PETROLEUM AND ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES Standards Summary – October 2025 Monthly Overview (Part 2)

Looking back at October 2025, the Petroleum and Energy Technologies sector experienced a meaningful surge in standards activity, addressing both the longstanding challenge of pipeline integrity and the increasing demand for precision in the analysis of petroleum contaminants. Two influential standards were published that month, each targeting fundamental risk and quality assurance challenges within petroleum operations: one focusing on holistic geohazard monitoring for oil and gas pipelines, and another specifying the determination of arsenic levels in crude petroleum. This overview distills and analyzes the key requirements and themes from these publications, offering professionals an informed retrospective to help them track industry movement, prioritize compliance, and reinforce best practice frameworks.

Monthly Overview: October 2025

October 2025 marked a period of significant technical advancement in the field of Petroleum and Energy Technologies. Standards activity during the month was characterized by:

• Reinforced commitments to operational safety and environmental protection
• Integrating lower-carbon energy requirements with traditional oil and gas mandates
• Recognizing emerging analytical requirements in refining and upstream quality management

Compared to prior months, the focus in October shifted towards embedding risk-driven methodologies and measurement precision in critical infrastructure and product processing. This signals an industry-wide direction toward addressing regulatory and societal expectations—especially those linked to pipeline integrity and hazardous contaminant control—by means of advanced, standards-based processes.

With only two standards published this month, the scope may appear narrow; however, their breadth and depth underscore a shift from purely operational standards to a more systems-level and data-driven management approach across the sector.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 10903:2025 – Pipeline Geohazard Monitoring Processes, Systems and Technologies

Oil and gas industries including lower carbon energy – Pipeline transportation systems – Pipeline geohazard monitoring processes, systems and technologies

ISO 10903:2025 sets out comprehensive requirements and guidance for planning, selecting, and implementing methods and strategies for monitoring geohazards that interact with onshore pipelines. The standard covers the complete pipeline lifecycle, from preliminary engineering and route selection through to operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning. A critical feature is its guidance on developing Geohazard Monitoring Programs (GHMP) tailored to both new and existing pipelines and their right-of-way (RoW).

The standard focuses on risk-driven monitoring, requiring organizations to characterize geohazards, assess threats, plan early warning systems, and define intervention thresholds. It directs how to select appropriate monitoring technology (manual, remote, automated, or telemetry-based), specify data management requirements, and outline robust response protocols to detected threats. Though expansive, it excludes monitoring of temporary geohazards (such as spoil piles associated solely with construction phases).

Who should comply:

• Pipeline operators, engineers, and operators of gathering and transportation networks
• Integrity managers, environmental coordinators, and risk management teams
• Consultants and contractors engaged in geohazard assessment, monitoring, or mitigation
• Regulators seeking harmonization of safety protocols

Its detailed treatment of pipeline geohazard monitoring brings it into close alignment and interoperability with earlier standards like ISO 20074 (geohazard risk management) and ISO 19345-1 (pipeline integrity management).

Key highlights:

• Lifecycle-based framework covering design, construction, operation, and maintenance
• Integrated monitoring, combining remote sensing, on-ground inspection, in-line measurement, and early warning systems
• Detailed requirements for data acquisition, management systems, and alarm thresholds
• Alignment with broader industry safety and environmental risk initiatives
• Emphasis on both human expertise and evolving technology (remote sensing, LiDAR, fibre optic sensing)

Access the full standard:View ISO 10903:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 13825:2025 – Determination of Arsenic in Crude Petroleum

Petroleum and related products – Determination of arsenic in crude petroleum using atomic fluorescence spectrometry

ISO 13825:2025 establishes a precise and robust laboratory procedure for measuring arsenic levels in crude oil—an essential operation to prevent corrosion, poisoning of catalysts during refining, and contamination of petroleum products. The standard defines the method of sample pretreatment via closed microwave digestion, leading to quantification by atomic fluorescence spectrometry. This ensures both organic and inorganic arsenic compounds are fully decomposed for effective measurement.

The methodology is validated for arsenic concentrations between 0.35 mg/kg and 3.57 mg/kg, comprising the critical range for refinery catalyst protection. While it can be applied outside this range, precision data is limited there.

