JIP33 provides standardized procurement specifications for oil and gas equipment and packages through four document types: technical requirements, information requirements, quality requirements, and procurement data sheets. Developed to supplement international standards, it addresses oil and gas industry-specific needs while reducing unnecessary variation.

The initiative was launched in response to industry concerns about rising project costs and delays caused by company-specific requirements that added complexity across the supply chain. JIP33 promotes harmonization by creating a set of common specifications, enabling equipment manufacturers to supply standardized products to multiple operators and allowing engineering contractors to work more efficiently. This reduces transactional waste while still supporting innovation and technology development.

Originally sponsored and maintained by 12 operating companies, JIP33 has been available for industry-wide use for over a decade. From January 2026, the programme is open to all IOGP member companies to participate in its maintenance.

JIP33 does not replace regulatory code nor international standard. They are standardized equipment procurement specifications to be used in conjunction with the international standards. The JIP33 specifications replaces the individual operator specifications used for procurement of equipment previously.

The long-term goal of JIP33 is to create globally recognized procurement specification that is consistently understood and accepted across the supply chain. To support this objective, participating operators are increasingly incorporating JIP33 requirements into their procurement processes and internal systems. JIP33 also collaborates with standards organizations to improve alignment, reduce duplication, and simplify supplier compliance, helping the industry achieve greater efficiency and consistency.

JIP33 specifications span the main disciplines of mechanical, piping/valves, electrical, instrumentation & control, materials, safety, packaged equipment and subsea, with the objective of standardizing procurement requirements across the upstream oil and gas industry.

The latest versions of these documents can be downloaded from the JIP33 Instrumentation section of the IOGP Bookstore. – https://www.IOGP.org/bookstore/product-category/JIP33/instruments/?orderby=title_asc

JIP33 focuses primarily on procurement specifications standardization, whereas other IOGP initiatives, such as JIP35, address design specifications. Some JIP33 specifications do include design and selection requirements to support equipment reliability and operational integrity.

JIP33 aims to cover approximately 80% of procurement scope. Companies typically establish additional requirements to address gaps. Scope expansion opportunities are considered during the maintenance cycle of the specifications.

JIP33 specifications have been developed considering the design and operating requirements including reliability, maintainability and lifecycle performance. These specifications are intended to be used on both greenfield and brownfield projects

JIP33 specifications are built on existing international standards (e.g., API, ASME, ISO, IEC and IEEE) and provide harmonized supplementary requirements for oil and gas applications. Historically, operators developed their own company- and project-specific procurement specifications to address critical operational needs, creating significant variation, duplication, and inefficiencies across the supply chain. JIP33 addresses this challenge by standardizing these additional procurement requirements into a common industry framework.

While industry standards are designed for broad application across multiple sectors, JIP33 provides the greater level of detail often required for oil and gas procurement, including technical, quality, information, and data sheet requirements. At the same time, JIP33 works closely with standards development organizations to minimize duplication and promote true standardization by incorporating suitable JIP33 requirements into parent standards during revision cycles. The long-term objective is to reduce dependence on supplementary specifications by embedding requirements directly into international standards. This approach has already resulted in several JIP33 specifications being fully adopted into parent standards and subsequently retired from JIP33 maintenance.

JIP33 standardization delivers significant value by reducing unnecessary variation in equipment specifications, enabling more efficient engineering, procurement, and supplier engagement. It helps lower project costs, shorten lead times, improve quality and reliability, and drive more predictable project delivery through industry-wide alignment on common procurement specifications.

The first step is to download the specification from the JIP33 specification library and adopt as part the company’s specification library. Implementation starts by including/listing the specification in the basis of design document, followed by the FEED and then the Execute phase and in the tendering packages.

See here (https://www.IOGP.org/bookstore/product/JIP33-standardized-procurement-specifications-implementation-guide/) for the JIP33 Implementation Guide document.

There is flexibility in JIP33 with certain limitation. For project-specific customisation, it is important to understand that JIP33 consists of four document types: the TRS (Technical Requirements Specification), which provides supplementary technical requirements to international standards; the PDS (Procurement Data Sheet), which allows purchasers to select project-specific options; the QRS (Quality Requirements Specification), which defines inspection, testing, and levels of intervention; and the IRS (Information Requirements Specification), which defines the supplier deliverables and documentation requirements.

Most project requirements can be accommodated through these existing documents without modifying the specification itself. For example, in the PDS for S-562 Ball Valves, purchasers can select options such as material class and Quality Specification Level (QSL). Similarly, the IRS already includes a comprehensive list of deliverables, with flexibility for purchasers to specify whether each item is required for information, acceptance, or not required. Additional project-specific requirements can also be included in the Purchase Order Specific Information Requirements section, although ideally these should be kept to a minimum.

JIP33 recognises that operators work in different business environments and therefore have different risk perspectives related to cost, schedule and reliability. To accommodate this, JIP33 provides four defined risk levels that can be selected depending on project needs. These risk levels (A-D) defines in the Quality Requirements Specification (QRS) influence aspects such as quality assurance and inspection requirements. In addition, the Procurement Data Sheet (PDS) allows a limited number of project-specific options to be selected.

