API 5L X Grades

Grade

Chemical Composition
C

Si

Mn P

Nb Ti

Yield
Strength

Tensile
Strength

Yield to
Tensile

Elongati
on

min. (KSI)

min. (KSI)

Ratio (max)

API 5L
X52

0.1 0.4 1.6 0.0

6
5
5
20

0.0
10

0.0 0.0 0.0

7
5
4

52

66

0.93

21

API 5L
X56

0.1 0.4 1.6 0.0

6
5
5
20

0.0
10

0.0 0.0 0.0

7
5
4

56

71

0.93

19

API 5L
X60

0.1 0.4 1.6 0.0

6
5
5
20

0.0
10

0.0 0.0 0.0

8
5
4

60

75

0.93

19

API 5L
X65

0.1 0.4 1.6 0.0

6
5
5
20

0.0
10

0.0 0.0 0.0

9
5
6

65

77

0.93

18

API 5L
X70

0.1 0.4 1.7 0.0

7
5
5
20

0.0
10

0.1 0.0 0.0

0
5
6

70

82

0.93

17

API 5L General Information

The API SPEC 5L specification provides standards for pipe suitable for use in conveying gas, water, and oil
in the natural gas and oil industries. The API SPEC 5L covers seamless and welded steel line pipe. It
includes plain-end, threaded-end, and belled-end pipe, as well as through-the-flowline (TFL) pipe, and pipe
with ends prepared for use with special couplings.
Pipe manufactured to ASTM106 Grade A or B are not interchangable with API 5L. Requirements to API 5L
X grades are more stringent; rolled grades are not acceptable and rework is not allowed. Moreover,
particular attention is given to toughness and toughness tests for sour services and higher pressure &
temperature classes.
Strength Levels & Desulphurization
Manganese sulphides are typical inclusions in all manganese alloyed steels. Because they tend to
segregate resulting in reduced impact strength, sulphure content needs to be minimized. We specify
maximum 0.007%.
API 5L Benefits & Applications

Gas, water and oil transportation - preferred in long pipelines due to inexpensiveness
Pipeline steel - resistance to crack propogation
Line Pipe / Sour Service Line Pipes
API Standard Specification for Line Pipe
The American Petroleum Institute specification API 5L addresses seamless and welded steel line pipe for
pipeline transportation systems in the petroleum and natural gas industries. API 5L is suitable for
conveying gas, water, and oil.
Specifications for API 5L adhere to the International Organization for Standardization ISO 3183,
standardizing pipeline transportation systems within the materials, equipment and offshore structures for
natural gas, petroleum, and petrochemical industries. When authoring the standards, the technical
committee recognized that there are two basic Product Specifications Levels (PSL) of technical
requirements and therefore developed PSL 1 and PSL 2. PSL 1 is a standard quality for line pipe where
PSL 2 contains additional chemical, mechanical properties, and testing requirements.
Grades covered by this specification are A25, A, B and "X" Grades X42, X46, X52, X56, X60, X65, X70,
and X80. The two digit number following the "X" indicates the Minimum Yield Strength (in 000's psi) of pipe
produced to this grade.