Pipe Color Code Standard and

Piping Color Codes Chart

Color coding of pipelines and piping materials are standard industry practices. 
Color marking will make identification easier for raw material and fluid that
being transport by the pipe. There are various national and international Pipe
Color Code Standards are available. (I have used both British and American
version to spell color/colour)

1. ASME/ANSI A13.1 – Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems

2. BS 1710 – Specification for Identification of Pipelines and Services
3. IS 2379 – Pipelines Identification Colour Code
4. PFI ES-22 – Recommended Practice for Color Coding of Piping Materials

Color Coding of Piping Material – PFI ES-22

Why the color coding of piping material?

During construction and fabrication, various grades of carbon steel, alloy steel,
and stainless steel are used. To avoid mixing of this material and easy storing
and retrieving in the warehouse, piping components such as pipe, fittings,
flanges, and valves are color coded.

All most all company has their own color-coding system. Pipe Fabrication
Institute (PFI) Standard ES-22 provides Piping Materials color coding
requirements for most commonly used piping material grades. It also provides
guidance on marking location on piping components.

Refer below images for the color band location on piping components.
Color Code for Pipe Material Identification – PFI
Standard ES-22 -1999
Carbon Steel Material

Carbon Steel

Material Material Band / Strip

Garde Color

Carbon Steel, Electric Resistance Welded   Pipe A53 Gr. 1 solid white

B/API

Carbon Steel, Smls, specified tensile   strength under 70,000 A53 Gr. B No Marking
psi (483 MPA)

Carbon Steel, killed steel A106 Gr. B 1 solid green

Carbon Steel, specified tensile strength   70,000 psi (483 MPA) A106 Gr. C 2 solid green
and over

