<h2 id="e1458cf8-61ec-406b-a802-d44d80037b64" data-toc-id="e1458cf8-61ec-406b-a802-d44d80037b64" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Complete List of API Codes, Standards and Publications for Valves</h2><h4 id="ee9d26a7-77f6-4690-9e39-8cde3eab6f29" data-toc-id="ee9d26a7-77f6-4690-9e39-8cde3eab6f29" style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Introduction</h4>This article consolidates 44 valve-related publications issued by the American Petroleum Institute, organized to reflect how these standards are practically applied across upstream and downstream facilities. The intent is to reduce confusion caused by mixing production and refinery requirements, while giving engineers a clear reference framework aligned with API’s functional structure. Official copies of all documents are available from API’s webstore at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.apiwebstore.org/standards">https://www.apiwebstore.org/standards</a>.<h2 id="8640df31-99d8-4614-a5e4-a10ba4f7dcf0" data-toc-id="8640df31-99d8-4614-a5e4-a10ba4f7dcf0" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Valves and Wellhead Equipment (Exploration &amp; Production / Upstream)</h2>This group covers upstream pressure-containing and pressure-controlling equipment used in drilling and production, including wellheads, trees, subsea valves, actuators, flanges, elastomers, and associated fire-tested assemblies. These standards define design, materials, manufacturing, testing, validation, and repair requirements, with supporting technical reports addressing HPHT service, flange behavior under combined loading, and material performance at elevated temperatures. The table below summarizes each publication and its engineering scope for production and subsea applications.<table style="min-width: 50px;"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Publication Name</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Description</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Spec 6A Specification for Wellhead and Tree Equipment</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines design, materials, testing, inspection, and quality requirements for wellhead and Christmas tree equipment, including valves, flanges, hangers, chokes, actuators, and assemblies, with multiple product specification levels based on service conditions.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6ACRA Age-Hardened Nickel-Based Alloys for Oil and Gas Drilling and Production Equipment</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides supplemental metallurgical and testing requirements for age-hardened nickel alloys used in Spec 6A pressure-containing and pressure-controlling components to prevent embrittlement and ensure material quality.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6AF Technical Report on Capabilities of API Flanges Under Combinations of Load</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Presents analytical results on load capacity of API flanges under pressure, tension, bending, and bolt preload, providing design guidance through pressure–moment charts and defined engineering limits.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6AF1 Technical Report on Temperature Derating of API Flanges Under Combination of Loading</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides analytical evaluation of how elevated temperatures reduce API flange load capacity under combined loading conditions.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6AF2 Technical Report on Capabilities of API Integral Flanges Under Combination of Loading—Phase II</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Analyzes load capacity of API 6A integral flanges considering pressure, tension, bending, and temperature effects using finite element methods.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6AF3 High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) Flange Design Methodology</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Offers design guidance for API 6BX flanges used in HPHT surface and subsea service, covering pressures above 15,000 psi or temperatures above 350°F.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6AM Technical Report on Material Toughness</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides Charpy V-notch toughness guidance to screen poor-quality materials used in API 6A wellhead equipment.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6AR Repair and Remanufacture of Wellhead and Tree Equipment</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines quality system and technical requirements for repair and remanufacture of API 6A wellhead and tree equipment using repair specification levels.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Spec 6AV1 Validation of Safety and Shutdown Valves for Sandy Service</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Establishes Class II and Class III validation requirements for safety and shutdown valves exposed to sand, covering bore sealing and bonnet/stem integrity.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6AV2 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair of Safety Valves (SSV, USV, and BSDV)</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Specifies requirements for inspection, installation, testing, maintenance, repair, and documentation of surface and underwater safety valves used in safety systems.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Spec 6D Specification for Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines global requirements for design, materials, manufacturing, testing, and quality control of axial, ball, gate, plug, and check valves for oil and gas service.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 6DR Recommended Practice for the Repair and Remanufacture of Pipeline Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides guidance for repairing and remanufacturing API 6D pipeline ball, gate, plug, and check valves owned by end users for continued service (excluding field repair and resale valves).</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Spec 6DSS Specification for Subsea Pipeline Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines design, manufacturing, testing, and documentation requirements for ball, gate, plug, check, and axial valves used in subsea pipeline systems up to Class 2500.