Having an ISO 9001 certified Quality Management System is almost always a requirement for all companies that serve the Oil & Gas Industries. Because it is a requirement to operate in this industry, the motives for gaining certification may, in some cases, become clouded by (prospective) customer requirements. This research project investigates these motives and asks the question: was certification to ISO 9001 gained by a company a strategic business decision, or was it simply for marketing purposes?