FOREWORD

These recommended practices were prepared by the API Subcommittee on Production Operations Involving Hydrogen Sulfide. This standard is under the administration of the American Petroleum Institute Exploration & Production Department's Executive Commit­tee on Drilling & Production Practices.

It is intended that these voluntary recommended practices serve as a guide to promote and maintain integrity of oil and/or gas producing and gas processing facilities in the inter­ests of public safety, personnel safety, and protection of the environment. Users of this pub­lication are reminded that constantly developing technology, specific company requirements and policy, and specialized or limited operations do not permit coverage of all possible operations, practices, or alternatives. This standard is not so comprehensive as to present all of the recommended practices for oil and gas well producing operations and gas processing plant operations involving hydrogen sulfide. Alternative operating procedures and/or equipment are available and routinely used to meet or exceed recommended prac­tices or performance levels set forth herein. Recommendations presented in this publication are based on industry experience and expertise involving a wide range of operating loca­tions and conditions. Recommendations presented in this publication are not intended to in­hibit developing technology and equipment improvements or improved operating procedures. This publication, or portions thereof, cannot be substituted for qualified tech­nical/operations analysis and judgment to fit a specific situation.

There may be federal, state, or local statutes, rules, or regulations requiring oil and gas producing and gas processing operations to be conducted in a safe or environmentally sound manner. Organizations and individuals using this standard are cautioned that require­ments of federal, state, or local laws and regulations are constantly evolving. These require­ments should be reviewed to determine whether the practices recommended herein and the operations being planned or conducted are consistent with current laws and regulations.

Information concerning safety and health risks and proper precautions with respect to particular materials and conditions should be obtained from the employer, the manufacturer or supplier of that material, or the material safety data sheet (MSDS).

Provisions of these voluntary recommended practices include use of the verbs "shall" and "should", whichever is deemed most applicable for the specific situation. For purposes of this publication, the following definitions are applicable.

Shall: Indicates the "recommended practice(s)" has universal applicability to that spe­cific activity.

Should: Denotes a "recommended practice(s)" 1) where a safe comparable alternative

practice(s) is available; 2) that may be impractical under certain circumstances; or 3) that

may be unnecessary under certain circumstances.