American Petroleum Institute (API Monogram and APIQR programs)On the public register
- What they do
- Assessor
- Which standards
- On the public register for API Q1.
- Standards
- Pricing
- Not published
Framework Quality & Manufacturing
API Q1
API Specification Q1 is the American Petroleum Institute's quality management system standard for organizations that manufacture products for the petroleum and natural gas industry.
It builds on ISO 9001 ideas but adds oil and gas specifics: risk assessment and contingency planning, management of change, product design validation, supplier and outsourcing controls, preventive maintenance, and control of nonconforming product.
The 10th edition was published September 18, 2023 and became effective September 18, 2024; Addendum 1 took effect for the API Monogram Program on April 10, 2025.
In writing, Q1 expects a quality manual or equivalent, a quality policy and objectives, documented procedures for the required processes (control of documents and records, purchasing, contingency planning, management of change, internal audit, corrective and preventive action, and others), a risk assessment record, and product realization records including design and validation, inspection and test plans, and traceability.
Most companies pursue Q1 because they want the API Monogram license, which lets them mark products as conforming to API product specifications.
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Who has to comply
Voluntary, but effectively a market requirement for manufacturers of oil and gas equipment covered by API product specifications (valves, wellhead equipment, drilling tools, pipe, and similar). Operators and EPC buyers commonly require the API Monogram license, and Q1 conformance is a prerequisite for it.
Q1 registration without a Monogram license is also available for firms that supply the industry.
What the assessor asks to see
Scope of license or registration and the API product specifications claimed; quality manual and procedures mapped to Q1 clauses; risk assessment and contingency plans; management of change records; design and development records with validation; supplier evaluation and outsourced process controls; purchasing and receiving inspection records; production planning, inspection and test plans, calibration, and traceability records; preventive maintenance records; nonconforming product and customer notification records; internal audit and management review records; corrective and preventive action records; evidence of correct use of the API Monogram and marking rules; customer complaint and field nonconformity handling.
Where the requirement sits: API Q1 5.6.1, 5.7, 5.11 'documented procedure' requirements; 4.4 document control
API Composite List
API publishes the API Composite List, a public directory of Monogram licensees and APIQR-registered organizations. It shows each facility, the product specifications licensed, license numbers, status, and dates. Buyers use it to verify that a supplier's license is current and covers the product in question.
What AllyMatter does here
Documented-procedure layer.
AllyMatter publishes this site.
Assessors
Who assesses API Q1
API itself. Auditors approved by API conduct Monogram license audits and APIQR management system registration audits; there is no market of independent certification bodies for API Q1 as there is for ISO 9001.
Accredited by API Quality Registrar (APIQR) is itself an ANAB-accredited certification body for management system registrations; the Monogram licensing program is API's own product-marking scheme.
Consultants
Who helps with API Q1
A niche but established ecosystem of API-focused consultants and trainers exists (API also runs its own Q1 practitioner training). Consultants run gap analyses against Q1 and the applicable product specifications, write the procedure set, build risk and contingency plans, coach on API's audit approach, and support transition to new editions.
Engagements typically run three to nine months.
Firms that name this framework in their own material. Listings we have not verified yet come from public filings and partner lists. Each firm can confirm its own.
No firm has claimed a API Q1 consultant listing yet. Claim yours →
Software
Tools for API Q1
Tools that name this framework in their own material.
Related reading
- API Specification Q1: the significance of the new 10th editionTrade-press account of the 10th edition: longer record retention, the quality manual alternative, revised supplier evaluation and the ISO 9001 realignment.World Oil
- Mark of excellence: API certification demonstrates quality, reliability and trustExplains how the Monogram and APIQR licences sit on top of a Spec Q1 quality system, and what the on-site audit covers.World Oil
Independent third-party explainers, chosen by hand. Not affiliated with this site and not paid placements. All links are nofollow.
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From the publisher
Run the Policy Side of API Q1 in AllyMatter
Approve the policies API Q1 asks for, keep every version, and record a named acknowledgment from each person who has to read them.
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