API RP 580, Risk-Based Inspection, Third Edition, is a recommended practice developed and published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) that outlines and explains the basic elements for developing, implementing and maintaining a credible risk-based inspection (RBI) program. It is a generic document on RBI that can be used as a measuring stick by which the quality of any and all RBI methods and work processes could be evaluated to determine if they meet the level of quality prescribed in the RP.
The first edition of API RP 580 was published in May of 2002. The latest is the third edition, published on February 1, 2016. API RP 580 is now an ANSI/API Standard, which was balloted and approved using the ANSI consensus process for creating American National Standards. As such, it becomes a "recognized and generally accepted good engineering practice (RAGAGEP)", for use by all companies in the oil and chemical industry.
API RP 580 is supplemented by the latest edition of API RP 581, Risk-Based Inspection Technology, published on April 12, 2016.
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September/October 2019 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ricardo Gonzalez at Total Refining and Petrochemicals
The author discusses a method being used in most of their refineries and petrochemical facilities that allows them to optimize the scope of NDT during turnarounds, while improving the reliability of bundles. |
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Blog
October 17, 2019 By PinnacleART
Here is four-step process for developing effective and efficient piping management strategies that can help optimize costs, refocus resources, and reduce risk. |
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July/August 2019 Inspectioneering Journal
By Robert Sladek at Asset Optimization Consultants, Inc.
This case study is intended to demonstrate how a Qualitative Risk Assessment can be a cost-effective and resource-efficient means to prioritize equipment which is often “under the radar”. |
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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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January/February 2019 Inspectioneering Journal
By Houssam Sabry at ADNOC LNG, and Asad Ali at ADNOC LNG
An effective RBI system implementation results in, not only safeguarding your assets & people, but can also reduce unnecessary inspection activities that may be required due to conventional & nonsystematic approaches. |
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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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November/December 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Nick Schmoyer at Inspectioneering
Inspectioneering and PinnacleART hosted a roundtable discussion for a select group of mechanical integrity and reliability experts to explore whether or not operators are realizing actual benefits from implementing RBI at their facilities. |
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November/December 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
This article shares examples of where RBI work processes either broke down or were non-existent, or where the user did not fully understand the technology or overall RBI logic and the results. |
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Blog
December 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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July/August 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ibrahim Kodssi at Independent Consultant
Software implementation, including RBI, comes with a lot of ad-hoc challenges and pitfalls. There are numerous options for RBI software currently available, and they may differ by design, purpose, function, scope and capabilities. This article... |
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May/June 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Dheeraj Narang at Haldor Topsoe India Pvt Ltd.
This article intends to use a top-down approach of describing RBI methodology and how it fits in a facility management system. The main idea of this article is to provide a comprehensive picture of RBI methodology in terms of basics, technology... |
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March/April 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Cesar Espinoza at PinnacleART, and Sudhakar Mahajanam at PinnacleART
As RBI continues to proliferate across industry, there are still those that are reluctant to transition from a time-based to risk-based inspection approach - especially in the upstream oil & gas business. These 4 benefits might help to lessen the... |
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March/April 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ibrahim Kodssi at Independent Consultant, and Houssam Sabry at ADNOC LNG
Implementing RBI for process piping can be a very tedious and lengthy exercise, especially for major process plants with thousands of feet of interconnected piping. This article shares the experience of ADNOC LNG following a structured RBI approach... |
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July/August 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Establishing risk targets is an important aspect of any risk-based inspection (RBI) program and is a requirement of API RP 580. Metrics and consistency are important considerations for those using RBI to measure and manage risks as part of their... |
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March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
By Fernando Vicente at ABB, and Laza Krstin at ABB
Myths, challenges, and good practices related to process piping integrity management activities that help inspection and maintenance managers make the right decisions to develop cost-effective piping inspection plans without compromising the... |
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November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Human factors, inspection effectiveness, and RBI all play an important role in running an effective asset management program. This article discusses how each is applicable to inspecting equipment in processing facilities. |
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November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Lynne Kaley at Trinity Bridge LLC / Trinity Bridge Digital
This paper provides the background for the technology behind the Third Edition thinning model as well as step-by-step worked examples demonstrating the methodology for thinning in this new edition of API RP 581. |
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Blog
December 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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Blog
September 12, 2016 By Lynne Kaley at Trinity Bridge LLC / Trinity Bridge Digital
Experienced material specialists are in short supply and high demand these days. So if you are lucky enough to have one at your disposal, how can you squeeze the most out of that opportunity? |
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Blog
July 15, 2016 By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Anyone who knows me knows that Risk Based Inspection (RBI) and Risk Management are true passions of mine. I have dedicated much of my career to studying them, understanding their intricacies, and witnessing the benefits of their successful... |
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May/June 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By 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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Blog
