Wood Group

Pressure Control

Selection of Wellhead &

Christmas Tree Products
in compliance with
API 6A 19th Edition

Mandatory February 1, 2005

08-0394-0

API specs are for CUSTOMERS to use

API specifications are for the user:

For selecting materials suited to well conditions
For ordering equipment

API specifications impact the manufacturing process: (Criteria)

Temperature Class
Material Class (trim)
PSL (Product Specification Levels)
Recommended by API to the user for various service conditions
PR (Performance Requirements)
Levels of testing done to qualify product designs for monogram

API requires every monogrammed product to meet API specs for all 4
Criteria

08-0394-1

 With or without the API monogram

builds all new products to meet API requirements for
Temperature Class
Material Class
PSL
PR
Companies can be API Licensed for marketing reasons, but then
rarely comply with API requirements
Licensed for 2 or 3 product types?
Dont actually monogram parts?
Buy-out equipment of someone elses design?

08-0394-2

API Material Classes (Trims)

w/ limits for 17-4 SS (0.5 psia) and 410 SS (1.5 psia) stems & hanger mandrels

standard sour service ratings are 0,5 or NL

H2S Partial Pressure

CO2 Partial Pressure

0 to
< 7 psia
7 psia to
30 psia

> 30 psia to
< 200 psia

200 psia
and up
Corrosion
resistant
alloys may
be needed.

> 0.5 and < 1.5 psia

> 1.5 psia

0 to < 0.05 psia

0.05 to 0.5 psia

AA

EE-0,5 or DD-0,5

Non-Sour
Non-Corrosive

Sour
Non-Corrosive

Sour
Non-Corrosive

Sour
Non-Corrosive

BB

EE-0,5

EE-1,5

EE-NL

Non-Sour

Sour

Sour

Sour

Slightly Corrosive

Slightly Corrosive

Slightly Corrosive

Slightly Corrosive

CC

FF-0,5

FF-1,5

FF-NL

Non-Sour
Moderately to Highly
Corrosive

Sour
Moderately to Highly
Corrosive

Sour
Moderately to Highly
Corrosive

Sour
Moderately to Highly
Corrosive

CC or HH

FF-0,5 or HH-0,5

FF-1,5 or HH-1,5

FF-NL or HH-NL

Non-Sour

Sour

Sour

Sour

Highly Corrosive

Highly Corrosive

Highly Corrosive

Highly Corrosive

DD-1,5 or EE-1,5 DD-NL or EE-NL

Wood Group Pressure Control recommends that Corrosion Resistant Alloys be considered beginning
at CO2 partial pressures of 200 psia.
Consult with engineering for material selection. Additional factors should be considered.

Material Class ZZ may be used when materials and trims previously used for sour service will not comply with current NACE
MR0175/ISO15156 standards

17-4 stainless steel is not allowed for stems or tubing hangers above 0.5 psia H2 S.
410 stainless steel is not allowed for stems or tubing hanger above 1.5 psia H2 S.

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Temperature Classes
API 6A 19th Edition
All products are built for a specific API temperature class
Consider max flowing and min ambient temperature (mud temp?)

K
-75 to 180 F

L
-50 to 180

N
-50 to 140

P
-20 to 180

R
Room Temperature

S
0 to 140

T
0 to 180

U
0 to 250

V
35 to 250

X
0 to 350 (ref Annex G)

Y
0 to 650 (ref Annex G)
Choosing temperature ratings is the ultimate responsibility of the user
08-0394-4

NACE: limits for materials in H2S service

17-4 Stainless Steel
Industry has historically used 17-4 SS for valve stems and tubing hangers for EE and
FF sour service up to 3 or more psia H2S

API 6A 19th Edition

17-4 SS is not allowed in sour service for hanger mandrels and stems above
0.5 psia H2S partial pressure
Inconel has NO LIMIT for H2S partial Pressure
In many applications, 410 SS cannot be used as a substitute due to tensile
strength requirements (re: hanger mandrels, stems)

WGPC 19th Edition products for sour service:

Hanger Mandrels and Products with stems

17-4 SS up to .5 psia max H2S partial pressure
Inconel for No Limit to H2S partial pressure

08-0394-5

NACE: limits for materials in H2S service

316 Stainless Steel

Industry has historically used 316 SS for fittings, needle valves and pressure gauges
for EE and FF Sour service with no limit to H2S partial pressure

API 6A 19th Edition

316 SS is not allowed in sour service when chlorides are present and
temperatures are above 140 F
Effects grease & test fittings in all products in standard temperature ranges
Next NACE expected to change to max 200 F?

