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American Petroleum Institute (API)

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The American Petroleum Institute (API) is a trade organization that represents the oil and gas industry in the United States.

Since 1924, API has been the leader in developing equipment and operating standards for the oil and natural gas industry. API works with subject-matter experts from the O&G industry to maintain an inventory of over 600 standards and recommended practices. API standards are designed to assist industry professionals in improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their operations, comply with legislative and regulatory requirements, safeguard health, and protect the environment.

In addition to publishing industry standards and recommended practices, API also certifies inspectors of industry equipment through their Individual Certification Programs, which are designed to recognize working professionals who are knowledgeable of industry inspection codes and are performing their jobs in accordance with those codes.

Center for Offshore Safety (COS)

The Center for Offshore Safety (COS) serves the U.S. offshore oil and natural gas industry to support and enable continuous improvement in safety and operational integrity. The foundation of the COS is based on API RP 75, the American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice for Development of a Safety and Environmental Management (SEMS) Program for Offshore Operations and Facilities. API RP 75 was incorporated into federal regulations by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).

The Center for Offshore Safety promotes the highest level of safety for offshore drilling, completions and operations through effective leadership, communication, teamwork, use of disciplined management systems, and independent third-party auditing and certification.

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Articles about American Petroleum Institute (API)
Blog

To assist professionals in obtaining CPD hours for API's recertification requirements, we have outlined three ways to earn CPD hours through Inspectioneering.

Authors: Josh Means
Blog

After a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, the API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit finally returned in August. Held in San Antonio, Texas, there were nearly 300 technical sessions covering the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.

Authors: Jeremiah Wooten
May/June 2022 Inspectioneering Journal

ICP has worked with industry leaders to ensure that certified personnel are meeting the demands that the industry expects. Through professional development, workers can hone and expand their skills to become better and more efficient workers.

Authors: Andri Orphanides
Blog

This article discussed the growing list of API FEMI standards, how some of them came to be, and why they keep getting improved upon with new lessons learned.

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

A summary of some of the important topics that were discussed at the API Fall 2020 Refining and Equipment Standards Meeting that was held via virtual conferencing.

Authors: John Reynolds
Partner Content

Auto-refrigeration can impose low temperatures onto process vessels and piping causing them to be at risk of brittle fracture, the sudden break-before leak phenomena that can result in catastrophic rupture of the equipment.

Blog

A summary of some of the important topics that were discussed at the API Spring Refining and Equipment Standards Meeting that was held via virtual conferencing.

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

There are some significant changes coming in the fifth edition of API RP 751 on Safe Operation of Hydrofluoric Acid Alkylation Units in the section on Mechanical Integrity, Damage Mechanisms and Maintenance Work Practices.

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

A summary of some of the important topics that were discussed at the API Fall Refining and Equipment Standards Meeting in Atlanta.

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

A summary of some of the important topics that were discussed at the Spring Meeting, including the recently-held API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit, subcommittee activities, and progress with the API Individual Certification Program.

Authors: John Reynolds
January/February 2019 Inspectioneering Journal

This article provides a summary of the 2019 API Inspection & MI Summit keynote address, which offers a past, present, and future outlook on fixed equipment mechanical integrity from an industry professional with 50+ years of experience.

Authors: John Reynolds
Partner Content

FFS assessment techniques are applicable to a wide range of damage types: LTA's, cracks, creep damage, dents, and more. These are very powerful analytical tools that often allow operators to not only keep the plant running, but to keep it running...

Blog

The 2019 API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit has come and gone. If you weren't able to attend, we've made a copy of our Special Edition Journal available to download.

Blog

The 2019 API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit will be kicking off later this month in Galveston, TX. This four-day event will begin with 14 high level training courses offered Monday, January 28th, and then a top notch conference and...

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

A quick summary of some of the important topics that were discussed at the Fall Meeting, including the upcoming API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit, subcommittee activities, and progress with the API Individual Certification Program.

Authors: John Reynolds
September/October 2018 Inspectioneering Journal

This article discusses the advances in NDE that have given owners increased confidence on how to assess equipment integrity in HTHA service providing risk prioritization of equipment as well as providing the ability to make more reliable...

