INTRODCTION TO API 1104, 22ND EDITION
Author: Sadhasivam Velu
INTRODUCTION:
The American Petroleum Institute (API) 0n 27 July 2021 in Washington released Standard
1104, 22nd Edition, Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities, updating an essential
international standard that encourages industry-wide steps to promote environmental
sustainability initiatives while supplying rising energy demand.
"Standard 1104 is API's most widely used global standard, used in almost 108 countries, and
its update applies new technology advancements and improvements based on pipeline
operating experience to increase safety and enhance environmental protection,"
22
nd
The new
Edition strengthens the safe and environmentally responsible transport of crude oil,
carbon dioxide, and a variety of petroleum-based products by pipeline.
The 22nd Edition of API Standard 1104, which sets stipulation for gas and arc welding, is
used to construction and in-service repair of pipes and components for the compression,
pumping and pipeline transmission of crude oil, petroleum products, fuel gases, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen. These specifications provide qualified professional welders, inspectors,
and engineers with specified welding methods, enhancing pipeline safety, structural integrity,
and efficiency.
The fundamental document and the revisions in the new 22nd edition improve procedures for
pipeline operation, regular maintenance, and repair, lowering the likelihood of structural
failures and releases. The 22nd edition of Standard 1104 includes a number of changes.

Modified qualifications for what constitutes repair welding, mechanized welding and
in-service welding to add more specificity to the criteria under the standard.

Clarifications and updates for welder requirements, such as testing parameters for
welding and requalification requirements, to reduce ambiguity surrounding welder
qualifications.

Updates to requirements for the use of ultrasonic and radiographic inspection
for girth welds, which are vitally important in maintaining a pipeline’s physical
integrity, to help welders account for the latest high-strength materials, welding
practices, equipment and inspection methods.
“API standards are globally recognized for their technical rigor in enhancing safety,
environmental protection and operational efficiencies,” said API’s Senior Vice President for
Global Industry Services Anchal Liddar. “We are international leaders for the natural gas and
oil industry and this report shows the impact of our standards worldwide.”
2022 API Standards: International Usage and Deployment examines the use of API standards
not only in national laws and regulations, but also in policy guidance, national standards,
technical manuals and industry practices.
In the 31 countries analyzed in the report:

There were 1,102 references to API standards across upstream, midstream and
downstream sectors, showing their broad use by regulators and companies across the
globe.

More than 62% of the references to API standards were found in national standards
and technical regulations.

