Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
LFL
Definition(s)
LFL
Lower flammable limit. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: API RP 14G, Recommended Practice for Fire Prevention and Control on Fixed Open-type Offshore Production Platforms: Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, April 2007. Global Standards Source:API Standards 2217A, Guidelines for Safe Work in Inert Confined Spaces in the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industries, Fourth Edition, July 2009. Global StandardsLFL
The minimum concentration of a vapor in air (or other oxidant) below which propagation of flame does not occur on contact with an ignition source. The LFL is usually expressed as a volume percentage of the vapor in air. Sometimes called lower explosive limit (LEL). In popular terms, a mixture containing a percentage of flammable vapor below the LFL is too “lean” to burn. Source:API Standards 2217A, Guidelines for Safe Work in Inert Confined Spaces in the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industries, Fourth Edition, July 2009. Global StandardsLFL
Volume fraction of flammable gas or vapour in air below, which an explosive gas atmosphere does not form, expressed as a percentage (see IEC 60079-20) NOTE This is also known as lower explosive limit (LEL). Source: IEC 60079-29-1, Explosive atmospheres – Part 29-1: Gas detectors – Performance requirements of detectors for flammable gases. Global StandardsLEL
Definition(s)
LEL
Lower explosive limit (LFL preferred). Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: API RP 49, Recommended Practice for Drilling and Well Servicing Operations Involving Hydrogen Sulfide, Third Edition, May 2001. Global Standards Source: NOPSEMA Guidance note: Hazard Identification, N-04300-GN0107, Australia, Revision 5, December 2012. Regulatory GuidanceLEL
Lower explosion limit. Source: API STD 689, Collection and Exchange of Reliability and Maintenance Data for Equipment, First Edition, July 2007. Global StandardsLEL
lower explosive (flammable) limit. Source: API RP 98, Personal Protective Equipment Selection for Oil Spill Responders, First Edition, August 2013. Global StandardsLEL
Minimum concentration of combustible gas or vapor in air (expressed in percent of gas or vapor in air by volume) below which propagation of flame does not occur on contact with an ignition source. NOTE Lower flammable limit (LFL) is synonymous with lower explosive limit (LEL). Source: API RP 98, Personal Protective Equipment Selection for Oil Spill Responders, First Edition, August 2013. Global StandardsLabeled
Definition(s)
Labeled
Equipment or materials with a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of production of labeled equipment or materials and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner.- NOTE: Some testing agencies use the term approved, listed, or certified to indicate compliance with the applicable standard.
kW
Definition(s)
kW
Kilowatt. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardskVA
Definition(s)
kVA
Kilovolt-ampere. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsISA
Definition(s)
ISA
Instrument Society of America Source: API STD 521, Pressure-relieving and Depressuring Systems, Sixth Edition, January 2014. Global StandardISA
The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: ANSI/ISA–99.00.01–2007, Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems, Part 1: Terminology, Concepts, and Models, 29 October 2007. National StandardISA
The International Society for Measurement and Control (formerly Instrument Society of America). Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIntrinsically Safe System
Definition(s)
Intrinsically safe system
An assembly of interconnected intrinsically safe apparatus, associated apparatus, other apparatus, and interconnecting cables in which those parts of the system that may be used in hazardous (classified) locations are intrinsically safe circuits. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIntrinsically Safe Electrical Apparatus
Definition(s)
Intrinsically safe electrical apparatus
Electrical apparatus in which all the circuits are intrinsically safe circuits. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIntrinsically Safe Circuit
Definition(s)
Intrinsically Safe Circuit
A circuit in which any spark or thermal effect, produced either normally or in specified fault conditions, is incapable, in the specified test conditions, of causing ignition of a given explosive atmosphere. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIntrinsically Safe Circuit
Circuit in which any spark or any thermal effect produced, which include normal operation and specified fault conditions, is not capable ofcausing ignition of a given explosive atmosphere. Source: IEC 60079-14:2013, Explosive atmospheres – Part 14: Electrical installations design, selection and erection, Edition 5.0, November 2013. Global StandardsIntrinsic Safety Ground Bus
Definition(s)
Intrinsic safety ground bus
A grounding system that has a dedicated conductor separate from the power system so that ground currents will not normally flow and that is reliably connected to a grounding electrode. (For further information, refer to Article 504 of NEC and ISA RP 12.6.01.) Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIntrinsic Safety Barrier
Definition(s)
Intrinsic safety barrier
A component containing a network designed to limit the energy (voltage and current) available to the protected circuit in the hazardous (classified) location under specified fault conditions. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIntrinsic Safety
Definition(s)
Intrinsic safety
A type of protection in which a portion of the electrical system contains only intrinsically safe apparatus, circuits, and wiring that is incapable of causing ignition in the surrounding atmosphere. No single device or wiring is intrinsically safe by itself (except for battery-operated, self-contained apparatus such as portable pagers, transceivers, gas detectors, etc., which are specifically designed as intrinsically safe self contained devices) but is intrinsically safe only when employed in a properly designed intrinsically safe system. This type of protection is referred to as "i."- NOTE: See also associated apparatus.