Blog

API's biannual meeting pertaining to downstream equipment standards was held in Seattle, Washington this past April. We've summarized some of the discussions and meetings of that you may find interesting, including the 2019 API Inspection and MI...

Authors: John Reynolds
Partner Content

In today's chemical and refining industries, sustained long term reliability of facilities is critical to profitability and competitiveness. In fact, history shows that differences in operating expenses between best-in-class refineries, and poor...

Blog

In 2017, a joint-initiative from API and AFPM released a helpful brochure that summarizes all the key API standards that deal with fixed equipment mechanical integrity. It describes the latest edition of 42 API standards addressing FEMI issues,...

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

Industry SME John Reynolds provides his bi-annual updates from the API Standards Meeting and discusses developments related to the 2019 API Inspection Summit, SCIMI codes, standards, and recommended practices, and the API Individual Certification...

Authors: John Reynolds
Online Article

The availability of high quality UT data is often the cornerstone for FFS and RBI decisions. As such, the API Subcomittee for Inspection and Integrity Management (SCIIM) has initiated a program for the Qualification of Ultrasonic crack Sizing...

Authors: John Nyholt
Blog

Updates and developments related to the 2019 API Inspection Summit, SCIMI code, standard, and recommended practices, and the API Individual Certification Program (ICP).

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

The 2017 API Inspection Summit in Galveston was another big success, as evidences by the critique sheets of attendees. Another attendance record was set with 1406 registered attendees, all of whom had choose among nearly 200 different presentations...

Authors: John Reynolds
Partner Content

TEAM provides full inline, onsite and, shop valve repair services and maintenance programs for virtually all valve types, brands, sizes, materials, pressures, and operating conditions, including actuators and operators. Our valve repair solution...

Blog

The Fall API Standards Meeting was incredibly productive and addressed, among other issues, the API Inspection Summit, balloting for the 11th edition of API 510, and improvements to the inspection section of each damage mechanism in API RP 571.

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

I hope by now, everyone is aware that the next API Inspection Summit will be held again at the Galveston Convention Center from January 31– February 2, 2017.

Authors: John Reynolds
May/June 2016 Inspectioneering Journal

This brief article contains updates and highlights related to the Subcommittee on Inspection (SCI) at the 2016 API Spring Refining Equipment and Standards Meeting.

Authors: John Reynolds
Online Article

Updated editions of both API 570 and API RP 580 were recently released by the American Petroleum Institute.

Authors: John Reynolds
Blog

This article provides a summary of the Subcommittee on Inspection (SCI) discussions that occurred at the Fall 2015 API Refining Standards Meeting, including the Inspection Summit Planning Committee and the API ICP Task Group.

Authors: John Reynolds
Partner Content

Statistical techniques are meant to complement the work of SMEs and can provide deeper insights into the inspection data collected as part of a reliability program. Pinnacle has combined traditional methods, expertise, and Machine Learning to...

November/December 2003 Inspectioneering Journal

In the previous articles, we have put all the Pre-Turnaround and actual Turnaround activities in place to get the job safely done. Now we need to find the API Inspectors and have them approved by the client as quickly as possible. I have indicated...

Authors: Kelley Jones
January/February 2003 Inspectioneering Journal

A meeting of the API Pipeline In-Line Inspection Standards Group was held in Houston, Texas on October 17, 2002. The following is an excerpt from the Draft Scope of the Standard in the working dated, May 13, 2002.

September/October 2015 Inspectioneering Journal

Inspectioneering recently had the opportunity to sit down with Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton and discuss the evolution of reliability in the oil and gas industry.

Authors: Jeremiah Wooten
Blog

The 2015 API Spring Refining and Equipment Standards Meeting will be held at the Seattle Sheraton during the week of April 13-16, with plenty of interesting meetings for Inspectioneers.  You do not need...

Authors: John Reynolds
Online Article

Inspectioneering recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Ray Konet, the Fixed Equipment Reliability Director at Valero Energy, and who also happens to be the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the 2015 API Inspection Summit.

Authors: Jeremiah Wooten
Partner Content

Download Pinnacle's Economics of Reliability Report - Refining to see how reliability is affecting profitability.

