I have a couple of queries regarding the use of API 5L pipe I hope someone can help me with. While not stress (in the pipe stressing way) related this is still a piping related question.

I am used to working with A53 and A106 piping, but am not very familiar with using API5L piping.

I have always believed that API5L was a material standard, and for piping dimensions ASME B36.10 was used, however I have a very good pipe data book supplied by a large piping supplier and they list API5L as a dimensional standard as well as a material standard, is this the case?

I have looked through API5L and while there are ranges of wall thicknesses for pipe diameters there are no dimensional tables or specific wall thickness values listed as one finds in B63.10.

In my pipe data book under the dimensional data wall thickness values are listed for both API5L and ASME B36.10 in separate columns. For most of the piping the wall thickness data is the same i.e. 8" sch40 piping to ASME B36.10 has the same wall thickness as 8" sch40 piping to API5L. However a few sizes appear avialable to ASME B36.10 but are not available in API5L. e.g. 8" sch10 and sch160 are available to 36.10 but not appear for API5L piping.

Can someone enlighten me a little here re using API5L piping?

Can I use API5L piping as a material standard and yet specify the piping is made to ASME B36.10 dimensions? (Providing I fall within the specified wall thickness range specified in API5L).

Is it correct to specify API5L pipe by schedule number?

Many thanks

I think you should not mix American Petroleum Institute standard with ASTM Standards.

API 5l is a material as well as dimensional standard(The Ordering informations required as per para 4.0 of the specifications are defined in API 5l. The Dimensions are specified as OD of pipe & nominal Thickness as per ordering information & is given in appendix E 6A/6B & 6C tables.)

Please note that if you use pipe of API 5L standard & fittings of ASTM standard, dimensions shall always match.

so for your query

1. Yes,

2. api 5l pipe is specified by OD & Wall Thickness only as per the ordering information.


With Regards