• Independent Assessments - Reducing Non-productive Time - Increasing Performance

  • A fully integrated approach to equipment failure prevention

  • Search for Approved Suppliers and validate Certificates of Approval

  • An Accreditation Programme that provides assessment at Facility, Product, Process and Design levels

Facility Approval

Individual facilities for the manufacture, rental, refurbishing and/or assembly of drilling equipment can have their systems and processes employed there assessed for their capability to supply specific products to NS-1™.

Any item of equipment that is listed in the Equipment Table within the NS-1™ Standard can be assessed.

Facility Approvals are for individual locations only.

Certificates of approval will show:

  • The location approved
  • The equipment and the specification it has been assessed against
  • Any conditions, exemptions or Nota Benes applied
  • Any specific supply chain requirements.

Any additional processes that are undertaken as part of the final delivered product such as the application of hardbanding or internal plastic coating can also be assessed and tested.

There are five levels of approval available and each level has to be achieved before a higher level can be awarded.

Level 1 (Process Audit)

Process Audits shall be conducted by NS A&S of the manufacturer’s facilities systems and in house processes.

Level 2 (Product Audit)

Product audits shall be conducted for this level meeting the NS-1™ Supplementary Requirements; any NS-1™ Sub-Specifications; Mechanical Tests, Chemical Analysis, Tests to verify effectiveness of cold rolling process of threaded connections.

Level 3 (Independent Design Review to NS-1™)

Should manufacture of an item of equipment not currently covered by the NS-1™ Standard require assessment then a Design Review will be required in addition.

Equipment covered by NS-1™ will require a Review of data / performance sheets for the product.

Level 4 (Application Approval of NS-1™ Products)

Product Application Approval (i.e. Hardbanding, Plastic Coating etc.) shall be conducted for approval of application of an NS-1™ hardbanding or internal plastic coating.

It is understood that some products do not require hardbanding or internal plastic coating - also that some facilities do not provide these services. In these cases Level 4 may be excluded.

Level 5 (Use of NS-1™ Approved Suppliers Only)

Level 5 approvals shall be granted when manufacturers use only approved suppliers for heat treatment and upset tubulars, etc. or perform these processes themselves as part of the audit.

In the event that level 4 has been excluded the internal technical review committee can recommend that a level 5 approval may be awarded.