ISO 15926-6:2024

Overview

ISO 15926-6:2024 - Industrial automation systems and integration - Part 6 provides the technical rules for developing and validating reference data libraries (RDLs) used with ISO/TS 15926-4. It defines the required structure and content for reference data items that support the integration of life‑cycle data for process plants, including oil and gas production facilities. The standard also specifies a normative spreadsheet representation (Annex A) for RDLs and updates the earlier ISO/TS 15926-6:2013 guidance.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Reference data item identification: rules for unambiguous identification of a reference data item as required by ISO/TS 15926-4.
• Attribute rules: defined attributes include URI, UniqueNumber, UniqueName, Synonyms, TextDefinition, Source, Notes, multiple Superclass and Classification attributes, and attributes for units of measure (UoM) and symbols.
• Text definitions: requirements and standard forms for human‑readable definitions, including options for explicit text, excerpted source text, and document references.
• Representation and syntax: how identifying and defining information is recorded using ISO 15926-2 constructs and the prescribed spreadsheet format for RDL exchange.
• Validation rules: mandatory structure and content rules to ensure consistency, machine-readability and interoperability of reference data items.
• Scope boundaries: administrative metadata (change history, status), maintenance procedures, and proprietary representation requirements are explicitly out of scope.

Practical applications and users

• Organizations creating or standardizing reference data libraries for plant lifecycle information.
• Information architects, data managers and systems integrators implementing ISO 15926-based data warehouses or shared databases.
• Engineering firms, EPC contractors, and oil & gas operators who need consistent, validated reference data for asset lifecycle integration.
• Software vendors and tool developers that import/export ISO 15926 reference data (spreadsheet representation enables practical exchange).
• Standards bodies and data governance teams evaluating or submitting RDLs for standardization.

Benefits include improved interoperability, consistent semantic definitions across projects, and reduced ambiguity in life‑cycle data exchange for process plants.

Related standards

• ISO/TS 15926-4 - primary reference data specification (RDL content).
• ISO 15926-2 - data model and representation conventions used to record attributes.
• Other parts of ISO 15926 (e.g., ISO/TS 15926-11, -12, -13) that provide domain-specific reference data support.