Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
Characteristic Value
Definition(s)
Characteristic Value
Value assigned to a basic variable associated with a prescribed probability of not being violated by unfavourable values during some reference period. NOTE The characteristic value is the main representative value. In some design situations, a variable can have two characteristic values, an upper and a lower value. [ISO 19900:2002, 2.7]. Source: API RP 2MOP, Marine Operations, Upstream Segment, First Edition, July 2010. Global Standards Source: ISO 19900:2013, Petroleum and natural gas industries – General requirements for offshore structures. Global StandardsCharacteristic Value
Value assigned to a basic variable, an action or a resistance from which the design value can be found by the application of a partial factor. NOTE 1 The value usually has a prescribed probability of not being violated which, in the case of an action, will normally relate to a reference period. NOTE 2 Adapted from ISO 19900:2002, definition 2.7. 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 StandardsCharacteristic Value
The representative value associated with a prescribed probability of not being unfavourably exceeded during the applicable reference period. Source: Offshore Standard DNV-OS-C101, Design of Offshore Steel Structures, General (LRFD Method, Det Norske Veritas, April 2011. Global StandardsCatenary Mooring
Definition(s)
Catenary Mooring
Chain or steel wire at the seabed to provide a catenary that provides both compliance and weight to prevent or reduce vertical loading at the anchor. Source: API RP 2SM Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, Second Edition, July 2014. Global Standards Source: API RP 2SM, Design, Manufacture, Installation, and Maintenance of Synthetic Fiber Ropes for Offshore Mooring, First Edition, July 2014. Global StandardsCatenary Mooring
Mooring system where the restoring action is provided by the distributed weight of mooring lines. [ISO 19900:2002]. 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 StandardsCatenary Mooring
A mooring system which derives its compliancy mainly from the catenary action of the anchor lines. Some additional resilience is provided by the characteristic axial elasticity of the anchor lines. Source: Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Mobile Offshore Units, Part 3, Functional Unit Types and Special Features, June 2013, Lloyd’s Register, Global StandardsDiving Program
Definition(s)
Diving Program
“Diving program” means any work or activity related to the exploration or drilling for or the production, conservation, processing or transportation of oil or gas that involves a diving operation (programme de plongée ou programme). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Diving Regulations, SOR/95-189, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsDiving Plant and Equipment
Definition(s)
Diving Plant and Equipment
“Diving plant and equipment” means the plant and equipment that are used in, or in connection with, a diving operation and includes the plant and equipment that are essential to a diver or pilot (matériel de plongée). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Diving Regulations, SOR/95-189, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsBallast
Definition(s)
Ballast
Variable solid or fluid content in order to change the draught, stability, trim and/or heel of a structure afloat. NOTE Adapted from ISO 19901-5:2003, 3.1.2. Source: API RP 2MOP, Marine Operations, Upstream Segment, First Edition, July 2010. Global Standards
Witnessing
Definition(s)
Witnessing
Observation of the CAB carrying out conformity assessment services within its scope of accreditation. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsWitnessing
Signifies attending tests or measurements where the surveyor verify compliance with agreed test or measurement procedures. Source: Rules for Classification – Offshore units, DNVGL-OU-0101, Offshore drilling and support units, DNV GL, July 2015. Global StandardsWithdrawing Accreditation
Definition(s)
Withdrawing Accreditation
Process of cancelling accreditation in full. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsSuspending Accreditation
Definition(s)
Suspending Accreditation
Process of temporarily making accreditation invalid, in full or for part of the scope of accreditation. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsSurveillance
Definition(s)
Surveillance
Continual, checking, supervising, critically observing or determining the status in order to identify change from the performance level required or expected- Note: 1 to entry: Examples of well physical characteristics include tubing wall thickness measurements, visual inspections, sampling.
