ISO 17078:2004 provides requirements for side-pocket mandrels used in the petroleum and natural gas industry. This part of ISO 17078 includes specifying, selecting, designing, manufacturing, quality control, testing, and preparation for shipping of side-pocket mandrels.

This part of ISO 17078:2004 does not address nor include requirements for end connections between the side-pocket mandrels and the well conduit. The installation and retrieval of side-pocket mandrels is outside the scope of this part of ISO 17078:2004. Additionally, this part of ISO 17078:2004 does not include specifications for centre-set mandrels, or mandrels that employ or support tubing-retrievable flow control devices.

This part of ISO 17078:2004 does not include gas-lift or any other flow-control valves or devices, latches, and/or associated wire line equipment that can or cannot be covered in other ISO specifications.

The side-pocket mandrels to which this part of ISO 17078:2004 refers are independent devices that can accept installation of flow-control or other devices down-hole.