Standardization in the Oil and Gas Industry

Standardization around the world

Standards govern the design, operation, manufacture, and use of almost everything that mankind produces. There are Standards that protect the environment, human health, safety and technology. They set the rules for what is acceptable and what is not while generally going unnoticed by the public. They are mostly quiet, unseen forces, such as specifications, regulations, and protocols that ensure that things work properly, interactively, and responsibly. Despite their quiet reputation, Standards (and specifically mass strategic standardisation) is one of the most important facets of a globalised economy and international business.

Standardisation in the oil and gas industry

Standards enhance the safety of industry operations, assure quality, help keep costs down, reduce waste, and minimise confusion. They help speed acceptance and bring products to market quicker while avoiding the need to  reinvent the wheel every time a product is manufactured. 

In today's environment of increased workload and decreased human resources, standardisation has become a paramount concern of the world's oil and natural gas companies, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers. It's standardisation that keeps the oil and natural gas industry moving forward, allowing it to operate safely and reliably anywhere in the world. Because of this, standardisation should be at the top of a business's list of priorities. 

Within the oil and gas industry, strategic standardisation brings benefits such as improved safety, reliability, quality, and environmental performance that will assist organisations to keep a leading position in such a dynamic and changing industry. Standardisation will also help to ensure compliance with any government requirements, as well as helping boost equipment interchangeability. 

Safety first

The safety of employees, the community, and the end consumer is a continuous concern of the oil and gas industry. With much of the equipment and product in the oil and gas industry being potentially highly hazardous, operators and employees can minimise these hazards and enjoy a safer workplace by following industry specifications and standards. By reducing operator risk and ensuring that equipment and material satisfy regulations and laws, Standards play a key role in developing greater public trust, boosting the brand's reputation.

Safety is paramount in the oil and gas industry and there could be potentially huge risks from working outside current Standards, for example intermixing of components from different manufacturers, potentially compromising the integrity of entire projects. 

Which Standards to use? 

With thousands of relevant Standards by various publishers, it's crucial for the oil and gas industry to be properly informed of which Standards are necessary. If Standards or regulations are missed, or skipped, this can have catastrophic ramifications and has the potential to halt international trade of the product.

Using a reliable Standards provider that is able to provide all the Standards and regulations needed by the industry and specific sector is an investment in the future of the business that will bring benefits, both tangible and intangible, for years to come in the road towards global strategic standardisation.