API 5L X Grades

Grade Chemical Composition Yield Strength
 Tensile Strength
Yield to Tensile
Elongation
  C Si Mn P S V Nb Ti min. (KSI) min. (KSI) Ratio (max) %
API 5L X52 0.16 0.45 1.65 0.020 0.010 0.07 0.05 0.04 52 66 0.93 21
API 5L X56 0.16 0.45 1.65 0.020 0.010 0.07 0.05 0.04 56 71 0.93 19
API 5L X60 0.16 0.45 1.65 0.020 0.010 0.08 0.05 0.04 60 75 0.93 19
API 5L X65 0.16 0.45 1.65 0.020 0.010 0.09 0.05 0.06 65 77 0.93 18
API 5L X70 0.17 0.45 1.75 0.020 0.010 0.10 0.05 0.06 70 82 0.93 17

API 5L General Information

The API SPEC 5L specification provides standards for pipe suitable for use in conveying gas, water, and oil in the natural gas and oil industries. The API SPEC 5L covers seamless and welded steel line pipe. It includes plain-end, threaded-end, and belled-end pipe, as well as through-the-flowline (TFL) pipe, and pipe with ends prepared for use with special couplings.

Pipe manufactured to ASTM106 Grade A or B are not interchangable with API 5L. Requirements to API 5L X grades are more stringent; rolled grades are not acceptable and rework is not allowed. Moreover, particular attention is given to toughness and toughness tests for sour services and higher pressure & temperature classes.

Strength Levels & Desulphurization

Manganese sulphides are typical inclusions in all manganese alloyed steels. Because they tend to segregate resulting in reduced impact strength, sulphure content needs to be minimized. We specify maximum 0.007%.

API 5L Benefits & Applications

 

API Standard Specification for Line Pipe

The American Petroleum Institute specification API 5L addresses seamless and welded steel line pipe for pipeline transportation systems in the petroleum and natural gas industries.  API 5L is suitable for conveying gas, water, and oil.  

Specifications for API 5L adhere to the International Organization for Standardization ISO 3183, standardizing pipeline transportation systems within the materials, equipment and offshore structures for natural gas, petroleum, and petrochemical industries.  When authoring the standards, the technical committee recognized that there are two basic Product Specifications Levels (PSL) of technical requirements and therefore developed PSL 1 and PSL 2.  PSL 1 is a standard quality for line pipe where PSL 2 contains additional chemical, mechanical properties, and testing requirements. 

Grades covered by this specification are A25, A, B and "X" Grades X42, X46, X52, X56, X60, X65, X70, and X80.  The two digit number following the "X" indicates the Minimum Yield Strength (in 000's psi) of pipe produced to this grade.