Blog

Two separate forces have driven growth in the usage of API storage tank standards in Brazil. The first force is an increased regulatory presence in the refining, chemical, and petrochemical industries, which creates a need to thoroughly document any...

Authors: Orlando Costa
Blog

Three new API standards have been published, and one has been revised and updated to a new edition. The standards are described in this post.

Authors: John Reynolds
March/April 2014 Inspectioneering Journal

The rules and regulations applying to U.S states, cities and Canadian provinces and territories concerning piping, pressure vessel and storage tank inspection can be described as "a coat of many colors," and are meant to represent continuous...

Authors: Phil Smith
March/April 2014 Inspectioneering Journal

Inspectioneering is pleased to announce that our friend, colleague, author and industry leader, Clay White, has recently taken over as chair of API’s Subcommittee on Inspection (SCI).

Authors: Jeremiah Wooten
Blog

Many of you are already aware of some of the changes that have occurred within API this year. For those of you who are not, here’s a quick summary.

Authors: Nick Schmoyer
Partner Content

Traditional, paper-based inspection processes can prevent plants from being as effective as they can be. By digitalizing your mechanical integrity process and data with MISTRAS Digital®, plants have realized up to 75% gains in IDMS data entry and...

Blog

This week’s post takes up right where last week’s post left off in our discussion on Corrosion Management and Control (CM&C) Management Systems.

Authors: John Reynolds
January/February 2013 Inspectioneering Journal

A new API Individual Certification Program (ICP) will be offered soon to certify inspectors who perform quality assurance (QA) surveillance and inspection activities on new materials and equipment for the energy and chemical (E&C) industry. It is...

Authors: John Reynolds
September/October 2012 Inspectioneering Journal

On August 6, 2012, a piping failure occurred in the #4 Crude Unit at the Chevron U.S.A. Inc. refinery in Richmond, CA. Chevron U.S.A. would like to share some potentially significant preliminary information regarding the incident.

September/October 2011 Inspectioneering Journal

Three new recommended practices (RP) are under way within the API Inspection Subcommittee (SCI) which will add to the list of SCI standards available to owner-users to improve their mechanical integrity (MI) and inspection programs.

Authors: John Reynolds
November/December 2010 Inspectioneering Journal

The following references are from the American Petroleum Institute. They are widely used in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries for managing equipment in HTHA service and are available in the public domain.

Partner Content

With class-leading thermal performance, superior CUI defense, and complimentary engineering support, our aerogel insulation solutions are a top choice in helping facilities drive energy efficiency, improve safety, increase yields, and reduce downtime

September/October 2008 Inspectioneering Journal

As a result of the temporary loss of gasoline production and pockets of surging demand, fuel prices rose in some areas across the country. Many have asked: "Why should the price of gasoline increase in my area when we are nowhere near the...

March/April 2008 Inspectioneering Journal

Over the years many in the oil and gas and chemical industry inspectors, engineers and managers have asked, "What happens at API meetings?" With the important regulatory and business initiatives in place and developing it is a good time to answer...

Authors: Greg Alvarado
September/October 2007 Inspectioneering Journal

The assessment procedures in this Standard can be used for Fitness-For-Service assessments and/or re-rating of equipment designed and constructed to recognized codes and standards, including international and internal corporate standards.

September/October 2007 Inspectioneering Journal

In May of this year, a workshop was presented at the annual NPRA Reliability and Maintenance Conference at the George R. Brown CC in Houston. This article is a reader’s digest summary of what was presented at that workshop by the four...

Authors: John Reynolds
July/August 2006 Inspectioneering Journal

One has seen the television commercials already introducing "2007 model year" vehicles; "totally re- engineered", "bold new styling", and "more standard equipment" to name a few. The release of the 9th edition of API Std. 510, Pressure Vessel...

Partner Content

Oceaneering's splash zone inspection services will help you confidently detect flaws and accurately extend asset life with our comprehensive inspection and fitness-for-service maintenance plans.

May/June 2005 Inspectioneering Journal

API is preparing to release the next edition of API 579 Fitness-For-Service (FFS) the first quarter of 2006. The many major enhancements that have been made to the next edition of API 579 will permit Owner-Users to evaluate new types of damage...