Who should comply:

• Petroleum testing laboratories and analytical chemists in the upstream and refining sectors
• Refinery process quality controllers
• Product certifiers and environmental assessment teams
• Stakeholders concerned with product contamination and catalyst management

By introducing advanced precision for quantifying trace metals in crude oil, ISO 13825:2025 integrates seamlessly with internal QA/QC programs and supports compliance with international product specifications.

Key highlights:

• Closed microwave digestion for comprehensive decomposition of all arsenic compounds
• Atomic fluorescence spectrometry for high sensitivity and accuracy
• Validated repeatability and reproducibility in the critical analytical range
• Guidance on sample homogenization, calibration, and background correction
• Essential input for catalyst management and contaminant control

Access the full standard:View ISO 13825:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

Analyzing the two October 2025 standards reveals several converging trends in Petroleum and Energy Technologies:

• Systems Integration and Lifecycle Thinking: ISO 10903:2025 demonstrates an industry shift toward a lifecycle view in risk management, emphasizing early interventions, continuity across project phases, and proactive hazard response. Such thinking is increasingly central as projects are expected to meet both legacy and future climate resilience challenges.
• Advanced Data and Sensing Technologies: Both documents cite a growing reliance on advanced measurement—be it fibre optic sensing, LiDAR, in-line inspection tools, or atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Automation, remote diagnostics, and real-time monitoring are rapidly becoming industry staples.
• Environmental and Social Risk Mitigation: The standards reflect rising stakeholder awareness and regulatory scrutiny related to not only preventing operational incidents, but also minimizing environmental, social, and reputational risks.
• Analytical Rigor and QA/QC: ISO 13825:2025 sets a heightened bar for laboratory reliability, recognizing the importance of repeatable and reproducible measurements in crude product management and compliance with stricter product limits.
• Regulatory Convergence: Interoperability between standards (e.g., ISO 10903:2025’s connection to ISO 20074 and ISO 19345-1) signals movement toward more harmonized regulatory expectations globally.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Organizations impacted by these standards are encouraged to take the following steps:

1. Gap Assessments: Evaluate existing pipeline geohazard monitoring processes and laboratory measurement protocols against the new requirements of ISO 10903:2025 and ISO 13825:2025. Identify areas where upgrades or new investments are necessary.
2. Resource Planning: For pipeline operators, establishing or upgrading Geohazard Monitoring Programs (GHMPs) will require coordination between engineering, GIS, automation, and risk management teams. Laboratories should ensure appropriate personnel training and invest in or maintain atomic fluorescence spectrometry capabilities.
3. Integration with Existing Systems: Both standards encourage embedding their requirements into broader integrity management, quality assurance, and environmental reporting systems. This supports audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
4. Timeline: While the standards became effective in October 2025, alignment with internal programs should be prioritized based on operational risk. Regulatory scrutiny and global alignment trends suggest accelerated adoption will enhance organizational resilience and reputational standing.
5. Training and Competence: Subject matter expertise is crucial. For pipeline geohazard monitoring, this means leveraging staff with geology, geotechnical, and GIS experience. For analytical work, ensure laboratory personnel are competent in microwave digestion, spectrometric analysis, and sample handling.
6. Accessing Guidance and Support: iTeh Standards provides easy access to the full texts and regularly updated interpretation resources, ensuring organizations have authoritative guidance at their fingertips.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from October 2025

October 2025 reinforced the Petroleum and Energy Technologies sector’s shift toward rigorous, integrated management of physical risks and material quality. The two standards released this month—ISO 10903:2025 and ISO 13825:2025—represented more than incremental technical updates: they are emblematic of a move toward data-driven, risk-informed, and lifecycle-based best practices.

Recommendations for professionals:

• Pipeline operators and project managers should carefully review ISO 10903:2025 and ensure comprehensive, technology-integrated Geohazard Monitoring Programs are in place and updated to align with the latest risk management principles.
• Laboratory managers and quality assurance personnel in refining and upstream sectors should validate their arsenic determination protocols against ISO 13825:2025, ensuring both repeatability and analytical defensibility.
• Compliance officers and procurement specialists should prioritize training, system upgrades, and harmonization with these new requirements to future-proof their risk and quality management systems.

Staying current with these standards is not only a matter of regulatory compliance but also of advancing operational excellence, minimizing incident exposure, and demonstrating leadership in environmental stewardship. Industry professionals are strongly encouraged to explore the full texts via iTeh Standards—the trusted international resource for all major Petroleum and Energy Technologies standards and expert implementation support.