The NORSOK standards were developed by the Norwegian petroleum industry to ensure safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in offshore oil and gas operations. Designed to replace individual oil company specifications where feasible, NORSOK serves as a key reference within the regulatory frameworks established by Norwegian authorities. Maintained by Standards Norway (Standards Norge), these standards are globally recognised for their role in defining best practices across the industry.
Main goals of NORSOK standards
1. Access to high-quality standards
2. Efficient standardisation processes
For more information on NORSOK, visit the NORSOK Standards Website
Corrosion remains the leading challenge to the integrity of offshore equipment, posing significant risks to safety, reliability, and operational efficiency. NORSOK standards play a crucial role in maintaining material integrity and ensuring system performance.
Currently, 79 active NORSOK standards address various operational aspects, including safety, environmental protection and engineering specifications.
Standards relevant to instrumentation materials and products include:
NORSOK M-650 is a key standard that ensures manufacturers are qualified to handle and process specialist materials for demanding offshore environments. It governs every step of the qualification process, from the raw material mill to the final product, ensuring that material properties and integrity remain uncompromised throughout the production.
NORSOK M-630 provides detailed material data sheets and element data sheets for piping. These data sheets define the metallurgical requirements for base materials, ensuring consistency and reliability in offshore applications.
Together, M-65- and M-630 form a comprehensive framework to ensure the corrosion resistance and performance of critical instrumentation components, such as valves, tubes, and fittings. These standards play a crucial role in maintaining long-term system integrity in offshore environments.
Initially developed by Norwegian oil companies for local offshore operations, NORSOK standards have since gained global recognition. NORSOK and their international equivalents, such as ISO 17782, are trusted by major operators worldwide for their proven ability to protect high-value offshore assets from corrosion and failure.
Beyond Norway, oil and gas operators increasingly specify NORSOK-compliant materials for several reasons:
NORSOK’s stringent requirements ensure traceability and reliability, providing engineers and operators with peace of mind.
NORSOK-approved materials are synonymous with safety and risk mitigation, especially in environments where failure is not an option. They also help prevent the use of counterfeit or substandard components.
For these reasons, NORSOK-compliant materials have become the preferred choice for offshore operators worldwide, ensuring reliable performance under extreme pressure and corrosive conditions.
Clara Moyano, Innovation Engineer - Material Science at Parker Hannifin’s Instrumentation Products Division Europe, explains NORSOK, the standard developed by the Norwegian Petroleum Industry. She discusses NORSOK M650 and M630, focusing on the qualification of manufacturers of special materials and material data sheets for piping.
Parker has been a trusted provider of NORSOK-compliant materials for over 15 years. Our commitment to quality extends to materials that may fall outside NORSOK standards but still meet the highest levels of assurance.
Every Parker component features a unique Heat Code Traceability (HCT) number (Fig. 1), linking it to the original mill or foundry and documenting every step of the raw material manufacturing process. This ensures complete confidence in the material’s origin and quality.
Parker exceeds industry norms by providing detailed 3.1 material certificates (Fig. 2). These certificates offer full traceability, including documentation of any secondary processing - such as conversion into finished products - that may affect material integrity. To ensure uncompromised quality, Parker mandates secondary testing and includes these results with the 3.1 certificate. Unlike generic certificates from lower-quality suppli
Fig. 1. Example of HCT and material marking.
The fitting’s body is marked with the HCT number: 946F, matching the same number on the 3.1 certificate (Fig. 2). The nut is marked with a different HCT number: 420F, corresponding to its own 3.1 certificate. Additionally, the body is marked with the material type: 6Mo.
Fig. 2. First page of a 3.1 test certificate for the fitting’s body material with the HCT number and NORSOK compliance of the material.
Parker initially introduced NORSOK compliant 6Mo low-pressure instrumentation fittings designed for pressures up to 6,000 PSI. Over time, our product line has expanded to include medium- and high-pressure valves, tubes and fittings with cone-and-thread connections from Parker’s Autoclave Engineers portfolio.
Today, Parker also offers products made from NORSOK-compliant duplex, super duplex stainless steel and titanium for applications requiring pressures up to 150,000 PSI, ideal for demanding offshore environments. Our product range includes needle valves, ball valves, adapters, and fittings.
From topside installations to subsea environments, Parker’s products deliver consistent performance under the most challenging conditions.
Parker's range of NORSOK-compliant materials includes:
Note: 316 Stainless Steel is not considered a special material as per NORSOK M-650. Other materials may be available upon request.
By choosing Parker, you gain access to one of the most comprehensive ranges of NORSOK-compliant materials and products available. Our commitment to quality assurance and traceability ensures that you are always equipped with the best materials for your projects – whether they demand NORSOK compliance or not.
Contact Parker today to discover how we can help you meet and exceed your material and quality assurance needs.
This article was contributed by:
Clara Moyano
Senior Material Scientist, Parker Hannifin, Instrumentation Products Division, Europe
Deborah Pollard
Capital Projects Manager, North EMEA, Parker Hannifin, Instrumentation Products Division, Europe
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