API 5L pipe is a carbon steel pipe used for oil and gas transmissions, it includes pipes manufactured in seamless and welded (ERW, SAW). Materials covers API 5L Grade B, X42, X46, X52, X56, X60, X65, X70, X80 PSL1 & PSL2 onshore, offshore and sour services. API 5L the implementation standard of steel pipe for pipeline transportation system and specification for line pipe.

Our Supply Range for API 5L Pipe

Grades: API 5L Grade B, X42, X52, X56, X60, X65, X70, X80
Product Specification Level: PSL1, PSL2, onshore and offshore sour services
Outer Diameter Range: 1/2” to 2”, 3”, 4”, 6”, 8”, 10”, 12”, 16 inch, 18 inch, 20 inch, 24 inch up to 40 inch.
Thickness Schedule: SCH 10. SCH 20, SCH 40, SCH STD, SCH 80, SCH XS, to SCH 160
Manufacturing Types: Seamless (Hot Rolled and Cold Rolled), Welded ERW (Electric resistance welded), SAW (Submerged Arc Welded) in LSAW, DSAW, SSAW, HSAW
Ends Type: Beveled ends, Plain ends
Length Range: SRL (Single Random Length), DRL (Double Random Length), 20 FT (6 meter), 40FT (12 meter)or customized
Protection Caps in plastic or iron
Surface Treatment: Natural, Varnished, Black painting, FBE, 3PE (3LPE), 3PP, CWC (Concrete Weight Coated) CRA Clad or Lined

Here we will do a brief introduction of API 5L pipe and related standard specifications with below aspects:
Standard Scope
Manufacturing types
Different Grades (Covers B, X42, X46, X52, X60, X65, X70)
Delivery condition (R, N, Q, M means)
Product Specification Level (PSL1 and PSL2)
Material specifications (Chemical and Mechanical)
Test Methods
Tolerances on pipe diameters, wall thickness, out-of-roundness
Common defects
Line pipe history and milestones
Applications

API 5L Pipe Standard Scope

API SPEC 5L 46th Edition defines the scope as:” Requirements for the manufacture of two product specification levels (PSL1 and PSL2) of seamless and welded steel pipes for use in pipeline transportation systems in the petroleum and natural gas industries. This standard is not applicable to cast pipe.”

In a word, API 5L pipe is the carbon steel pipe applied to the oil and gas transmission system. Meanwhile, other fluids like steam, water, and slurry also could adopt the API 5L standard for transmission purposes.

Different Manufacturing Types

API 5L specification covers the manufacturing types in welded and seamless.

Welded Type: ERW, SAW, DSAW, LSAW, SSAW, HSAW Pipe

For API 5L welded pipe common types are as follows:

ERW: Electric Resistance Welded, for pipe diameter normally under 24 inches.

DSAW/SAW: Double Submerged Arc Welding / Submerged Arc Welding, a substitute welding method for ERW for larger diameter pipes.

LSAW: Longitudinal SAW, for diameter up to 48 inches. Also called the JCOE manufacturing process.

SSAW/HSAW: Spiral Submerged Arc Welded / Helical SAW, pipe diameters up to 100 inches.

Check here for the differences between the ERW, LSAW, and SSAW pipes.

Seamless Type: Hot Rolled Seamless and Cold Rolled Seamless Pipe

Seamless manufacturing type usually for the small diameter pipe, normally diameter under 24 inches.

(For the pipe diameter is less than 150 mm or 6 inches, the seamless steel pipe is more applied than steel pipe in welded.)

There are also big-diameter seamless pipes. By hot rolled manufacturing process we could get seamless pipe diameters at most 20 inches (508 mm). But if you need the seamless pipe more than 20”, we can get it through hot expanding processes, with maximum diameters of 40 inches and 1016 mm.