Dangerous Failures (or Unsafe Failures)

Dangerous Failures (or Unsafe Failures)

Definition(s)

Dangerous Failures (or Unsafe Failures)

Dangerous failures (or unsafe failures) are failures that have the potential to prevent the safety system from achieving its safety function when there is a true demand. A single dangerous failure is generally not sufficient to prevent a redundant safety system from performing its safety function (e.g. two dangerous failures are needed for a 2-out-of-3 voting system). Source: API STD 689, Collection and Exchange of Reliability and Maintenance Data for Equipment, First Edition, July 2007. Global Standards
SSV Valve or USV Valve

SSV Valve or USV Valve

Definition(s)

SSV Valve or USV Valve

Portion of the SSV/USV that contains the wellstream and shuts off flow when closed. Source: API SPEC 6A, Specification for Wellhead and Christmas Tree Equipment, Twentieth Edition, October 2010 (Addendum November 2012). Global Standards
U

U

Definition(s)

U

Uranium. Source: NOGEPA Industrial Guideline No. 16, Working with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM), Netherlands, Version 1, January 2009. Global Standards
U-tube

U-tube

Definition(s)

U-tube

Method to assimilate pressures between two vertical pipes with pressure communicating at the bottom but potentially filled with different fluid densities and possibly having different pressures applied at different points in the pipes. 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  
U.S.

U.S.

Definition(s)

U.S., as used in the term, “U.S. floating facility”

U.S., as used in the term, “U.S. floating facility,” means a “floating facility,” that is registered, documented, or certificated under the laws of the United States or that is not registered, documented, or certificated under the laws of the United States or any other nation. Source: Outer Continental Shelf Activities, 33 CFR 140-147 (2013). Regulations  
U.S. Outer Continental Shelf

U.S. Outer Continental Shelf

Definition(s)

U.S. Outer Continental Shelf

All submerged lands lying seaward and outside of the area of lands beneath navigable waters, as defined in Section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301), subsoil and seabed of which appertain to the United States and are subject to its jurisdiction and control. Source:API RP T-1, Creating Orientation Programs for Personnel Going Offshore, Fifth Edition, November 2016. Global Standards
UA

UA

Definition(s)

UA

Utility area 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
UBD

UBD

Definition(s)

UBD

Underbalanced drilling. 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: NORSOK D-001, Drilling facilities, Rev. 3, December 2012. Global Standards Source: Oil & Gas UK, Guidelines on subsea BOP systems, Issue 1, July 2012, Global Standards  
UBD Zone

UBD Zone

Definition(s)

UBD  Zone

Section of well, in the context of Underbalanced Operations, where performing UBD. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global Standards
UBO

UBO

Definition(s)

UBO

under-balanced operation. Source: Oil & Gas UK, Guidelines on subsea BOP systems, Issue 1, July 2012, Global Standards
UC

UC

Definition(s)

UC

Unified Command Source: API RP 98, Personal Protective Equipment Selection for Oil Spill Responders, First Edition, August 2013. Global Standards
UCK

UCK

Definition(s)

UCK

Upper choke and kill lines. Source: Deepwater Well Control Guidelines. IADC Guidelines
UCMPI

UCMPI

Definition(s)

UCMPI

Unattached coupling magnetic particle inspection. Source: API RP 5A5, Field Inspection of New Casing, Tubing, and Plain-end Drill Pipe, Reaffirmed August 2010. Global Standards
UDL

UDL

Definition(s)

UDL

Uniform distributed load. Source: NORSOK D-001, Drilling facilities, Rev. 3, December 2012. Global Standards
UDP

UDP

Definition(s)

UDP

Used Drill Pipe. Source: API RP 7G-2, Recommended Practice for Inspection and Classification of Used Drill Stem Elements, First Edition, August 2009. Global Standards  

UDP

User Datagram Protocol. Source: ISO/IEC 27032:2015, Information technology — Security techniques — Guidelines for cybersecurity, First Edition, July 2012. Global Standards
UEL

UEL

Definition(s)

UEL

upper explosive limit (UFL preferred) 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  

UEL

upper explosive limit. API RP 2201, Safe Hot Tapping Practices in the Petroleum & Petrochemical Industries, Fifth Edition, July 2003 (Reaffirmed October 2010), Global Standards
UFJ

UFJ

Definition(s)

UFJ

Upper flex joint. Source: API Specification 16Q, Design, Selection, Operation, and Maintenance of Marine Drilling Riser Systems, Second Edition, April 2017. Global Standards Source: ISO 13624-1:2009, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Drilling and production equipment – Part 1:Design and operation of marine drilling riser equipment. Global Standards
UFL

UFL

Definition(s)

UFL

Upper flammable limit. Source: API Standards 2217A, Guidelines for Safe Work in Inert Confined Spaces in the Petroleum and Petrochemical Industries, Fourth Edition, July 2009. Global Standards API RP 2201, Safe Hot Tapping Practices in the Petroleum & Petrochemical Industries, Fifth Edition, July 2003 (Reaffirmed October 2010), Global Standards Source: IEC 60079-29-1, Explosive atmospheres – Part 29-1: Gas detectors – Performance requirements of detectors for flammable gases. Global Standards  

