When purchasing steel pipes that meet the AS1163 pipe and API 5L dual standards, it is important to be aware of the fake certificates that some companies use. These fake certificates are often created using photoshop and can be very difficult to identify. However, they can often trick buyers into thinking they are getting a high-quality product when in reality the product is of low quality and may even be dangerous.Â
This damages the projects that use these pipes because they are not up to code and they can cause safety issues. If something goes wrong, the company that chose the supplier with a fake certificate can be sued and lose a lot of money in compensation payments. To avoid this, it is essential to do your research and only purchase pipes from a trusted supplier. With so much at stake, it is simply not worth taking the risk of using a fake certificate.
1. Not Only AS1163 Pipe Docs, but also Check the API Composite List
Some customers only remember to check whether the product meets the requirements of the AS1163 pipe standard, but for dual-standard steel pipes, the qualification of API is equally important. If it does not comply with the provisions of API, it is likely to cause customer complaints and customs liability. The American Petroleum Institute (API) is a trade association that represents the oil and gas industry.Â
API certification is a voluntary process that shows that a company meets the API’s standards for quality and safety. The API Composite List is a directory of all the companies that are certified by the API. This list can be used to check if a company is authorized to use the API logo on its products. To search the Composite List,Â
1) Open the API official website and look for the “API Composite List” tab;
2) Find the screenshot above, search company name or authorized number, and click “Search”;
3) Check the detail of the company regarding the authorization types and the authorization status.Â
If you are looking for a certain type of certification, and the certificate status shows “Active”, then you can be sure that you are safe at this stage. You may also be interested in checking the company details to see if you are dealing with the right person. To do this, simply click on the company name shown in red. This will take you to the company’s page where you can find more information about them. Once you have verified that the company is legitimate, you can move on to the next stage of your research.
2. Check the Non-Licensee / Registrant List
The American Petroleum Institute (API) strives to maintain the highest standards in the industry and to ensure that only qualified suppliers are providing products and services to its members. As part of this commitment, API maintains a Non-Licensee/Registrant List of companies who are supplying with fake certificates or otherwise operating outside of the requirements set forth by API. The list is updated regularly, and companies that appear on the list should be avoided.Â
1) Simply visit the API official website and select the “Non-Licensee/Registrant List” option from the drop-down menu;
2) Scroll down to find out which companies are dealing with fake licenses.
This information can be used to down your search for a qualified pipe supplier. If you are looking for a certain company, you can enter its name in the “Search” field.
3. Take A Look on the MTC from the Supplier, Although It Meets the Requirements of AS1163 pipe
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1) The company name – as you can see in the above picture, the name is very similar to our company name, but they are absolutely different. The company names are always same with that on the certificates. Even an abbreviation is not a reasonable explanation.
2) As we all know that CNAS is an agency that analyzes whether or not a laboratory may be accredited by China’s National Accredited Testing Laboratory. It has bilateral or multilateral accrediting cooperation agreements with important international accreditation agencies.Â
And, a qualified AS1163 pipe steel pipe mill has to obtain the CNAS certificate first before producing and selling to Australia and New Zealand markets. So we will check the CNAS registration number on the MTC. First, visit the CNAS official website; Next, click on “Find an Accredited Body“; Then, click on “Testing & Calibration Laboratories“, and type in the registration number or the company name; Finally, you can check if the registration number and company name are matched to the MTC you have;
3) Finally, the API certification number – Usually, a steel pipe mill that is holding the API certification would show the certification numbers on the MTC. While there is none of it on the sample MTC above.
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