Approximately 37% of API standards references were within best practices or
technical and operational manuals issued by regulators or national oil companies.
The report highlights that as energy demand continues to grow, there are opportunities for the
U.S. natural gas and oil industry to collaborate with global companies, standards
development organizations and governance agencies on the adoption of standards and
technical practices. By incorporating globally-accepted standards into national policies, the
industry can help reduce trade barriers and bolster economic growth while meeting demand
for reliable and sustainable energy.
API 1104 Standard deals with Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities.
SCOPE:
This standard covers the gas and arc welding of butt, branch, and fillet welds in carbon and
low-alloy steel pipe and piping components used in the compression, pumping, and
transmission of crude petroleum, petroleum products, fuel gases, carbon dioxide, nitrogen,
and, where applicable, covers welding on distribution systems. It applies to both new
construction and in-service welding.
WELDING PROCESS:
The below welding process shall be used
GTAW- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
SMAW- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
GMAW- Gas Metal Arc Welding
FCAW- Flux-Cored Arc Welding
PAW- Plasma Arc Welding
SAW- Submerged Arc Welding
OXY-FUEL - Oxyacetylene Welding
by a combination of these processes using a manual, semiautomatic, or mechanized welding
technique or a combination of these techniques. The welds may be produced by position or
roll welding or by a combination of position and roll welding.
MATERIALS
This Standard shall be used the welding of below material specification
a) API specifications,
b) ASME international specifications,
c) ASTM international specifications,
d) Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS) specifications,
e) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) specifications.
FILLER METALS AND FLUXES
The below filler metals and fluxes shall be used for making procedure Qualification and same
shall be used during making production welding
a) AWS A5.1;
b) AWS A5.2;
c) AWS A5.5;
d) AWS A5.17;
e) AWS A5.18;
f) AWS A5.20;
g) AWS A5.23;
h) AWS A5.28;
i) AWS A5.29;
j) AWS A5.36.
Refer: Table 2—Filler Metal Groups in API 1104.
API 1104
This API 1104 22nd Edition Standard is providing the minimum requirements for
1. Qualification of Welding Procedures with Filler Metal Additions
2. Qualification of Welders
3. Design and Preparation of a Joint for Production Welding
4. Inspection and Testing of Production Welds
5. Acceptance Standards for NDT.
6. Repair and Removal of Weld Defects
7. Procedures for Nondestructive Testing (NDT).
8. Mechanized Welding with Filler Metal Additions
ESSENTIAL VARIABLE:
Unlike earlier editions, The Essential Variable is listed separately in the tables for this 22nd
edition as follows
1. Main Line & Tie-in Welding
2.
Repair Welding
3. Mechanized Welding
4. Alternative Acceptance Standards for Girth Welds
Welding procedure shall be prepared and approved for the above separately.
QUALIFICATION
OF
WELDING
PROCEDURE
SPECIFICATIONS
AND
WELDERS
This Standard provided requirements for Welding Procedure Specifications and welder
Qualifications
1. Range of Diameter and thickness Qualified
2. Material Range Qualification
3. Filler material Qualification
4. Preheat, Post weld heat treatment
5. Welding Process, Position, Progression Qualified
6. Types of Testing required for qualifying the Procedure and welders (DT and NDT)
7. Number of samples and Location of sample extraction for DT., etc
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING:
The following destructive testing are used as per API 1104
1. Tensile Strength Test
2. Nick Break Test
3. Root and Face Bend Test
4. Side Bend Test
5. Impact Testing (If required)
NON DESTRUCTIVE TESTING METHODS:
This standard also covers the procedures for NDT testing as below
1. Radiographic Testing (RT),
2. Magnetic Particle Testing (MPT),
3. Liquid Penetrant Testing (LPT),
4. Ultrasonic Testing (UT), and
5. Visual Testing (VT).
as well as the acceptance standards to be applied to production welds tested to destruction or
inspected by above NDT testing methods.
Under radiography the new techniques are implemented to API 1104 scope as follows
1. Film Radiography
2. Computed Radiography (CR)
3. Digital Radiography (DR)
3.1
Digital Radiography (DR) Calibration
3.2
In-Motion Digital Radiography (RTR)
ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS FOR NDT
Section 9 of this Standard is providing the Acceptance criteria for the RT, UT, MPT, LPT,
VT, and DT testing.
HARDNESS
The hardness requirement of Non Sour service is given in Table B.4—Weld Maximum
Hardness Values, Non-Sour Service, HV10
For sour service, see applicable governing standard or specification document (e.g.
MR0175).
QUALIFICATION OF INSPECTION PERSONNEL
Welding inspection personnel shall be qualified by experience and training for the specified
inspection task they perform. Their qualifications shall be acceptable to the company.
Documentation of these qualifications shall be retained by the company and shall include but
is not limited to the following:
a) Education and experience;
b) Training;
c) Results of any qualification examinations.
CONCLUSION:
API 1104 is revised on a regular basis to adapt to changing pipeline construction practices.
Major changes were noted in current version API 1104 (22nd Edition).By preventing incorrect
interpretation of requirements, the application of this Standard also boost the safety and
reliability of newly constructed pipeline. Additionally, it will enable operating Companies to
bravely modify welding procedures to better fit the needs for their unique requirements
without worrying about going against randomly established ranges and groupings.
In
consequence, this might make pipeline construction and maintenance more affordable.
REFERENCE AND ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
The author would like to thank everyone who helped with the creation of the guiding
material, whether it was by direct material contributions or reviewing. These below include,
but are not limited
1. API 1104 (22ND Edition July 2021) : Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities.
2. www.api.org.
3. API Std 1104 Interpretations - Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities, Last update:
July 2022