API 653, Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration, and Reconstruction, Fifth Edition, is a standard developed and published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and covers the inspection, repair, alteration, and reconstruction of steel aboveground storage tanks used in the petroleum and chemical industries. The first edition of API 653 was published in January of 1991. The fifth and most recent edition of the standard was published in November of 2014.
The requirements set forth in API 653 are meant to cover those steel storage tanks that were constructed under the standards of API 650 and its predecessor API 12C. If there are any conflicts found between this standard and those, API 653 is to take precedence. While it was specifically written to apply to those tanks constructed under API 650 and API 12C, API 653 can, at the owner’s discretion, be applied to tanks constructed under other standards as well.
This standard provides the minimum requirements for maintaining the integrity of welded or riveted, non-refrigerated and refrigerated, atmospheric pressure, aboveground storage tanks after they have been placed into service. It only applies to maintaining the integrity of the foundation, bottom, shell, structure, roof, attached appurtenances, and nozzles to the face of the first flange, first threaded joint, or first welding-end connection of the tank.
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May/June 2021 Inspectioneering Journal
By George C. Williamson at Integrity & Emission Reduction Partners, LLC, and Steven Trevino at Quasset, Inc.
Asset owners can realize economic and HSE benefits from utilizing internal in-service robots for hazardous fluid tank inspection. Achieving high levels of coverage and collecting enormous amounts of quantitative data are possible for clean tanks. |
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September/October 2020 Inspectioneering Journal
By John Reynolds at Intertek
This article presents a methodology for calculating and understanding how many qualified API inspectors you need to staff in order to improve fixed equipment mechanical integrity and reliability at your operating site. |
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September/October 2019 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ed Bryner at Gecko Robotics
The refining and petrochemical industries will continue to benefit from the evolution of robotics and data management. The biggest hurdle will be to accept this evolution and embrace the new capabilities that come with it. |
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Blog
June 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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Blog
January 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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January/February 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Melissa Ramkissoon at Petrotrin
In Part 1 of this 2-part series, published in the July/August 2015 issue of Inspectioneering Journal, I discussed corrosion control methods and some effective techniques for inspecting ASTs, and also identified several root causes of AST failures in... |
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July/August 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Robert Frater at Engineering & Inspection Services, LLC
Refinery, petrochemical, and storage tank operators are responsible for properly cleaning facility tanks on a periodic maintenance basis, typically in 20 to 30 year increments. This article provides a suggested “checklist” of inspection... |
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September/October 2013 Inspectioneering Journal
By Sam Ternowchek at Mistras Group
Maintaining the mechanical integrity of above ground storage tanks (AST’s) is the focal point of tank inspection programs. Performing internal inspections is an integral part of a tank integrity program, however, deciding when to take a tank out... |
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Blog
August 5, 2013 By Marc McConnell, P.E. at Pro-Surve Technical Services
At PinnacleAIS, we often get requests for a Senior API Inspector. But what does that mean exactly? What qualifications are required? Is there a test or a certification that provides the end user with assurance they are getting a higher caliber... |
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Blog
July 15, 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. Here are the last two Corrosion Management and Control Management Systems. |
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January/February 2013 Inspectioneering Journal
By 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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September/October 2003 Inspectioneering Journal
By 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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May/June 1998 Inspectioneering Journal
By 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... |
