API Energy Excellence® Elements

The 13 core elements of API Energy Excellence^® are broadly applicable across segments and members’ operations, which serve as a unifying cross-industry management system approach for driving operational improvement.

1. Leadership Commitment to Operational Integrity – The organization establishes, implements, and maintains an effective performance management system that drives improvement of operational integrity. Management builds a culture of operational integrity and communicates expectations by documenting policies, goals, and commitments, as well as identifying responsibilities of personnel at all levels.
2. System Establishment, Assessment and Continuous Improvement – The organization establishes targets for its performance management system and implements a process to periodically evaluate its conformance to system elements and progress toward operational integrity goals. The organization uses the evaluation results to take actions to address non-conformances and continuously improve its performance management system and drive operational integrity.
3. Planning and Risk Management – The organization identifies hazards, assesses risk, determines and implements mitigating measures, and communicates required actions to affected personnel.
4. Asset Design and Integrity – The organization manages the integrity of its assets so they are fit for purpose and perform their intended functions throughout their life cycle.
   • System Integrity - New operating systems and components are designed and operated together, consistent with specified requirements, recognized engineering practices, and applicable standards. Existing systems are upgraded, serviced and maintained to operate consistent with specified requirements, recognized engineering practices, and applicable standards.
   • Mechanical Integrity - The organization implements a process or method for management of equipment and well integrity such that equipment and wells are maintained to operate consistent with specified requirements.
5. Operational Controls – The organization develops and implements controls including procedures, practices, and/or training to maintain operational integrity.
6. Safe Work Management – The organization establishes, documents and executes processes, procedures, and practices to maintain control of work and minimize potential risk to people, the environment and property.
7. Management of Change – The organization implements a process to manage changes that can affect operational integrity, including initiating actions, required analysis, and necessary approvals prior to introduction of changes. Changes can include changes in processes, equipment, and personnel.
8. Knowledge, Skills, and Training – The organization implements a process to define required knowledge and skills and executes training such that individuals who make operational integrity decisions can perform their assigned roles and tasks.
9. Contractor Management – The organization establishes requirements and implements processes to plan, coordinate, and execute work with contractors and subcontractors in adherence with performance management system targets.
10. Incident Investigation, Evaluation, and Lessons Learned – The organization investigates integrity incidents to identify causes and implements actions to mitigate future incidents.
11. Emergency Preparedness and Response – The organization prepares for and responds to emergency situations using preparedness plans and procedures that are accessible and communicated to relevant personnel, contractors, emergency responders, and community members.
12. Integrity Management Information – The organization implements processes for the identification, distribution, and control of critical information related to operating and maintaining operational integrity.
13. Stakeholder Engagement – The organization develops and implements a process to communicate its commitment to operational integrity through engagement with employees, regulators, community members, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Questions regarding API Energy Excellence can be directed to apienergyexcellence@api.org.