Ingress Protection (IP), Degree of
Definition(s)
Ingress protection (IP), degree of
A system of rating standard levels of protection provided by apparatus for the protection of persons against contact with live or moving parts inside the apparatus, as well as the protection provided by apparatus against ingress of solids and/or liquids. This type of protection classification is in addition to (and not an alternative to) the types of protection necessary to ensure protection against ignition in hazardous (classified) locations. Definitions are found in IEC 60529, also see enclosure type. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIncreased Safety
Definition(s)
Increased safety
A type of protection applied to electrical apparatus that does not produce arcs or sparks in normal service and under specified abnormal conditions, in which additional measures are applied so as to give increased security against the possibility of excessive temperatures and of the occurrence of arcs and sparks. This type of protection is referred to as "e." Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIgnition Capable
Definition(s)
Ignition capable
Apparatus or wiring that under normal conditions, or under specified abnormal conditions, can release sufficient electrical or thermal energy to cause ignition of a specific explosive atmosphere. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIMO
Definition(s)
IMO
International Maritime Organization. API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: API RP 17G, Recommended Practice for Completion/Workover Risers, Second Edition, July 2006 (Reaffirmed April 2011). Global Standards Source: Commercial Diving Projects Offshore, Diving at Work Regulations 1997, Approved Code of Practice (UK HSE L103), First Edition, 1998. Regulatory Guidance Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors, Appendix 2 to Health, Safety and Environment Case Guidelines for Offshore Drilling Contractors, Issue 3.3.2, February 2010. IADC Guidelines Source: ISO 13702:2015, Petroleum and natural gas industries — Control and mitigation of fires and explosions on offshore production installations — Requirements and guidelines, Second Edition, August 2015. Global Standards Source: ISO 15544:2000, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Offshore production installations – Requirements and guidelines for emergency. Global Standards Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global Standards Source: NOPSEMA Guidance Note: ALARP, N-04300-GN0166, Australia, Revision 4, December 2012. Regulatory Guidance Source: Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response on Offshore Installations, Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995, Approved Code of Practice and guidance (UK HSE L65), Second Edition, 1997. Regulatory Guidance Source: NOGEPA Industrial Guideline No. 16, Working with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM), Netherlands, Version 1, January 2009. Global Standards Source: Rules for Classification and Construction, IV Industrial Services, 6 Offshore Technology, 9 Guideline for Personnel Transfers by Means of Lifting Appliances, Edition 2011, Germanischer Lloyd SE, Global Standards Source: Rules for Classification – Offshore units, DNVGL-OU-0101, Offshore drilling and support units, DNV GL, July 2015. Global StandardsIES
Definition(s)
IES
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsIEEE
Definition(s)
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: API RP 67, Recommended Practice for Oilfield Explosives Safety, Upstream Segment, Second Edition, May 2007. Global Standards Source: ANSI/ISA–99.00.01–2007, Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems, Part 1: Terminology, Concepts, and Models, 29 October 2007. National StandardIADC
Definition(s)
IADC
International Association of Drilling Contractors. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: API RP 59, Recommended Practice for Well Control Operations, Second Edition, May 2006. Global Standards Source: Deepwater Well Control Guidelines. IADC Guidelines Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors, Appendix 2 to Health, Safety and Environment Case Guidelines for Offshore Drilling Contractors, Issue 3.3.2, February 2010. IADC Guidelines Source: OGP Report No. 476, Recommendations for enhancements to well control training, examination and certification, International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, October 2012. Global Standards Source: NOGEPA Industrial Guideline No. 43, Surface BOP Review, Best Practices Checklist, Netherlands, Version 0, December 2011. Global Standards Source: Safety Plan Guidelines, The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, and National Energy Board, Canada, March 31, 2011. Regulatory GuidanceIEC
Definition(s)
IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission. Source: DNVGL-RP-G108, Cyber security in the oil and gas industry based on IEC 62443, DNV GL, September 2017. Global Standards Source: API STD 521, Pressure-relieving and Depressuring Systems, Sixth Edition, January 2014. Global Standards Source: API Standard 2RD, Dynamic Risers for Floating Production Systems, Second Edition, September 2013. Global Standards API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: API SPEC 17F, Specification for Subsea Production Control Systems, Second Edition, December 2006 (Reaffirmed April 2011). Global Standards Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors, Appendix 2 to Health, Safety and Environment Case Guidelines for Offshore Drilling Contractors, Issue 3.3.2, February 2010. IADC Guidelines Source: ISO 15544:2000, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Offshore production installations – Requirements and guidelines for emergency. Global Standards Source: ISO 13702:2015, Petroleum and natural gas industries — Control and mitigation of fires and explosions on offshore production installations — Requirements and guidelines, Second Edition, August 2015. Global Standards Source: NORSOK D-002, Well intervention equipment, Rev. 2, June 2013. Global Standards Source: ANSI/ISA–99.00.01–2007, Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems, Part 1: Terminology, Concepts, and Models, 29 October 2007. National StandardHz
Definition(s)
Hz
Hertz (cycles per second). Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsHMWPE
Definition(s)
HMWPE
High molecular weight polyethylene. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsGrounded
Definition(s)
Grounded (grounding)
Connected (connecting) to ground or to a conductive body that extends the ground connection (NFPA 780). Source: API RP 545 Recommended Practice for Lightning Protection of Aboveground Storage Tanks for Flammable or Combustible Liquids, First Edition, October 2009. Global StandardsGrounded (earthed)
Connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of earth. Source: API Recommended Practice 14FZ, Recommended Practice for Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class I, Zone 0, Zone 1, and Zone 2 Locations, Second Edition, May 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsEarthed
Definition(s)
Grounded (earthed)
Connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of earth. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsGFI
Definition(s)
GFI
Ground fault interrupter. Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsFPU
Definition(s)
FPU
Floating production unit. API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsFPSO
Definition(s)
FPSO
Floating Production Storage and Offloading System . Source: API RP 2FB, Recommended Practice for the Design of Offshore Facilities Against Fire and Blast Loading, First Edition, April 2006. Global StandardsFPSO
Floating production storage offloading. API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsFPSO
Floating Production Storage and Offloading.4, Source: API RP 17B, Recommended Practice for Flexible Pipe, Fourth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards Source: NOPSEMA Guidance Note: Control Measures and Performance Standards, N-04300 GN0271, Australia, Revision 3, December 2011. Regulatory GuidanceFPSO
Floating Production, Storage and Offloading. Source: NOPSEMA Guidance note: Safety Case Lifecycle Management, N04300-GN0087, Australia, Revision 5, December 2012. Regulatory Guidance Source: NOPSEMA Guidance Note: ALARP, N-04300-GN0166, Australia, Revision 4, December 2012. Regulatory GuidanceFPSO
Floating production, storage and offloading structure. Source: ISO 19901-7:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Specific requirements for offshore structures – Part 7: Stationkeeping systems for floating offshore structures and mobile offshore units. Global StandardsFM
Definition(s)
FM
Factory mutual research corporation. API RP 500, Recommended Practice for Classification of Locations for Electrical Installations at Petroleum Facilities Classified as Class I, Division 1 and Division 2, Third Edition, December 2012, Global Standards Source: API RP 14F, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Systems for Fixed and Floating Offshore Petroleum Facilities for Unclassified and Class 1, Division 1 and Division 2 Locations, Fifth Edition, July 2008. Global StandardsFM
Fracture mechanics. Source: API Technical Report 17TR7, Verification and Validation of Subsea Connectors, First Edition, April 2017. Global Standards Source: API Standard 2RD, Dynamic Risers for Floating Production Systems, Second Edition, September 2013. Global Standards Source: Offshore Standard DNV-OS-C101, Design of Offshore Steel Structures, General (LRFD Method, Det Norske Veritas, April 2011. Global StandardsFM
Leg moment reaction associated with FV.
Source: ABS Guidance Notes on Geotechnical Performance of Spudcan Foundations, January 2017. Global Standards