WGPC 19th edition products for sour service:

Low alloy fittings will be used in all alloy bodies
Nickel plated alloy or Inconel fittings are used in Stainless Steel bodies

08-0394-6

NACE effects API Material Classes

19th Edition sour service Material Classes (Trims) must be labeled with the
maximum allowable H2S partial pressure, depending on the materials of
construction (may vary by manufacturer)
WGPC 19th Edition Sour Service Material Classes (Trims)
API 6A 17th Edition & earlier

API 6-A 19th Edition

DD

DD-0,5 (17-4 SS stem is allowed)

or DD-NL (w/ low alloy NACE stem
* inconel stem is allowed)

EE

EE-0,5 (w/ 17-4 SS stem)

or EE-NL (w/ inconel stem)

FF

FF-0,5 (w/ 17-4 SS stem)

or FF-NL (w/ inconel stem)
08-0394-7

19th Edition Changes

NACE changes affect API materials

0,5 suffix will appear on our products with internal parts

Valves
Tubing Hanger Mandrels*
API considers the tubing hanger mandrel an internal part of a
wellhead assembly (as a stems are considered internal parts of valves)

NL suffix will appear on our products with no internal parts

Heads, Spools & Flanges

Tubing Heads (lockscrews are not addressed by API 6A)
Tubing Head Adapters, DSAs (with or without packoffs)
Tees, Crosses, Tree Caps

08-0394-8

API 6A 19th Edition

Determine the required material class for sour service (EE or FF)
Find the exact H2S partial pressure
Your well(s) may be able to use 17-4 SS stems & tubing hangers

It takes a lot of H2S to go over .5 psia

@ 5,000# 100 PPM H2S = .5 psia
@ 10,000# 50 PPM H2S = .5 psia
@ 15,000# 33.3 PPM H2S = .5 psia

If WGPC quotations dept. doesnt know the H2S partial pressure

WGPC will quote Valves & Hanger Mandrels (as applicable) rated by API for .5
psia maximum H2S partial pressure. A statement will appear on the quotation.

Choosing material class and specific materials for specific conditions is

the ultimate responsibility of the user
08-0394-9

PSL (Product Specification Level)

Quality Control & testing recommendations increase with severity of

service
Working Pressure
H2S Concentration
More quality control = more measurements during manufacture & more
extensive pressure testing

PSL 3G (new in 19th edition)

Replaces PSL 4 in API decision tree
PSL 3 QC for manufacturing + gas testing
PSL 4 is still available (if customer elects)

PSL decision tree criteria

Alternate questions can be used

08-0394-10

PSL (Product Specification Level)

API recommendations to users
Many customers dont follow these recommendations
Do customers assume this is taken care of because their supplier follows API
requirements?
PSLs are recommended by API to the user to specify his requirements to
the manufacturer

Are customers unaware of the details of API recommendations?

PSL recommendations apply to the 4 Primary Parts of a wellhead
assembly
Tubing Head
Tubing Hanger
Tubing Head Adapter
Lower Master Valve
In some frac operations, the customer may consider the annulus
valve on the side of the tubing head as a primary part as well.

08-0394-11

PSL (Product Specification Level) Decision Tree

Alternate questions
High H2S Concentration?
Yes, if a leak will result in 70 PPM or more in air
If your well has less than 70 PPM H2S, the answer is NO

Alternate:
Is the 100 PPM radius of exposure greater than 50 ft. from the wellhead?
Depending on flow rate, it is possible for wells with 70 PPM H2S or
more to have a 100 PPM ROE less than 50 ft. from the wellhead
Radius of Exposure formulas are shown in API 6A, Annex A, A.4.5

08-0394-12

PSL (Product Specification Level) Decision Tree

Alternate questions
Gas Well?
Alternate: customer may use Close Proximity and
Radius of Exposure Analysis
Yes, if 100 PPM ROE > 50 ft. and includes any part of a public area except a
public road
Yes, if 500 PPM ROE > 50 ft. and includes any part of a public area including a
public road
Yes, if well is located:
In any environmentally sensitive area such as parks, wildlife preserve,
city limits, etc.
Within 150 ft. of an open flame or fired equipment
Within 50 ft. of a public road (lease road excluded)
In or near inland navigable waters
In or near domestic water supplies
Within 350 ft. of any dwelling

08-0394-13

PR (Performance Requirement)

Performance Requirement
Testing of product designs is required by API before a product is eligible to be
monogrammed by the manufacturer
PR 1 (minimum required)
At room Temperature
Pressure and mechanical cycles
PR 2 (option of customer or manufacturer)
At room temperature
Additional pressure and mechanical cycles
Annex F adds temperature cycles (option of customer or manufacturer)
F PR 1 adds temperature max & min
F PR 2 most severe testing includes added # of cycles

