NEW SON STANDARDS FOR THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR

The Standards organisation of Nigeria, SON has adopted and rechristened ten standards of the America Petroleum Institute(API) as part of the NIS (Nigerian Industrial Standards) catalogue.

The adopted API Standards adopted are:
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
API RP 520 2: 2015, Sizing, Selection and Installation of Pressure- Relieving Devices in Refineries Part II Installation
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
API STD 610: 2011 Centrifugal Pumps for Petroleum Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries.

All of them will now trade ‘API’ for ‘NIS’.

The development was disclosed by the Director General/Chief Executive Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Osita Aboloma Esq. during a joint Technical Committee (TC) meeting on Oil and Gas/Petroleum and Petro-Chemicals convened in Lagos recently.

According to Abuloma, “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.”

He also indicated that the SON heeded the requisite self-caution before adopting the API standards. In his own words, “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.”

The global nature of the oil and gas industry, he emphasized was another affirming factor as the standards adopted was expected to enhance greater competitiveness in the Nigerian market, prevent dumping of goods, promote export and engender technological transfer towards a more rapid industrial development.

The Joint Chairmen of the Technical Committees on Oil and Gas/ Petroleum and Petrochemicals were Prof Joseph Ajienka of the University of Port-Harcourt and Prof Sunday Ojolo of University of Lagos who sat in for Prof Boniface Okorie of the University of Nigeria Nsukka.