and are used for severe applications. Nickel Alloy Pipes are used in projects like

● Off-Shore oil and gas drilling

● Heat Exchangers

● Speciality Chemicals

● Condensers

● Pharmaceuticals

● GAs processing

● Petrochemicals

ASTM B622 Specification for Seamless Nickel and Nickel-Cobalt Alloy Pipe and Tube

Chemical Properties

Tensile Properties