Introduction to OCTG

API Steel Grades

Handout 03
Introduction to OCTG
API Steel Grades- Handout 03

As previously mentioned, pipes are standardized following API and ISO rules.
These standards specify the technical delivery conditions for steel pipes, which are
related to:

• Steel grade designations.

• Casing and tubing grades.
• Manufacturing process and heat treatment requirements.
• Chemical composition.
• Minimum requirements for mechanical properties.
• Dimensions, masses and tolerances.
• Minimum requirements for non-destructive testing.
• Minimum requirements for product quality and logistic activities.
• Additional supplementary requirements.
• Product specification levels.

Steel grades: these are designated by a prefix letter and a number. The prefix letter
which could be H, K, L, P, has no special meaning and its main purpose is to make
a phonetic difference to avoid misunderstandings. The number identifies the
minimum yield strength in ksi (kilopounds per square inch). For example: in the
N80 grade, the “N” is an arbitrary denomination, while “80” refers to the
Specified Minimum Yield Strength (SMYS), which in this case is 80 ksi.

Casing and Tubing grades: the different grades are classified into four main
groups: 1, 2 , 3 and 4, and within each group, the different associated specified
yield strengths are determined.

Group Characteristics
Group 1 Covers low strength pipes and has no corrosion resistance
These pipes can be used in environments containing H2S and
strict process control during manufacturing is required, since the
Group 2
allowed yield strength range is reduced by 50% compared to
Group 1
Group 3 These are high strength pipes with no corrosion resistance
Group 4 These are very high strength pipes with no corrosion resistance

Manufacturing process and heat treatment requirements: steel pipes can be

manufactured by either a seamless process or by an electric process by welding
steel plates into a rounded shape. Depending on the steel grade, some of them
require no special heat treatment whereas for others it is mandatory to
manufacture them following a specific heat treatment such as normalizing,
quenching and tempering.
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Introduction to OCTG
API Steel Grades- Handout 03

Chemical composition: this is established by the standards, which provide a very

wide range of options for each element. For each particular grade, the minimum
and maximum limits of the main alloying elements are stated, as well as the
maximum acceptable amount for residual elements which are detrimental to the
quality of the steel. As each pipe manufacturer defines its own actual chemical
compositions, pipes supplied by different manufacturers can be designated with
the same grade, even though they may differ in terms of the chemical
composition and the mechanical properties.

Minimum requirements for mechanical properties: the standard specifies the yield
strength range, the minimum tensile strength, the toughness, the hardness and
the corrosion resistance for each one of the steel grades. Additionally, to
guarantee homogenous heat treatment for high strength materials, the hardness
variation in the wall thickness must be within a defined range.

Dimensions, masses and tolerances: for each OD, the mass, the internal diameter,
the wall thickness and the drift are specified for the different nominal linear
masses. Moreover, three length ranges are established for the different pipe
applications.

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Introduction to OCTG
API Steel Grades- Handout 03

Minimum requirements for non-destructive testing: non-destructive tests include

hydrostatic tests, dimensional control (such as diameter, wall thickness, drift and
length), as well as mass determination and straightness evaluation.

Minimum requirements for product quality and logistic activities: this is related to
the marking methods, color identification, internal and external coatings for
protection during both transit and long term storage, thread protectors, product
certification, documents and packing.

Additional supplementary requirements: these are specified in the annexes of API

5CT / ISO 11960. Not all of the supplementary requirements described in the
standards will necessarily apply to all the pipe users. Normally users ask for those
supplementary requirements based on the expected well service conditions.

Product specification levels: this concept was introduced in the revision of the API
5CT / ISO 11960 standards. PSLs were created after analyzing technical
specifications from different oil companies, collecting the most common
requirements and aggregating them into two groups named PSL2 and PSL3,
keeping the name of PSL1 for those products only related to the API / ISO
standards.

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