The oil and gas industry is facing numerous threats. Professional expertise, skilled personnel, and robust quality management processes are essential for the sector. Therefore, ISO has collaborated with the international oil and gas industry to introduce a sector-specific quality management system recognized under the ISO 29001 standard. This system is necessary and appropriate, acting as a powerful tool to change the way risks are managed.

Why does the oil and gas industry need ISO 29001 certification?

• The oil and gas industry operates globally (with diverse cultures, skills, and exposure to international markets).
• Defective goods and services can lead to significant consequences.
• There is a need to ensure consistency for verification purposes.
• Owners and operators must be able to manage risks arising from the use of equipment and materials.
• The oil, petrochemical, and natural gas industries all carry inherent risks that can harm the environment. This also threatens human health and safety. Currently, the industry is facing considerable technical challenges. For example, extracting resources from deeper wells, deep seabeds, and higher-pressure environments requires more advanced technologies and specialized operational procedures.
• In addition, transportation and processing of products are becoming increasingly complex, requiring higher levels of refining capability worldwide.

Therefore, the industry is facing ever-growing challenges.

The fluid processing industry (including both liquids and gases) often operates under high pressure and uses a wide range of products with different processes. Ensuring employee safety is extremely important. Moreover, environmental protection and maintaining business continuity (including sustaining revenue streams) require reliable and uninterrupted operations.

To minimize operational risks caused by products that do not comply with technical specifications and regulatory requirements, compliance with ISO 29001 certification — the sector-specific Quality Management System for the oil and gas industry — is essential. This certification ensures that products fully comply with technical standards and regulations, thereby reducing operational risks.

Key points of ISO 29001 standard

ISO 29001:2020 fully applies, without modification, the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. The requirements of ISO 9001 are included in “boxes” along with additional sector-specific requirements and guidance for the oil and gas industry. Organizations complying with ISO 29001 will also be compatible with the integration of ISO 9001 certification.

ISO 29001:2020 is technically equivalent to API Spec Q1 (9th edition) and API Spec Q2 (1st edition) — the quality specifications of the American Petroleum Institute.

ISO 29001:2020 specifies agreed “minimum” requirements for quality management in the oil and gas sector. User organizations may add relevant requirements when applying ISO 29001:2020 to suppliers of products and services.

When seeking ISO 29001 certification, companies should select certification bodies with designated competence.

Similar to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 29001:2020 is designed to continuously review the organization’s ability to achieve customer satisfaction.

Frequently asked questions about ISO 29001 certification – Sector-specific Quality Management System for the Oil and Gas Industry

Question 1: Which organizations are interested in this certification?

ISO 29001 is currently widely used in the following fields: manufacturing of industrial materials and equipment (including vertically integrated manufacturers in this sector), service provision, equipment procurement, supply of petroleum materials and services, as well as organizations that may use this standard for auditing and certification.

Question 2: How can ISO 29001 certification be achieved?

At present, this certification can be considered voluntary. Some manufacturers may adopt ISO 29001 due to legal requirements or industry demands, such as traceability requirements. Many organizations view ISO 29001 certification as an extension of ISO 9001 certification. This extension can be implemented at any time.

However, organizations can also implement ISO 29001 independently of ISO 9001 certification.

The above information outlines the key points of the new version of ISO 29001. We hope this article provides useful knowledge for readers.

ISSQ Quality Institute is always ready to accompany companies during integration and development.
Please contact hotline: +84 981851111 or email vienchatluong@issq.org.vn | tcvn@issq.org.vn — we are honored to serve our valued customers.

Published date: 29/11/2023