Surveillance
periodic monitoring, during the periods of certification, of a certified person’s performance to ensure continued compliance with the certification scheme [SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17024:2012, 3.22]. Source: ISO/IEC TS 17027:2014, Conformity assessment – Vocabulary related to competence of persons used for certification of persons, Global StandardsSurveillance
Set of activities, except reassessment, to monitor the continued fulfilment by accredited CABs of requirements for accreditation NOTE Surveillance includes both surveillance on-site assessments and other surveillance activities, such as the following: a) enquiries from the accreditation body to the CAB on aspects concerning the accreditation; b) reviewing the declarations of the CAB with respect to what is covered by the accreditation; c) requests to the CAB to provide documents and records (e.g. audit reports, results of internal quality control for verifying the validity of CAB services, complaints records, management review records); d) monitoring the performance of the CAB (such as results of participating in proficiency testing). Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsScope of Accreditation
Definition(s)
Scope of Accreditation
Specific conformity assessment services for which accreditation is sought or has been granted. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsReducing Accreditation
Definition(s)
Reducing Accreditation
Process of cancelling accreditation for part of the scope of accreditation. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsLead Assessor
Definition(s)
Lead Assessor
Assessor who is given the overall responsibility for specified assessment activities. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsInterested Parties
Definition(s)
Interested Parties
Parties with a direct or indirect interest in accreditation. NOTE Direct interest refers to the interest of those who undergo accreditation; indirect interest refers to the interests of those who use or rely on accredited conformity assessment services. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsExtending Accreditation
Definition(s)
Extending Accreditation
Process of enlarging the scope of accreditation. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsExpert
Definition(s)
Expert
Person assigned by an accreditation body to provide specific knowledge or expertise with respect to the scope of accreditation to be assessed. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsConsultancy
Definition(s)
Consultancy
Participation in any of the activities of a CAB subject to accreditation. EXAMPLES: - preparing or producing manuals or procedures for a CAB; - participating in the operation or management of the system of a CAB; - giving specific advice or specific training towards the development and implementation - of the management system and/or competence of a CAB; - giving specific advice or specific training for the development and implementation of the operational procedures of a CAB. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsConformity Assessment Body
Definition(s)
Conformity Assessment Body
Body that performs conformity assessment services and that can be the object of accreditation. NOTE Whenever the word “CAB” is used in the text, it applies to both the “applicant and accredited CABs” unless otherwise specified. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsComplaint
Definition(s)
Complaint
Expression of dissatisfaction, other than appeal, by any person or organization, to an accreditation body, relating to the activities of that accreditation body or of an accredited CAB, where a response is expected. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsComplaint
expression of dissatisfaction, other than appeal, by any person or organization to a certification body, relating to the activities of that body or the activities of a certified person, where a response is expected [SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17000:2004, 6.5, modified] Source: ISO/IEC TS 17027:2014, Conformity assessment – Vocabulary related to competence of persons used for certification of persons, Global StandardsAssessor
Definition(s)
Assessor
Person assigned by an accreditation body to perform, alone or as part of an assessment team, an assessment of a CAB. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsAssessor
Entity performing the site-specific assessment. Source: ISO 19905-1:202, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units – Part 1: Jack-ups. Global StandardsAppeal
Definition(s)
Appeal
Request by a CAB for reconsideration of any adverse decision made by the accreditation body related to its desired accreditation status. NOTE Adverse decisions include - refusal to accept an application, - refusal to proceed with an assessment, - corrective action requests, - changes in accreditation scope, - decisions to deny, suspend or withdraw accreditation, and - any other action that impedes the attainment of accreditation. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsAppeal
request by applicant, candidate or certified person for reconsideration of any decision made by the certification body related to his/her desired certification status [SOURCE: ISO/IEC 17024:2012, 3.19]. Source: ISO/IEC TS 17027:2014, Conformity assessment – Vocabulary related to competence of persons used for certification of persons, Global StandardsAppeal
“Appeal” means an appeal under regulation 24. Source: The Offshore Installations (Safety Case) Regulations 2005, UK S.I. 2005/3117, 2005. RegulationsAccreditation Symbol
Definition(s)
Accreditation Symbol
Symbol issued by an accreditation body to be used by accredited CABs to indicate their accredited status.- NOTE: “Mark” is to be reserved to indicate direct conformity of an entity against a set of requirements.
Accreditation Certificate
Definition(s)
Accreditation Certificate
Formal document or a set of documents, stating that accreditation has been granted for the defined scope. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsAccreditation Body Logo
Definition(s)
Accreditation Body Logo
Logo used by an accreditation body to identify itself. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsAccreditation Body
Definition(s)
Accreditation Body
Authoritative body that performs accreditation.- NOTE: The authority of an accreditation body is generally derived from government.
Accreditation
Definition(s)
Accreditation
Third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks- Note: 1 to entry: Accreditation refers to conformity assessment bodies only, and not to persons.
Accreditation
Official recognition by the body for accreditation of a natural person's or legal entity's authority to perform works in a certain sphere of compliance evaluation. Source: Federal Law on Technical Regulation, No. 184-FZ, Russian Federation, December 2002 (amended September 2010). RegulationsAccreditation
Third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body conveying formal demonstration of its competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks. Source: ISO/IEC 17011:2004, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies. Global StandardsDiving Doctor
Definition(s)
Diving Doctor
“Diving doctor” means a medical doctor who is licensed and registered to practise in a province, who has completed a diving medical course acceptable to the Minister and who has been accepted in writing by the Minister to certify divers for the purposes of paragraph 53(b), but who has not been accepted by the Minister to provide medical assistance under pressures greater than atmospheric pressure (médecin de plongée). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Area Petroleum Diving Regulations, SOR/95-189, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsAssembly
Definition(s)
Assembly
Designed and fabricated group of bulk and equipment items that form one unit. [ISO 19901-5:2003, 3.1.1]. Source: API RP 2MOP, Marine Operations, Upstream Segment, First Edition, July 2010. Global StandardsAssembly
Product made up of more than one component.
Source:API SPECIFICATION 19TT, Specification for Downhole Well Test Tools and Related Equipment, First Edition, October 2016. Global StandardsAssembly
Product comprised of more than one component. Source: API SPEC 11D1, Packers and Bridge Plugs, Upstream Segment, Second Edition, July 2009. Global Standards