The Petroleum Industry Gets Pumped for API 610’s 12th Edition

The pump industry’s popular standard for petroleum, the API 610, recently released its 12th edition. Simon Bradshaw, Global Director of Engineering and Technology for Trillium Flow Technologies, filled host Michelle Dawn Mooney in on all the details. 

API 610 has remained the primary standard governing the supply of centrifugal pumps in the oil and gas industry since 1954. Pumps made to this standard provide safe and reliable use and a long lifespan. Bradshaw said it was critical to remember that the average initial purchase price is only around twelve to fifteen percent of the total lifecycle cost. “People tend to focus on the upfront price, but that’s the wrong thing to be looking at. Compared to that twelve to fifteen percent, the upfront price, around forty percent of your total lifecycle cost is operating, maintenance, and downtime.” 

The new edition of the standard came out in January of 2021, but Bradshaw mentioned that the pandemic may have shifted notice away from the release, so it is a good thing to get the word out now. And while updates to the standard typically happen every five years, the 12th edition took eleven years. The wait is over. So, what’s new? 

One of the most noticeable updates to the standard is shaft guarding around the mechanical seal area. Previous editions did require guarding, but not in this specific area. This latest edition also changes several areas in material selection to increase pump reliability. 

“These pumps are often handling very aggressive fluids, very corrosive fluids, and having the right materials is an important aspect,” Bradshaw said. But he did note that while the standard updated the material selection, the responsibility remained with the purchaser for the material selection. The wrong choice could lead to accelerated flow corrosion.