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6DSSX Operator and Mounting Kits for Subsea Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Specifies design, integrity, and sizing requirements for actuators, gearboxes, mounting kits, and related systems used on API 6DSS subsea valves.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6DX Standard for Actuators and Mounting Kits for Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines mechanical integrity and sizing requirements for electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic actuators and mounting kits used on API 6D pipeline valves.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6F1 Technical Report on Performance of API and ANSI End Connections in a Fire Test According to API Specification 6FA</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Summarizes fire-test results of API and ANSI end connections per Spec 6FA, including analytical methods for performance prediction.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6F2 Technical Report on Fire Resistance Improvements for API Flanges</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides recommended methods to improve API flange performance when exposed to external fire temperatures.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6FA Standard for Fire Test of Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Establishes fire-testing requirements to evaluate pressure integrity of API 6A and 6D valves under fire exposure.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6FB Standard for Fire Test for End Connectors</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines procedures to fire-test API end connectors to verify pressure containment under onshore and offshore fire scenarios.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 6HT Heat Treatment and Testing of Carbon, Micro-Alloyed, and Low Alloy Steel Wrought and Cast Components</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides recommended practices for batch and continuous heat treatment and qualification test coupons to ensure mechanical properties of carbon, micro-alloyed, and low-alloy steel wrought and cast components properly represent finished parts.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 6J Testing of Oilfield Elastomers</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Outlines test methods and evaluation practices for elastomer seal materials and designs used in wellhead and tree equipment, covering environments, criteria, and performance assessment.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6J1 Elastomer Life Estimation Testing Procedures</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Describes Arrhenius-based methods to estimate elastomer service life in severe environments, supporting material selection and qualification.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6MET Metallic Material Limits for API Equipment Used in High Temperature Applications</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides elevated-temperature material properties and yield-strength reduction data for steels, stainless steels, and nickel alloys used in drilling and production equipment.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API TR 6RT Guidelines for Design and Manufacture of Surface Wellhead Running, Retrieving and Testing Tools, Clean-Out Tools and Wear Bushings</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Gives guidance on design, materials, manufacturing, and testing of tools used to run, retrieve, clean, and test wellhead equipment and wear bushings.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 6X Design Calculations for Pressure-Containing Equipment</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Defines analysis methods and acceptance criteria for design verification of pressure-containing equipment, based on ASME Section VIII Division 2 with API-specific stress limits.</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="e96ae16c-2c6f-4494-b6f6-747a0414ae02" data-toc-id="e96ae16c-2c6f-4494-b6f6-747a0414ae02" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Subsurface Safety Valves (Exploration &amp; Production / Upstream)</h2>This category consists of a single but critical document governing subsurface safety valve systems, covering their design, installation, operation, testing, maintenance, and redress. Unlike general valve standards, this publication focuses specifically on well control barriers intended to prevent uncontrolled hydrocarbon release. The accompanying table highlights its role as the primary technical reference for subsurface safety systems.<table style="min-width: 50px;"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Publication Name</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Description</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 14B Design, Installation, Operation, Test, and Redress of Subsurface Safety Valve Systems</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Provides requirements and guidance for subsurface safety valve system installation, operation, testing, maintenance, documentation, and failure reporting.</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="d8d9be91-435f-4180-8b5f-5ea33b5d2a61" data-toc-id="d8d9be91-435f-4180-8b5f-5ea33b5d2a61" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Piping Component and Valve Standards (Refining / Downstream, also widely used in Upstream)</h2>These publications apply primarily to refineries, petrochemical plants, LNG facilities, and process piping systems, covering gate, globe, ball, butterfly, plug, and check valves alongside inspection, testing, material verification, fugitive emissions, valve selection, and reconditioning practices. While classified under Refining, these standards are also routinely used on upstream topsides and process facilities where piping and valve service closely mirrors downstream conditions. The table in this section provides concise descriptions to help engineers quickly identify the standards relevant to piping and process valve applications.<table style="min-width: 487px;"><colgroup><col><col style="width: 462px;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">Publication Name</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Description</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API 570 Piping Inspection Code: In-Service Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration of Piping Systems</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Defines requirements for inspecting, rating, repairing, and altering in-service metallic and FRP piping systems and associated pressure-relieving devices in hydrocarbon and chemical services.