API 614 and API 672 Air Compressor Standards Guide

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Compressed air is often called the “4th utility” after electricity, water, and gas, making reliable air compression a critical part of any industrial process. The loss of compressed air can result in costly unplanned downtime, resulting in hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in lost production per day. This is particularly true in many Oil, Gas, Chemical, and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) applications that rely on compressed air throughout the upstream and downstream processes.

To uphold the highest standards in design and operation of plants in aforementioned fields, the American Petroleum Institute (API) has established API standards for equipment in these types of applications, providing global industry standards to promote equipment safety, reliability, and efficiency.

API 672 and API 614 are the two most applicable standards for air compressors, and each sets a benchmark for design, manufacturing, and testing. API 672 is the governing standard for integrally geared centrifugal air compressors, and API 614 is the governing standard of the compressor lubrication system.

What Is API 672?

API 672 is a standard developed by the American Petroleum Institute that specifically applies to integrally geared centrifugal air compressors used in the petroleum, chemical, and gas industries. It outlines detailed requirements for design, materials, manufacturing, testing, and performance to ensure reliable and consistent operation.

In simpler terms, API 672 makes sure that when you're using a centrifugal air compressor in a high-stakes environment—like a chemical plant or oil refinery—it’s built to meet extremely high reliability and safety standards.

Here’s what’s included in the API 672 standard:

• Design requirements for the compressor and its components

• Vibration limits and performance expectations

• Instrumentation and control system guidelines

• Mechanical run testing and hydrostatic testing requirements

• Requirements for auxiliary systems, including lubrication

Using an API 672 centrifugal compressor means you're using equipment that’s been designed for critical-duty applications. Whether it's running continuously or operating in harsh conditions, these compressors are expected to perform with minimal interruption and maximum safety.

What Is API 614?

While API 672 covers the centrifugal air compressor itself, API 614 focuses on the lubrication and seal oil systems used with rotating equipment, including compressors, turbines, and gears.

These systems are critical for keeping machinery running efficiently and preventing failures due to overheating or wear. API 614 outlines the requirements for:

• Design and layout of lube systems

• Filtration and cooling standards

• Redundancy features (e.g., dual pumps for unspared equipment)

• Instrumentation and control of the lubrication system

• System cleanliness and flushing procedures

The synergy between API 672 and API 614 ensures that both the compressor and its support systems are built to work together reliably over long operational lifespans. This combined approach greatly minimizes the risk of mechanical failure due to lubrication issues, which is a common problem in industrial environments.

Why Are API 672 Air Compressors So Widely Used?

Here’s a closer look at the significant benefits and importance of API 672 and 614 standards for air compressors:

1. Reliability and Safety:

API 672 and 614 standards are designed to ensure the reliability and safety of air compressors. With a focus on robust engineering practices, these standards significantly reduce potential failures and enhance the plant operators’ overall safety. Compliance with these standards is crucial in industries where any compromise in reliability could lead to significant operational disruptions.

Certain requirements within these standards are designated as “if specified or Special Duty compressor requirements. These features and requirements are typically specified for installations requiring higher availability or un-spared.

2. Controls and Instrumentation:

API 672 and 614 define requirements for instrumentation and control of air compressors and lubrication systems. As control technology has evolved and advanced, OEM control systems can perform real-time compressor performance analysis to recommend alternative control modes and improve overall efficiency. This improved efficiency results in lower operational costs and reduces overall power consumption, leading to lower emissions.

Additional instrumentation monitoring coupled with the latest control technology allows for more predictive maintenance to reduce the likelihood of unplanned downtime for the equipment. API continues to incorporate additional standards to include more innovative solutions, and nowhere is this more apparent than within the advancement of compressor controls.

3. Inspection and Maintenance:

These API standards define best practices for manufacturers and operators for inspections and maintenance on air compressors. These criteria are developed by subject matter experts, including oil refineries, operators, contractors, and vendors. Compressors built to these API standards are designed with typical service and maintenance requirements in mind to reduce the difficulty and time required to perform routine maintenance and repair work.

4. Global Consistency:

API standards are internationally recognized, and API 672 is the global standard for centrifugal air compressors. Adhering to these standards ensures compliance with industry norms and regulations, allowing for consistency amongst manufacturers and operators internationally.

These global acceptance criteria fosters confidence among end-users in the reliability and quality of the equipment supplied by the compressor manufacturers. API-compliant machines have a proven track record of long-term reliable operation in the most demanding applications.

5. Environmental Considerations:

A focus on environmentally responsible practices has never been more important for contractors and operators than it is today. API standards play a pivotal role in reducing global emissions by defining the requirements followed by manufacturers and operators worldwide. By incorporating guidelines for energy efficiency, these standards help contribute towards net-zero goals.

API 672 and 614 standards serve as a cornerstone for designing, manufacturing, and operating centrifugal air compressors within the oil, gas, chemical, and LNG production and applications. By upholding these standards, industries ensure the longevity and safety of their equipment.

How API 672 and 614 Enable Global Consistency

One of the most valuable aspects of API standards is their global recognition. Whether you're operating a plant in North America, the Middle East, or Southeast Asia, using an API 672 air compressor ensures that you’re meeting the same high standard of performance.

This consistency makes it easier for multinational companies to standardize their operations across sites. It also helps when sourcing components or hiring third-party maintenance teams—everyone speaks the same "API language," so expectations are clear.

How Do These Standards Support Environmental Goals?

With growing focus on sustainability and net-zero targets, it's more important than ever for industries to operate responsibly. That’s where API standards play a subtle but crucial role.

By pushing manufacturers to build more efficient equipment, API 672 and API 614 contribute to:

Lower energy usage per unit of compressed air
Reduced emissions from inefficient equipment
Cleaner lubrication systems with fewer environmental hazards

The improved efficiency of modern API compressors directly supports broader sustainability goals, making them an intelligent choice for environmentally conscious operators.

How to Choose the Right API 672 Centrifugal Compressor

Choosing the right API 672 air compressor is an important decision, especially for operations where reliability is critical and downtime is costly. Whether you're working in oil and gas, petrochemicals, or LNG, your compressor needs to be efficient, durable, and fully compliant with industry standards like API 672 and API 614.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

API Compliance: Make sure the compressor meets the latest API 672 requirements and that its lubrication system aligns with API 614. This helps ensure safe, long-lasting performance.
Proven Expertise: Look for a manufacturer with a solid track record in API compressors—experience matters when reliability is on the line.
Strong Support: Choose a supplier that offers reliable service, maintenance programs, and technical support to keep your equipment running smoothly.
Flexibility: If you have unique site conditions or performance needs, work with a provider that can customize the compressor to fit your operation.

Why FS-Elliott’s API Compressors Stand Out

When failure isn’t an option, trust FS-Elliott’s API 672 and API 614 air compressors, engineered for critical applications where reliability and performance matter most. Built to meet and exceed API standards, our compressors deliver long-term efficiency and proven durability in demanding environments.

Watch our webinar, "Cracking the Code: Mastering API Standards for Centrifugal Air Compressors", tailored for engineers and decision-makers in the oil & gas, petrochemical, and LNG sectors. Explore our Engineered Air Compressor Series and advanced Compressor Control Systems.

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