08-0394-14

Quality Control at different PSLs

Bodies, End/Outlet Connections And Hub End Connections
Requirement

Impact Testing of Raw

Material

PSL 1

PSL 2

PSL 3/3G

PSL 4

Temp K and L only

Temp K, L, N and P
only

Temp K, L, N, P, R, S,
T, U and V only

Same as PSL 3/3G

Test at or below
bottom of temp range

Test at or below
bottom of temp range

Test at or below
bottom of temp range

Same as PSL 3/3G

Test all parts for all

working pressures

Same as PSL 2 plus

test locations on each
end connection face

Same as PSL 3/3G

Examine all accessible

wetted and sealing
surfaces

Examine ALL
accessible surfaces
plus areas prepped for
weld overlay

Same as PSL 3/3G

Not Required

Examine 100% volume

as practical, both After
heat treating and
Before machining

Same as PSL 3/3G plus

restricted acceptance
criteria

5M & below - sample

testing

Hardness Testing of
Raw and Machined Parts

10M & above - test

every part
Sour service - test
every part

Surface NDE of
Machined Parts

Volumetric NDE of Raw

Material

Not Required

Not Required

PSL 3, 3G and 4 require serialization of each part

Non-Destructive Examination

08-0394-15

Quality Control at different PSLs

Stems
Requirement

Impact Testing of Raw

Material

PSL 1

PSL 2

PSL 3/3G

PSL 4

Temp K, L, N and P only

Temp K, L, N, P, R, S, T, U
and V only

Same as PSL 3/3G

Manufacturer's
Material Specification Test at or below bottom of Test at or below bottom of
temp range
temp range

Same as PSL 3/3G

5M & below - sample

testing
Hardness Testing of
Machined Parts

10M & above - test

every part

Test all parts for all working pressures

Sour service - test

every part

Surface NDE of
Machined Parts

Not Required

Examine all accessible

wetted and sealing
surfaces

Examine ALL accessible

surfaces plus areas
prepped for weld overlay

Same as PSL 3/3G

Volumetric NDE of Raw

Material

Not Required

Not Required

After heat treating and

Before machining

Same as PSL 3/3G

PSL 3, 3G and 4 require serialization of each part

Non-Destructive Examination

08-0394-16

Quality Control at different PSLs

Valve Bore Sealing Mechanisms And Choke Trim
Requirement

PSL 1

PSL 2

PSL 3/3G

PSL 4

Tensile Testing of
Raw Material

Not required

Not required

Manufacturer's Material
Specification

Manufacturer's Material
Specification

Hardness Testing
of Machined Parts

Test all parts for sour

service (DD, EE, FF, HH
trims)

Surface NDE of
Machined Parts

Not Required

Test all parts for all working pressures

Examine all accessible

wetted and sealing
surfaces

Examine ALL accessible

surfaces plus areas
prepped for weld overlay

Same as PSL 3/3G

PSL 3, 3G and 4 require serialization of each part

Non-Destructive Examination
Choke trim: only surface NDE and serialization are required

08-0394-17

Quality Control at different PSLs

Valve Testing
Requirement

PSL 1

PSL 2

PSL 3

PSL 3G

PSL 4

Hydrostatic Body
Test

Two 3-minute
holds

Two 3-minute
holds

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15minute hold

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15minute hold

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15-minute
hold

Hydrostatic Seat
Test

Two 3-minute
holds

Two 3-minute
holds

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15minute hold

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15minute hold

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15-minute
hold

Gas Body Test

Not required

Not required

Not required

One 15-minute
hold @ WP

One 15-minute hold

@ WP

Not required

One 15-minute
hold @ WP plus
one 15-minute
hold @ 300 psi

One 1-hour hold @

WP fully open &
close valve, one 1hour hold at 5 to 10%
WP

Not required

Optional One
15-minute hold @
WP

One 1-hour hold @

WP, disengage /
reengage, one 1-hour
hold @ 5 to10% WP

Gas Seat Test

Gas Back-Seat
Test

Not required

Not required

Not required

Not required

08-0394-18

Quality Control at different PSLs

Casing and Tubing Hanger Mandrels/Bodies
Requirement

PSL 1

PSL 2

PSL 3

PSL 4

Impact Testing of
Raw Material

Temp K & L only

Test every part

Same as PSL 2

Same as PSL 2

Hardness Testing
after all heat
treatment and
machining

Test every part

Same as PSL 1

Same as PSL 2 plus

additional test locations

Same as PSL 2 plus

additional test locations

Not Required

Examine all accessible

wetted and sealing
surfaces

Examine ALL accessible

surfaces plus areas
prepped for weld
overlay

Same as PSL 3

Not Required

Examine 100% volume

as practical, both After
heat treating and Before
machining

Same as PSL 3 plus

restricted acceptance
criteria

Surface NDE of
Machined Parts

Volumetric NDE of
Raw Material

Not Required

Non-Destructive Examination

08-0394-19

Quality Control at different PSLs

Testing Of Casing & Tubing Heads, Tubing Head Adapters, Chokes, Crossover Connectors, Adapter And Spacer Spools
Requirement

PSL 1

PSL 2

PSL 3

PSL 3G

PSL 4

Hydrostatic Test

Two 3-minute
holds

Two 3-minute
holds

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15minute hold

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15minute hold

One 3-minute hold

plus one 15-minute
hold

Gas Test

Not required

Not required

Not required

One 15-minute
hold @ WP

One 15-minute hold

@ WP

PSL 2 and above: Serialization of assemblies is required.

PSL3G assemblies are built with PSL3 components.
Separate tests are required above & below crossover seal.

08-0394-20