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 591 Process Valve Qualification Procedure</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Recommends methods to evaluate valve manufacturers’ construction practices and quality systems to confirm capability to supply compliant valves.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 594 Check Valves: Flanged, Lug, Wafer, and Butt-Welding</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Specifies design, materials, dimensions, ratings, inspection, and testing requirements for check valves.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 598 Valve Inspection and Testing</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Defines inspection, examination, and pressure testing requirements for gate, globe, plug, ball, check, and butterfly valves.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 599 Metal Plug Valves—Flanged, Threaded, and Welding Ends</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Covers requirements for alloy and steel plug valves with flanged, threaded, socket-weld, or butt-weld ends.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 600 Steel Gate Valves—Flanged and Butt-Welding Ends, Bolted Bonnets</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Specifies heavy-duty bolted bonnet steel gate valves for refinery services requiring robust construction.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 602 Gate, Globe, and Check Valves for Sizes DN 100 (NPS 4) and Smaller for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Defines compact gate, globe, and check valve requirements for small-bore petroleum and gas applications.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 603 Corrosion-Resistant, Bolted Bonnet Gate Valves—Flanged and Butt-Welding Ends</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Specifies corrosion-resistant bolted bonnet gate valves for process piping service.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 607 Fire Test for Quarter-Turn Valves and Valves Equipped with Nonmetallic Seats</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Defines fire test methods to verify pressure integrity of quarter-turn and nonmetallic seated valves during and after fire exposure.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 608 Metal Ball Valves—Flanged, Threaded, and Welding Ends</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Specifies requirements for metal ball valves including bore classifications, pressure classes, and end connections.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 609 Butterfly Valves: Double-Flanged, Lug- and Wafer-Type, and Butt-Welding Ends</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Covers materials, dimensions, ratings, inspection, and testing for butterfly valves in refinery service.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 615 Valve Selection Guide</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Provides guidance for selecting appropriate valve types for hydrocarbon processing and industrial services.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API RP 621 Reconditioning of Metallic Gate, Globe, and Check Valves</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Gives guidelines for refurbishing heavy-wall metallic valves for continued owner use.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 622 Type Testing of Process Valve Packing for Fugitive Emissions</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Specifies comparative testing requirements for valve stem packing to control fugitive emissions.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 623 Steel Globe Valves—Flanged and Butt-Welding Ends, Bolted Bonnets</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Defines heavy-duty bolted bonnet globe valves for refinery applications with severe service conditions.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 624 Type Testing of Rising Stem Valves Equipped with Graphite Packing for Fugitive Emissions</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Defines acceptance criteria for fugitive emission testing of rising stem valves using graphite packing.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1">API Std 641 Type Testing of Quarter-Turn Valves for Fugitive Emissions</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" colwidth="462" style="width: 462px;">Specifies fugitive emission testing requirements for quarter-turn valves under defined pressure and temperature limits.</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="c4053c59-bdee-4501-8dd0-16203cfb0e0f" data-toc-id="c4053c59-bdee-4501-8dd0-16203cfb0e0f" style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.2;">Selecting the Right Publications</h2>Selecting the right publication ultimately depends on your technical need, your role in the project, your facility’s original design philosophy (including the codes it was designed to), and your company’s internal standards or preferences. Beyond that, proper application always comes down to sound engineering judgment—understanding not just what a standard says, but where and why it applies in your specific operating context.Comprehensive information on API’s current portfolio of publications, including scopes, document status, and grouping by subject area, is documented in the API 2024 Publication Catalog (American Petroleum Institute, 2024). For further detail on individual documents and classification by technical area, consult:American Petroleum Institute. 2024 Publication Catalog. API, 2024. Available online: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.api.org/-/media/files/publications/2024-catalog/2024-publication-catalog.pdf">https://www.api.org/-/media/files/publications/2024-catalog/2024-publication-catalog.pdf</a>

Complete list of API valve standards (44 publications), organized by upstream and downstream use

Complete List of API Publications for Valves

Complete List of API Codes, Standards and Publications for Valves

Valves and Wellhead Equipment (Exploration & Production / Upstream)

Subsurface Safety Valves (Exploration & Production / Upstream)

Piping Component and Valve Standards (Refining / Downstream, also widely used in Upstream)

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Complete List of API Publications for Valves

Complete List of API Publications for Valves

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