World Standards Week: API’s Focus on Collaboration in Standards Development

Alexa Burr
Posted October 11, 2023

World Standards Week is here again, a time to reflect on the important role that standards play in our increasingly interconnected world – and there’s no better example than natural gas and oil industry standards developed under API’s leadership. This year’s theme, “Shared Vision for a Better World,” aligns perfectly with API’s commitment to collaboration in the standards development process.

To API, when it comes to effective standards, it’s not about mandates but about achieving consensus – the sharing of best practices, expertise and establishing performance requirements in the ongoing pursuit of operational excellence. That’s an approach that has characterized our standards development process for more than a century.

Standards on Developing Standards

API follows established procedures for developing all standards, whether published exclusively by API or jointly with other standards-developing organizations. API is accredited as a standards developer by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) – the sponsor of World Standards Week – which helps elevate the credibility and adoption of API standards across industry and regulatory bodies.

A chief characteristic of API’s development process is that draft standards are rigorously – and transparently – vetted. All are available to interested parties for review and comment, a collective effort that strives to involve a balance of interests, consensus and due process. It’s an approach that ultimately contributes to a standard’s technical integrity.

API’s robust standards development approach has been applied to its 800+ standards, including two of its most recent ones: API Specification Q1, Quality Management System Requirements for Organizations Providing Products for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry, 10th edition, which includes crucial quality management system updates for the makers of products used in the natural gas and oil industry; and API Standard 697, Pump Repair, 2nd Edition, which details repair techniques and recommendations for the inspection and repair of industry pumps.

API and the National Strategy for Advancing Industry Standards

The recently released U.S. National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (CET) underscores the importance of robust standards for ensuring both national and economic security. As a leading force in standards development, API's commitment aligns seamlessly with the CET's vision, promoting a future that fosters both innovation and safety. This year’s World Standards Week activities will highlight the strong U.S. leadership and collaboration with allies in international standards development to implement the new national strategy. We are excited to be a part of the solution, utilizing our voluntary-consensus standards development process to promote greater innovation across multiple industries, but especially the natural gas and oil industry.

A Shared Purpose

API’s systematic process is deliberate and can take months to conclude, making the result all the more meaningful. For when the public and private sectors come together, what emerges is more than just a standard. It's a reflection of a unified effort to address global challenges, such as sustainability, safety and environmental protection.

As for this month’s celebration, the event began in 1970 as World Standards Day and has since grown into a global movement. Our U.S. celebrations, spearheaded by ANSI and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), emphasize the value of collaboration as a means for creating standards. It’s the perfect time to celebrate our own commitment to the collaborative standards development process, an approach that continues to play a leadership role in shaping the future of industry standards.