This specification defines the technical requirements for safe, dimensionally and functionally interchangeable flexible pipe ancillary equipment that is designed and manufactured to uniform standards and criteria.

Minimum requirements are specified for the design, material selection, manufacture, testing, documentation, marking and packaging of flexible pipe ancillary equipment, with reference to existing codes and standards where applicable. See API 17L2 for guidelines on the use of ancillary equipment.

The applicability relating to a specific item of ancillary equipment is stated at the beginning of the particular section for the ancillary equipment in question.

This specification applies to the following flexible pipe ancillary equipment:

• bend stiffeners;
• bend restrictors;
• bellmouths;
• buoyancy modules and ballast modules;
• subsea buoys;
• tethers for subsea buoys and tether clamps;
• riser and tether bases;
• clamping devices;
• piggy-back clamps;
• repair clamps;
• I/J-tube seals;
• pull-in heads/installation aids;
• connectors;
• load-transfer devices;
• mechanical protection;
• fire protection.

This specification may be used for bonded flexible pipe ancillary equipment, though any requirements specific to these applications are not addressed.

The applicability of requirements to umbilicals is indicated in the applicable sections of this specification for the ancillary equipment in question.

This specification does not cover flexible pipe ancillary equipment beyond the connector, with the exception of riser bases and load-transfer devices. Therefore this document does not cover turret structures or I-tubes and J-tubes for example. In addition, this document does not cover flexible pipe storage devices such as reels, for example.

This specification is intended to cover ancillary equipment made from several material types, including metallic, polymer and composite materials. It may also refer to material types for particular ancillary components that are not commonly used for such components currently, but may be adopted more frequently in the future.

This specification applies to ancillary equipment used in association with the flexible pipe applications listed in API 17B, API 17J, and API 17K.

Annexes to this specification are intended only as guidelines or for information.