Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
Transit Passage
Definition(s)
Transit Passage <Right of transit passage>
Transit passage means the exercise in accordance with this Part of the freedom of navigation and overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of the strait between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone. However, the requirement of continuous and expeditious transit does not preclude passage through the strait for the purpose of entering, leaving or returning from a State bordering the strait, subject to the conditions of entry to that State. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationControl Path
Definition(s)
Control Path
Total distance that a control signal (e.g. electrical, optical, hydraulic) travels from the topside control system to the subsea control module or valve actuator. Source: API SPEC 17F, Specification for Subsea Production Control Systems, Second Edition, December 2006 (Reaffirmed April 2011). Global StandardsCommanded Closure
Definition(s)
Commanded Closure
Closure of the underwater safety valve and possibly other valves depending on the control system design. NOTE Such commands can originate manually, automatically or as part of an ESD. Source: API SPEC 17F, Specification for Subsea Production Control Systems, Second Edition, December 2006 (Reaffirmed April 2011). Global StandardsBoost
Definition(s)
Boost
Pressure maintained on the spring-return side of a subsea actuator for the purposes of improving closing-time response. Source: API SPEC 17F, Specification for Subsea Production Control Systems, Second Edition, December 2006 (Reaffirmed April 2011). Global StandardsStates Parties
Definition(s)
States Parties
'States Parties' means States which have consented to be bound by this Convention and for which this Convention is in force. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationPollution of the Marine Environment
Definition(s)
Pollution of the Marine Environment
'pollution of the marine environment' means the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment, including estuaries, which results or is likely to result in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources and marine life, hazards to human health, hindrance to marine activities, including fishing and other legitimate uses of the sea, impairment of quality for use of sea water and reduction of amenities. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationIrregular Wave
Definition(s)
Irregular Wave
“Irregular wave” refers to a stochastic wave generated from a given wave spectrum. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsPirate Ship or Aircraft
Definition(s)
Pirate Ship or Aircraft
A ship or aircraft is considered a pirate ship or aircraft if it is intended by the persons in dominant control to be used for the purpose of committing one of the acts referred to in article 101. The same applies if the ship or aircraft has been used to commit any such act, so long as it remains under the control of the persons guilty of that act. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationRegular Wave
Definition(s)
Regular Wave
“Regular wave” refers to a deterministic, harmonic wave with a given period and amplitude. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsNew Technology
Definition(s)
New Technology
New technology is technology that is not proven. This implies that the application of proven technology in a new environment or an unproven technology in a known environment, are both new technology. The degree of new technology can be classified in categories to be used as input to risk assessments (see DNV RP-A203). Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsNew Technology
New technology as mentioned in the first subsection, may be new products, analysis tools or known products used in a new way. Source: Guidelines Regarding the Facilities Regulations, Norway, updated December 2012. Regulatory GuidanceProven Technology
Definition(s)
Proven Technology
In the field, proven technology has a documented track record for a defined environment. Such documentation shall provide confidence in the technology from practical operations, with respect to the ability of the technology to meet the specified requirements (see DNV RP-A203). Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsWT
Definition(s)
WT
Wall thickness (mathematical symbol: t). Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsTVE
Definition(s)
TVE
True volumetric expansion. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsTDR
Definition(s)
TDR
Time-domain reflectometry. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsPMI
Definition(s)
PMI
Positive material identification.Source: API STANDARD 16AR, Standard for Repair and Remanufacture of Drill-through Equipment, First Edition, April 2017. Global Standards
Source: API 570, Piping Inspection Code: In-service Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration of Piping Systems, Fourth Edition, February 2016, with Addendum May 2017. Global Standards
PMI
Any physical evaluation or test of a material to confirm that the material, which has been or will be placed into service, is consistent with the selected or specified alloy material designated by the owner/user.- NOTE: These evaluations or tests can provide qualitative or quantitative information that is sufficient to verify the nominal alloy composition (see API 578).
PMI
Portable metal identification. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsNTD
Definition(s)
NTD
Nonlinear time domain. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsPassage
Definition(s)
Passage <Meaning of passage>
Passage means navigation through the territorial sea for the purpose of:- traversing that sea without entering internal waters or calling at a roadstead or port facility outside internal waters; or
- proceeding to or from internal waters or a call at such roadstead or port facility.
MTL
Definition(s)
MTL
Maximum tensile load. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsOuter Limit of the Territorial Sea
Definition(s)
Outer Limit of the Territorial Sea
The outer limit of the territorial sea is the line every point of which is at a distance from the nearest point of the baseline equal to the breadth of the territorial sea. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationMaritime Casualty
Definition(s)
Maritime Casualty <Measures to Avoid Pollution Arising from Maritime Casualties>
For the purposes of this article, "maritime casualty" means a collision of vessels, stranding or other incident of navigation, or other occurrence on board a vessel or external to it resulting in material damage or imminent threat of material damage to a vessel or cargo. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationLTD
Definition(s)
LTD
Linearized time domain. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsInternal Waters
Definition(s)
Internal Waters
Except as provided in Part IV, waters on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea form part of the internal waters of the state. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationInnocent Passage
Definition(s)
Innocent Passage <Meaning of Innocent Passage>
Passage is innocent so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State. Such passage shall take place in conformity with this Convention and with other rules of international law. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationGeographically Disadvantaged States
Definition(s)
Geographically Disadvantaged States <Right of geographically Disadvantaged States>
For the purposes of this Part, 'geographically disadvantaged States' means coastal States, including States bordering enclosed or semienclosed seas, whose geographical situation makes them dependent upon the exploitation of the living resources of the exclusive economic zones of other States in the subregion or region for adequate supplies of fish for the nutritional purposes of their populations or parts thereof, and coastal States which can claim no exclusive economic zones of their own. Source: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982. LegislationFEM
Definition(s)
FEM
Finite element modelling. Source: API SPEC 17E, Specification for Subsea Umbilicals, Upstream Segment, Fourth Edition, October 2010. Global StandardsFreedom of the High Seas
Definition(s)
Freedom of the High Seas
The high seas are open to all States, whether coastal or land locked. Freedom of the high seas is exercised under the conditions laid down by this Convention and by other rules of international law. It comprises, inter alia, both for coastal and land-locked States:- freedom of navigation;
- freedom of overflight;
- freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines, subject to Part VI;
- freedom to construct artificial islands and other installations permitted under international law, subject to Part VI;
- freedom of fishing, subject to the conditions laid down in section 2;
- freedom of scientific research, subject to Parts VI and XIII.