API Supports Safety With New Specification For Oilfield Hammer Unions

The American Petroleum Institute (API) published a new specification for manufacturing oilfield hammer unions, helping to expand future interoperability of the widely used field equipment and enhance safety for natural gas and oil industry workers.

API’s Specification (Spec) 7HU2, Oilfield Hammer Unions, 1st edition, is a global standard to address the incompatibility of hammer union components, a common issue in the industry that has led to mismatching field incidents. It comes in response to industry calls for heightened standards for hammer union components and their interoperability, to improve safety and prevent potential failures.

“API’s first upstream manufacturing standard to address mismatching of hammer unions is another vital step to keep workers and field operations safe,” said Anchal Liddar, Senior Vice President of API’s Global Industry Services. “Spec 7HU2 addresses current safety issues in field environments, resulting in enhanced performance for petroleum and natural gas operations.”

The natural gas and oil industry is committed to providing affordable, reliable energy while ensuring the safety of its operations and reducing emissions. Applying field-proven manufacturing standards for hammer union parts and assemblies, Spec 7HU2 sets minimum requirements for dimensional and functional interchangeability, design, materials, inspection, marking, storage, and shipment that will reduce mismatching of newly manufactured hammer unions in the future. The matching of Spec 7HU2 manufactured hammer union components will prevent mismatching incidents because the components are field-proven compatible.

In addition to improving safety, the reliability of hammer union components manufactured to Spec 7HU2 will help reduce the risk of emissions and leakages from hammer union connection failures, contributing to the industry’s goal of providing sustainable and affordable energy.

Spec 7HU2 is a manufacturing standard that builds on API Recommended Practice 7HU1, Safe Use of 2-inch Hammer Unions for Oilfield Applications, with input from a balanced committee including representatives from global operators, manufacturers, service and supply organizations and trade associations.

API will host a 7HU2 webinar on March 31, 2022, as part of the Significant Standard webinar series. You can register for this free webinar at www.APILearning.org.