This guide provides a summary of some of the more commonly used codes, standards, recommended practices (RPs), specifications and guidelines produced by organizations based in the United States that assist manufacturers, owners, users and their designated agents, regulators and other stakeholders in maintaining the integrity of fixed pressure equipment in process plants and in general industrial use. For the convenience of the user of this guide, the term "documents" will be used throughout to refer collectively to "codes, standards, recommended practices, specifications and guidelines." This guide is not all-inclusive.

There are many documents that are useful for specific applications of pressure equipment that have not been described or included as references in this guide. This does not imply that these documents should not be used or that they have any deficiencies. Note also that engineering knowledge and experience is necessary for the proper application of most of the standards listed. The following applications for pressure equipment are not specifically included in the scope. However, the owner of these categories of equipment may use those portions of this guide that are applicable:

(a) Upstream "non-process" equipment in the oil and gas industry (e.g., pressure equipment used in oil and gas exploration and production such as Christmas trees, wellhead equipment, flow lines, subsea equipment)

(b) Equipment in commercial nuclear power plants

(c) Domestic plumbing and other domestic pressure equipment such as hot water heaters. Portable air receivers (air tanks) used by homeowners and contractors are excluded from the scope but air receivers in industrial facilities are included (d) Liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) transport and storage (API and ship classification societies)

(e) Pipelines

(f) Pressure equipment used in transport service.

This guide includes only documents that are pertinent to maintaining equipment integrity (e.g., pressure containment) through appropriate design, construction, inspection, maintenance, alteration and repair. Standards related to areas such as identification schemes, plant or pipeline operator qualification, etc. are outside of its scope.

The inclusion of a document in this guide does not imply that the document is endorsed by ASME. This listing is provided only for the convenience of manufacturers, users and their designated agents, regulators and other stakeholders to help identify documents that are potentially applicable.