Overview of American Petroleum Institute (API)
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 improve 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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Relevant Links
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BlogJune 27, 2019 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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January/February 2019 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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PDF Download: Inspectioneering Journal 2019 API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit Special Edition
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BlogJanuary 9, 2019 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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Reynolds Wrap Up: Highlights from the API Subcommittee on Inspection and Mechanical Integrity (SCIMI) Meetings at the Fall 2018 API Standards MeetingBlogDecember 27, 2018 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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September/October 2018 Inspectioneering JournalBy Michael Nugent at AEIS, LLC, and Timothy Armitt at LINDT, UK
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...
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Reynolds Wrap Up: Highlights from the API Subcommittee on Inspection and Mechanical Integrity (SCIMI) Meetings at the Spring 2018 API Standards MeetingBlogJune 25, 2018 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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Reynolds Wrap Up: API Publishes Helpful Guide on Fixed Equipment Mechanical Integrity (FEMI) StandardsBlogFebruary 27, 2018 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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,...
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Reynolds Wrap Up: Highlights from the API Subcommittee on Inspection and Mechanical Integrity (SCIMI) Meetings at the Fall 2017 API Standards MeetingBlogDecember 19, 2017 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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Partner Content
ASTM International in partnership with the Codes and Standards Training Institute (CASTI), launched an eLearning course to provide individuals with a general knowledge relating to maintenance, inspection, repair, and alteration of pressure vessels...
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Reynold's Wrap Up: Highlights from the API Subcommittee on Inspection and Mechanical Integrity (SCIMI) Meetings at the Spring 2017 API Standards MeetingBlogJune 19, 2017 By John Reynolds at Intertek
Updates and developments related to the 2019 API Inspection Summit, SCIMI code, standard, and recommended practices, and the API Individual Certification Program (ICP).
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BlogFebruary 27, 2017 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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Reynolds Wrap Up: Highlights from the API Subcommittee on Inspection and Mechanical Integrity (SCIMI) Meeting at the Fall API Standards MeetingBlogDecember 29, 2016 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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BlogOctober 27, 2016 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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May/June 2016 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
This brief article contains updates and highlights related to the Subcommittee on Inspection (SCI) at the 2016 API Spring Refining Equipment and Standards Meeting.
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Online Article
Updated editions of both API 570 and API RP 580 were recently released by the American Petroleum Institute.
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Reynold's Wrap Up: Highlights from the Subcommittee on Inspection Meeting at the Fall 2015 API Refining Standards MeetingBlogJanuary 4, 2016 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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November/December 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy Kelley Jones at Pro-Inspect Inc.
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...
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September/October 2015 Inspectioneering JournalBy Jeremiah Wooten at Inspectioneering, LLC.
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.
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BlogMarch 30, 2015 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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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.
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BlogSeptember 24, 2014 By Orlando Costa
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...
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BlogJune 2, 2014 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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March/April 2014 Inspectioneering JournalBy Phil Smith at Chevron
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...
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March/April 2014 Inspectioneering JournalBy Jeremiah Wooten at Inspectioneering, LLC.
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).
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BlogDecember 23, 2013 By Nick Schmoyer at Inspectioneering
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.
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BlogJuly 8, 2013 By John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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January/February 2013 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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Partner Content
Our proprietary furnace tube inspection system, FTIS™, is an ultrasonic inspection technology capable of rapid, automated fired heater coil inspection in refinery fired heaters. The data captured by our furnace tube inspection system is...
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September/October 2011 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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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...
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March/April 2008 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at 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...
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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.
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September/October 2007 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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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...
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May/June 2005 Inspectioneering JournalBy Bob Stakenborghs, P.E. at Evisive Inc.
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...
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March/April 2005 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
We are happy to announce the 10-year anniversary of the inaugural issue of the Inspectioneering Journal!
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March/April 2004 Inspectioneering Journal
API Recommended Practice 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry
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September/October 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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September/October 2003 Inspectioneering Journal
API is currently developing a new Certification Program - Tank Entry Supervisor Certification (TES).
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May/June 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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May/June 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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November/December 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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September/October 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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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.
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Damage Mechanisms Leading to Deterioration or Failure of Refinery, Chemical, E&P and Petrochemical EquipmentMarch/April 2000 Inspectioneering Journal
An API task group is working on the total revision of this API reference document 571.
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The Future Direction of API RP579 and its Relationship with other API Codes and Recommended PracticesMarch/April 2000 Inspectioneering JournalBy Gerrit M. Buchheim, P.E. at Becht Engineering Co., Inc.
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.
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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.
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May/June 1998 Inspectioneering JournalBy Roland A. Goodman at American Petroleum Institute
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...
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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...
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September/October 1996 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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,...
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March/April 1996 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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...
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July/August 1995 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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.
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May/June 1995 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
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).
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March/April 1995 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
Many promising advances are being made in inspection technologies, today. Some are going to provide opportunities for companies to maintain and increase equipment mechanical integrity, quite possibly at lower costs.
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Sponsored Video Published on October 27, 2017We teamed up with the American Petroleum Institute and industry expert John Reynolds to host this 30-minute webinar covering the vital function of the Source Inspector.
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NewsUnited States Chemical Safety Board, November 14, 2013
An explosion which occurred December 7, 2009, at the NDK Crystal manufacturing company in Belvidere, Illinois, fatally injuring a truck driver at a nearby gas station on the Illinois Tollway, resulted from corrosion in the walls of a pressure...
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