March/April 2005 Inspectioneering Journal

We are happy to announce the 10-year anniversary of the inaugural issue of the Inspectioneering Journal!

Authors: Greg Alvarado
November/December 2004 Inspectioneering Journal

Several new API inspection recommended practices exist in which inspectors need to be knowledgeable and qualified. This article details some of those standards.

March/April 2004 Inspectioneering Journal

API Recommended Practice 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry

September/October 2003 Inspectioneering Journal

The API Inspection Subcommittee has issued the second edition of their inspection benchmarking survey. We are encouraging as many sites, worldwide, to participate as possible, so that we have the most amount of data available for analysis and...

Authors: John Reynolds
Partner Content

With the IMS Suite, you can calculate optimal intervention periods and lay out efficient maintenance strategies. Click here to learn more.

September/October 2003 Inspectioneering Journal

API is currently developing a new Certification Program - Tank Entry Supervisor Certification (TES).

May/June 2003 Inspectioneering Journal

A new recommended practice from the API is in the final stages of preparation before publications. It is API RP 577 on Welding Inspection and Metallurgy.

Authors: John Reynolds
May/June 2003 Inspectioneering Journal

Next year, the API Inspector Recertification Program (ICP) will be recertifying inspectors who have held their API certifications for more than 6 years. Things have changed this time though, and inspectors will be required to pass a short exam...

Authors: John Reynolds
November/December 2002 Inspectioneering Journal

An effort is currently underway to create a new code for in-service inspection and maintenance of pressure equipment in the hydrocarbon process industry. The API Committee on Refinery Equipment (CRE) and the ASME Board on Pressure Technology Codes...

Authors: John Reynolds
September/October 2002 Inspectioneering Journal

In May 2002, after 6 years of preparation, the API published the first edition of API 580 Risk-based Inspection. The document is now an ANSI/API Standard, which was balloted and approved using the ANSI consensus process for creating American...

Authors: John Reynolds
March/April 2002 Inspectioneering Journal

The American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice for Risk Based Inspection, RP 580, is expected to be available for purchase in early May 2002.

March/April 2000 Inspectioneering Journal

An API task group is working on the total revision of this API reference document 571.

March/April 2000 Inspectioneering Journal

The release of API RP579 will bring about some changes to other existing API standards. The plan is to offer an integrated suite of API standards, where information is presented once and the other documents refer and are linked to that information.

March/April 1999 Inspectioneering Journal

The API Subcommittee on Inspection (SCI) has determined to initiate a program covering the qualification of ultrasonic (UT) technicians conducting inspections.

May/June 1998 Inspectioneering Journal

The API Subcommittees on Inspection and Pressure Vessels & Tanks are ever vigilant in keeping up with current trends and state-of-the-art technology for in-service inspection of pressure vessels, process piping, and aboveground storage tanks. One...

March/April 1997 Inspectioneering Journal

The API Commitment on Refinery Equipment (CRE) has chartered a task group to develop an API recommended practice (RP 580), which will detail all the vital aspects of Risk-Based Inspection. This standard will not detail or propose any one specific...

September/October 1996 Inspectioneering Journal

In the January 1995 issue, I introduced the concept of Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) being developed by an API (American Petroleum Institute) project. This article is an update and status report on that project, which now has 20 sponsor companies,...

Authors: John Reynolds
March/April 1996 Inspectioneering Journal

Are your jurisdictional boiler and/or pressure vessel rules and regulations too stringent, too costly, too bureaucratic, without adding real safety value commensurate with the time and resources necessary for compliance? Are you having to hire...

Authors: John Reynolds
July/August 1995 Inspectioneering Journal

Late in 1994, the API surveyed their committee on refining equipment members in order to provide benchmarking information on the extent of Pressure Equipment Inspection (PEI) activities and programs underway at member companies.

Authors: John Reynolds
May/June 1995 Inspectioneering Journal

As chairman of the API Inspection Subcommittee, one of the questions I often receive involves the difference between the API Pressure Vessel Inspection Code (API-510) and the National Board Inspection Code (NBIC).

Authors: John Reynolds
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