JIP33 specifications are expected to be used in conjunction with the company’s in-house ‘design engineering practices’. The JIP33 Data Sheet gives you the flexibility of selecting your project specific requirement based on your engineering requirement.

JIP33 has the potential to help companies challenge / rethink their internal technical options to align with international best practices.

Major EPCs participate in the JIP33 EPC Forum and are interested in JIP33 adoption. For successful implementation, JIP33 should be specified in the Basis of Design and included in contracts as early as possible, with a clear list of applicable specifications. Organizations should ensure clean use of specifications, minimize overlays and underlays, avoid unique designs where possible.

A complete RFQ (typically issued during FEED or early execution in an EPCC project) is prepared by the EPC contractor and includes the contract/PO terms plus four key JIP33 documents: the TRS, which provides supplementary technical requirements to international standards; the PDS, which captures project-specific selections; the QRS, which defines inspection and quality requirements including hold and witness points; and the IRS, which sets out deliverables and their timing. Together, these form a standardised RFQ package where the purchaser does not create new technical or quality requirements but selects and configures from the defined templates.

JIP33 specifications are updated in alignment with the revision cycle of their parent international standards, which is typically around every five years. This ensures that the specifications remain consistent with the latest industry standards while maintaining stability for ongoing projects and procurement activities.

In addition to full revisions, JIP33 also issues maintenance updates when required. These may include addenda or errata to address clarifications, corrections, or minor technical improvements without waiting for the full standard revision cycle. This approach ensures the specifications remain accurate, practical, and fit for purpose throughout their lifecycle.

For specifications without a parent standard, IOGP intends to review them at least every five years.

The four CAS levels conform to Table C.1 of ISO 29001:2020, which defines a generic conformity assessment matrix. Guidance on applying these levels is available in the QRS training video within the IOGP-JIP33 Training & Guidelines resources (https://www.iogp.org/bookstore/product/iogp-jip33-quality-requirements-specification-qrs-video/).

Participation in JIP33 typically begins with the nomination of a Discipline Head or Technical Authority (TA) to the relevant standards subcommittee. The subcommittee representative then nominates Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to support specification maintenance and updates. SME involvement in working groups typically ranges from 3 to 18 months, depending on the scope and complexity of the work, with updates reviewed by both SMEs and subcommittee members.

Information on JIP33 standards committee and subcommittee work plans is published in the annual IOGP brochure. Companies that participate in subcommittees can actively influence future priorities and work programmes. Those wishing to stay informed can also subscribe to the JIP33 mailing list for updates and announcements.

All 12 founding member companies have committed to implementing JIP33 within their organisations. As independent companies, each operator determines its own implementation priorities and may not adopt all 58 specifications simultaneously. However, all have committed to implementing a significant portion of the library, with many aiming for full implementation over time.

The overall objective is for JIP33 specifications to replace multiple operator-specific procurement specifications, reducing complexity for both operators and suppliers while improving consistency across the industry.

EPCs, Suppliers and manufacturers can contribute throughout the specification development process through user feedback reviews, supplier questionnaires, public reviews, and townhall engagements. Their input helps improve specification quality and supports industry adoption. If you have any comments on previously published specifications or would like to express your interest to participate in the public review for a specification, please write to us at feedback@jip33.org  If you would like to raise a deviation to JIP33 specification on your ongoing project, please discuss this directly with your client

In addition to the PDF format published on the JIP33 specifications library, we are piloting the publication of the the digital version in REQIF format  and these will be available from our bookstore in the future

JIP33 was not created as a software interoperability standard for engineering or any other application. Its primary purpose is to standardize equipment procurement specifications, information requirements, quality requirements, and procurement data sheets for use across the oil and gas industry.

However, JIP33 can significantly improve interoperability between engineering applications through:

• standardised data definitions in the JIP33 Information Requirement Specification (IRS), JIP33 Procurement Data Sheet (PDS) and consistent terminology and attributes.
• data digitalisation through standardised data structures and machine-readable specifications in HIPE (IOGP Hub for Parts and Equipment) in support of data flow through engineering design, procurement and asset information systems.
• Alignment with CFIHOS which focuses on lifecycle information management and handover data. This is particularly important because CFIHOS provides a strong foundation for structured digital information exchange across engineering tools.

JIP33 specifications are developed through collaboration between operators, EPC contractors, and suppliers, with new specifications created only where there is a clear business case and significant opportunity for industry value through standardization. Originally focused on upstream oil and gas, JIP33 specifications can also be applied to downstream, refining, CCS, and other energy projects where appropriate.

JIP33 covers many common equipment classes, including valves, pumps, heat exchangers, transformers, switchgear, instrumentation, and piping, which are often relevant across different sectors. The JIP33 Governance Group and Standards Committee continually assess industry needs, including emerging requirements for new energy and CCS projects, and prioritize future specification development based on business value. However, operators and EPC contractors remain responsible for determining the suitability of JIP33 specifications for specific projects and application requirements.

JIP33’s long-term vision is to establish industry-wide standardised procurement specifications that reduce complexity, improve quality, lower costs, and accelerate project delivery. As it evolves, it is expected to expand its specification library, increase digital integration, strengthen supplier collaboration, and become the default procurement framework across the wider energy industry.