Carbon Steel, low temperature (impact   tested) A333 Gr. 6 1 solid red

High Yield Carbon Steel

High Yield Carbon Steel

Material Material Garde Band / Strip Color

52,000 min. yield API 5L X-52 1 solid yellow, 1 solid green

60,000 min. yield API 5L X-60 1 solid yellow, 1 solid pink

65,000 min. yield API 5L X-65 2 solid yellow

70,000 min. yield API 5L X-70 1 solid yellow, 1 solid orange

Low Alloy Materials

Low Alloy Materials

Material Material Garde Band / Strip Color

C-Mo steel A335 Gr. P1 1 solid orange

1 Cr-1/2 Mo Steel A335 Gr. P12 1 solid orange, 1 solid blue

1 1 /4 Cr-1/2 Mo Steel A335 Gr. P11 1 solid yellow

2 1/4 Cr-1 Mo Steel A335 Gr. P22 1 solid blue

5 Cr-1/2 Mo Steel A335 Gr. P5 1 solid blue, 1 solid yellow

9 Cr-1/2 Mo Steel A335 Gr. P9 2 solid orange

Ferritic and Martensitic Stainless Steels

Ferritic and Martensitic Stainless Steels

Material Material Garde Band / Strip Color

Type 405 A268 TP405 1 solid green, 1 solid black

Type 410 A268 TP410 1 solid green, 1 solid red

Austenitic Stainless Steels

Austenitic Stainless Steels

Material Material Garde Band / Strip Color

Type 304 A312 TP304 1 solid black

Type 304L A312 TP304L 2 solid black

Type 304H A312 TP304H 1 intermittent black

Type 309 A358 Gr309 1 solid black, 1 solid brown

Type 310 A358Gr310 1 solid green, 1 solid orange

Type 316 A312 TP316 1 solid gray

Type 316L A312 TP316L 2 solid gray

Type 316H A312 TP316H 1 intermittent gray

Type 317 A312 TP317 1 solid brown, 1 solid green

Type317L A312 TP317L 1 solid brown, 1 solid red

Type 321 A312 TP321 1 solid pink

Type 321 H A312 TP321H 2 solid pink

Type 347 A312 TP347 1 solid brown

Type 347H A312 TP347H 2 solid brown

Nickel Based Alloys

Nickel Based Alloys

Material Band / Strip Color

Nickel 200 1 solid black, 1 solid pink

Incoloy 800 1 solid black, 1 solid orange

Incoloy 800H 1 solid gray, 1 solid red

Incoloy 825 1 solid gray, 1 solid blue

Inconel 600 2 solid blue

Inconel 625 1 solid blue, 1 solid pink

Hastelloy Alloy 8-2 1 solid red, 1 solid orange

Hastelloy Alloy C-276 1 solid red, 1 solid blue

Hastelloy Alloy C-22 2 solid red

Hastelloy Alloy G 1 solid red, 1 solid yellow

Carpenter Alloy 20 C 8-3 1 solid black, 1 solid blue

Monel 400 1 solid black, 1 solid yellow

Color Coding of Pipeline and Piping

Identification
Oil and Gas Industries, Process industries are complex installation. Piping
systems are used in these plants to transport various fluids. These pipelines
transport various industrial materials such as gases such as Air, Nitrogen,
Oxygen, Hydrogen, etc., liquids such as water, acids, hydrocarbon, toxic
materials, etc.
Without proper pipe color code, it is extremely difficult to identify the material
pipeline transporting. To reduces the safety hazard, reduce the possibility of
mistakes in identification and accidents associated with the wrong
identification of pipelines during the emergency situation, systematic color
coding of pipelines and piping systems is essential. Uniformity of color
marking promotes greater safety, lessens the chances of error, and reduces
hazards involved in the handling of material inside the pipelines.

There are national and international standards that provide the guidelines for
uniform color coding in industries that are used to color code of pipe to
identify.

 ASME A13.1 – Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems

 BS 1710 – Specification for Identification of Pipelines and Services
 IS 2379 – Pipelines Identification Colour Code

These standard uses different color code methodology to identify the pipe
material. They use a base color, band color, letters, and direction arrow to
identify fluid inside the pipeline.

ANSI/ASME A13.1 – Scheme for the

Identification of Piping Systems
The purpose of ASME/ANSI A13.1 Standard is to establish a common system
that assists in the identification of hazardous materials conveyed in piping
systems and their hazards when released into the environment.

ASME A13.1 – 2015 edition has six fixed colors and 4 users define colors that
can be used to identify the hazardous material. In this standard, the following
categories are used;

1. Flammable – Fluids or vapor or produce vapors that can be ignited and

continue to burn in air.
2. Combustible – Fluids that can burn, but are not flammable.
 3. Oxidizing – Oxidizing fluid is any gas or liquid that may, generally by
providing oxygen, cause or contribute to the combustion of other
material more than air does.
4. Toxic and Corrosive – Fluids that are corrosive or toxic, or will produce
corrosive or toxic substances when released.
5. Fire Quenching – Fluid Such as water, foam, and CO2 used in sprinkler
systems and firefighting piping systems.

Size of Label and Letters as per ASME B13.1-

2015

Outside Outside Diameter Length of Color Length of Color Size of Letters, Size of
Diameter of of Pipe in mm Field, A, in Field, A, in mm B, in Inches Letters,
Pipe in Inches B, in
Inches mm

3⁄4 to 11⁄4 19 to 32 8 200 1⁄2 13

11⁄2 to 2 38 to 51 8 200 3⁄4 19

21⁄2 to 6 64 to 150 12 300 11⁄4 32

 Outside Outside Diameter Length of Color Length of Color Size of Letters, Size of
Diameter of of Pipe in mm Field, A, in Field, A, in mm B, in Inches Letters,
Pipe in Inches B, in
Inches mm

8 to 10 200 to 250 24 600 21⁄2 64

Over 10 over 250 32 800 31⁄2 89

BS 1710 – Specification for Identification of

Pipelines and Services
BS1710 uses two types of colour coding to identify the content of pipe and
hazard.

1. Base colour – Base colours are used to indicate the content inside the
pipe.
2. Safety colours – These colours are used as band colours that applied in
conjunction with the base pipe color code to create various service
identifiers.