UFL

The maximum concentration of a flammable vapor in air (or other oxidant) above which propagation of flame does not occur on contact with an ignition source. The UFL is usually expressed as a volume percentage of the vapor in air Sometimes called the upper explosive limit (UEL). In popular terms, a mixture containing a percentage of flammable vapor above the UFL is too “rich” 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 Standards

UFL (Gas Properties)

Volume fraction of flammable gas or vapour in air above, which an explosive gas atmosphere does not form, expressed as a percentage (see IEC 60079-20). NOTE This is also known as upper explosive limit (UEL). Source: IEC 60079-29-1, Explosive atmospheres – Part 29-1: Gas detectors – Performance requirements of detectors for flammable gases. Global Standards
UK

UK

Definition(s)

UK

United Kingdom. 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
UK HSE

UK HSE

Definition(s)

UK HSE

United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive. Source: OGP Report No. 456, Process Safety – Recommended Practice on Key Performance Indicators, International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, November 2011. Global Standards  
UKCS

UKCS

Definition(s)

UKCS

United Kingdom continental shelf. Source: A Guide to the Offshore Installations and Pipelines Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995, Guidance on Regulations (UK HSE L70), Second Edition, 2002. Regulatory Guidance
UKOOA

UKOOA

Definition(s)

UKOOA

United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association. Source: API RP 17L2, Recommended Practice for Flexible Pipe Ancillary Equipment, First Edition, March 2013. Global Standards 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: A Guide to the Offshore Installations and Pipelines Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995, Guidance on Regulations (UK HSE L70), Second Edition, 2002. Regulatory Guidance 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
UL

UL

Definition(s)

UL

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. 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 14G, Recommended Practice for Fire Prevention and Control on Fixed Open-type Offshore Production Platforms: Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, April 2007. Global Standards
ULC Standard

ULC Standard

Definition(s)

ULC Standard

“ULC standard” means the Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada Standard CAN4-S508 M83, Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers, as amended form time to time. Source:  Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Occupational Health & Safety Requirements, Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, Canada, December 2000. Regulations  

ULC Standard

“ULC Standard” means the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada Standard CAN4-S508 M83, Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers, dated June 1983, as amended to July 1986; norme ULC. Source: Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, SOR/87-612, Canada, current to April 29, 2013. Regulations
ULS

ULS

Definition(s)

ULS

Ultimate limit state. Source: API Standard 2RD, Dynamic Risers for Floating Production Systems, Second Edition, September 2013. Global Standards Source: API RP 17A, Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems—General Requirements and Recommendations, Fourth Edition, Reaffirmed 2011. 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: ISO 19900:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – General requirements for offshore structures. Global Standards Source: ISO 19905-1:202, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units – Part 1: Jack-ups. Global Standards Source: Offshore Standard DNV-OS-C101, Design of Offshore Steel Structures, General (LRFD Method, Det Norske Veritas, April 2011. Global Standards Source: Verification of Lifting Appliances for the Oil and Gas Industry, DNV-OSS-308, October 2010, Det Norske Veritas AS, Global Standards
Ultimate Destruction

Ultimate Destruction

Definition(s)

Ultimate Destruction

"Ultimate destruction" means the treatment of a deleterious substance such that both its weight and volume remaining for disposal have been substantially reduced, and there is no demonstrated process or technology commercially available to further reduce its weight and volume and remove or reduce its harmful properties, if any. For the purposes of demonstrating a substantial reduction in weight and volume, any aqueous portion separated from the balance of a waste that meets drinking water standards or is evaporated into the ambient air shall count toward the weight and volume reduction. Source: Corporation Commission, Oil and Gas Conservation, Oklahoma Administrative Code 165:10, February 2013. Regulations
Ultimate Holding Load

Ultimate Holding Load

Definition(s)

Ultimate Holding Load

The maximum load capable of being held by the jacking unit, in an emergency situation, without causing slippage of the jacking gear machinery braking device. Source: Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Mobile Offshore Units, Part 5, Main and Auxiliary Machinery, June 2013, Lloyd’s Register, Global Standards
Ultimate Limit State

Ultimate Limit State

Definition(s)

Ultimate Limit States (ULS)

Events with 10-2 annual exceedance probability (100-year return period events or events with a 1 % annual probability of occurrence). NOTE ULS requires that the system survive with no damage, although operations can be suspended. For some cases, ULS and SLS cases can be the same. Source: API Standard 2RD, Dynamic Risers for Floating Production Systems, Second Edition, September 2013. Global Standards

Ultimate Limit States (ULS)

Corresponding to the maximum load carrying resistance. Source: Offshore Standard DNV-OS-C101, Design of Offshore Steel Structures, General (LRFD Method, Det Norske Veritas, April 2011. Global Standards  
Ultimate Potential

Ultimate Potential

Definition(s)

Ultimate Potential

An estimate of recoverable reserves produced by the time all exploration and development activity is completed. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global Standards
Ultimate Strength

Ultimate Strength

Definition(s)

Ultimate Strength

Maximum tensile stress that a material can withstand before rupture. Source: API SPEC 17J, Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe, Third Edition, July 2008. Global Standards