Other than colour code, additional information regarding the nature of the
contents of the pipe by using the following systems either individually or in
combination:

1. Name in full
2. Abbreviation of name
3. Chemical symbol and
4. Appropriate code indications or code colour bands
Size of Label as per BS 1710 -2014
1. When Only Basic Identification Color Used

Pipe Diameter Minimum Band Width

Up to 50 mm 130 mm

50 mm to 100 mm 275 mm

above 100 mm 450 mm

2. Basic identification colour with code and/or safety colours

 Pipe Diameter Minimum Band Width – Basic Minimum Band Width – Safety
Colour (1) Colour (2)

Up to 50 mm 50 mm 30 mm

50 mm to 100 100 mm 75 mm
mm

above 100 mm 150 mm 150 mm

IS 2379 – Pipelines Identification Colour Code

IS 2379 is Indian Standard for the colour coding requirements. It is quite
comprehensive and a little complex as compared to BS and ASME standards.
IS 2379 is more in line with BS 1710. It used the ground colour, band colour,
and letter labeling to identify fluid content and associated hazards.

This standard cover piping systems that include pipes of any kind and in
addition fittings, valves, and pipe coverings. Supports, brackets, or other
accessories are excluded from this standard. This standard is not applicable to
pipelines buried underground or used for electrical services.

Ground Colours

Substance Colour

Water Sea green

Steam Aluminium to IS
2339

Mineral, vegetable, and animal oils, combustible liquids Light brown

Acids Dark violet

Air Sky blue

Gases Canary yellow

 Ground Colours

Alkalies Smoke grey

Other liquids/gases which do not need identification Black

Hydrocarbons/organic compounds Dark admirality

grey

Refer to the table for the ground colour that used in pipeline marking.

Size of Label and Letters as per IS 2379 – 1990

(Reaffirmed 2006)

Length of the Colour Band

Nominal Pipe Ground Colour First Colour Second

Size (mm) Band (mm) Colour Band

80 NB and Throughout the entire length or Band no 25 4:1 Proportion

below case less than 300 mm to the First
Colour Band

Letter Size

Outside Diameter of Pipe (mm) Size of Legend (mm)

20 to 30 10
 Length of the Colour Band

Above 30 to 50 20

Above 50 to 80 30

Above 80 to 150 40

Above 150 to 250 90

Over 250 90

Commonly used Pipe Color Code As per Is 2379

 Pipe Colour Code Use in Refinery As per IS 2379

Contents Ground Colour First Colour Second Colour

Band Band

Cooling Water Sea green French blue –

Boiler feed water Sea green Gulf red –

Drinking water Sea green French blue Signal red

Plant air Sky blue Silver grey –

Very high pressure Aluminium to IS Signal red –

steam 2339

High pressure steam Aluminium to IS French blue –

2339

Medium pressure steam Aluminium to IS Gulf red –

2339

Low pressure steam Aluminium to IS Canary yellow –

2339

Light diesel fuel Light brown Brilliant green –

Lubricating oil Light brown Light grey –

Flare gases Canary yellow – –

Nitrogen Canary yellow Black –

Oxygen Canary yellow White –

Hydrogen Canary yellow Signal red French blue

Naptha Dark Admirality Light brown Black

grey

LPG (Liquid) Dark Admirality Brilliant green Dark violet

grey
Location of the color band and Labels
Coloring and identification labels on the pipe should apply in such a way that
is clearly visible from all the approach especially when pipes are overhead.
ASME B13.1 and IS 2379 provides guidance on the positions of the labeling.
Refer to the table below for the general guideline provided in the standards.

Location of the Colour Band

As Per IS -2379 AS Per BS 1710 & ASME

B13.1

At battery limit points Close to valves or flanges

Intersection points and change of direction points in piping Adjacent to changes in

ways direction, branches

Other points such as midway of each piping way, near where pipes pass through
valves, junction joints of service appliances, walls, on walls or floors
either side of pipe culverts

For long stretch yard piping at 50 m interval at intervals on straight pipe

runs sufficient for
identification

At start and terminating points