January 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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July/August 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Asset managers need to know when repairs and replacement are required for many reasons, including safe operation, accurate budgeting, replacement planning, and on-going reliability. When predicting design life based on a simple, linear corrosion... |
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Blog
March 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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November/December 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
By Alphonse W. Hegger Jr., P.E. at Stress Engineering Services
Today, more than ever, refinery operators are focused on maintaining safe operations for their employees and extending the life cycle of valuable operating equipment to optimize efficiencies and avoid expensive unforeseen shutdowns. When process... |
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Blog
November 17, 2014 By John Reynolds at Intertek
One of the most significant advancements to come along in the fixed equipment mechanical integrity (FEMI) business in the past two decades is the application of risk-based inspection (RBI) for inspection prioritization, planning, and scheduling. The... |
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Partner Content
LOTIS utilizes laser profilometry to conduct internal steam reformer tube inspections. The data captured by LOTIS is exceptionally powerful when combined with our LifeQuest™ remaining life assessment capabilities, providing an integrated... |
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May/June 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
By Luciano Narcisi at GIE
As an RBI consultant, I frequently get involved in discussions spawned from a misunderstanding of the relation between Risk Based Inspection (RBI) approaches and Fitness for Service (FFS) assessments. Questions like: If thickness is below the... |
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Blog
April 21, 2014 By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
A paper was presented at the 68th Conference of the Italian Thermal Machines Engineering Association entitled Updated Failure Rates and Risk Management in the Process Industries. It was presented in October 2013 by INAIL, an Italian insurance... |
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Blog
November 18, 2013 By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Discussions to allow the certification of three existing API recommended practices (RPs) without prior certification to API 510, 570, or 653 were held at recent API Spring and Fall Refining and Equipment Standards Meetings. |
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Blog
August 12, 2013 By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
In the next few blog posts, we will be going in depth on scalable accuracy. This post walks through the thinking needed prior to initiating. Then we will discuss two technologies immediately available to plant operators for fixed equipment... |
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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
June 3, 2013 By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
This is the third of four blogs in a series about Risk Based Inspection (RBI). You can read the previous blogs on a history and reasons for RBI and on starting to define risk. This post deals with the second half of the equation used to define... |
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Blog
May 20, 2013 By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Anyone who knows me knows that Risk Based Inspection (RBI), and Risk Management, are a passion of mine, so my next few posts will feature these topics. These are not all-inclusive, but Inspectioneering.com has dozens of articles and you can... |
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November/December 2012 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ryan Corn at Marathon Petroleum Company LP, and Matthew K. Caserta, PE at BASF
As refiners continue operating aging infrastructure, safe operation and equipment availability continue to be key components of a sustainable operation. When considering optimizing inspection projects, more and more refiners are making Risk-Based... |
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January/February 2009 Inspectioneering Journal
By Lynne Kaley at Trinity Bridge LLC / Trinity Bridge Digital
This article provides a unique opportunity to guide the reader through API RBI quantitative calculations per API RP 581, Second Edition, September 2008, using real data. The author guides you step by step from input data to final answers including,... |
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September/October 2007 Inspectioneering Journal
By 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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September/October 2002 Inspectioneering Journal
By 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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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... |
E²G, an employee-owned engineering firm specializing in consulting services for new and aging infrastructure in refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries. E²G helps clients improve profitability with consulting strategies and software tools that manage risk & control inspection costs throughout the life-cycle of a facility’s equipment.
E²G, an employee-owned engineering firm specializing in consulting services for new and aging infrastructure in refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries. E²G helps clients improve profitability with consulting strategies and software tools that manage risk & control inspection costs throughout the life-cycle of a facility’s equipment.
Quest Integrity Group is a global leader in the development and delivery of asset integrity management and asset reliability solutions for our clients in the refining and chemical, pipeline, syngas and power industries. Our services include furnace tube inspection for the refining and chemical industries, in-line inspection for the pipeline industry, steam reformer tube inspection for the syngas industry, as well as fitness-for-service assessment, remaining life assessment, structural integrity, failure analysis and materials consulting for various industries including the power industry. We specialize in condition assessment for fired heater coils, unpiggable pipelines, steam reformer tubes, storage tanks, gas turbines and other assets.
Quest Integrity Group is a global leader in the development and delivery of asset integrity management and asset reliability solutions for our clients in the refining and chemical, pipeline, syngas and power industries. Our services include furnace tube inspection for the refining and chemical industries, in-line inspection for the pipeline industry, steam reformer tube inspection for the syngas industry, as well as fitness-for-service assessment, remaining life assessment, structural integrity, failure analysis and materials consulting for various industries including the power industry. We specialize in condition assessment for fired heater coils, unpiggable pipelines, steam reformer tubes, storage tanks, gas turbines and other assets.
Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies (PinnacleART) is a leader in building, implementing and maintaining comprehensive reliability programs for facilities in the oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, wastewater and electric power industries, to name a few. Our team consists of talented experts and engineers, who offer the highest degree of service and uncompromised reliability for every one of our projects. PinnacleART’s specialists are dedicated to delivering optimal outcomes for our clients, which results in reducing risk, ensuring compliance, optimizing costs and improving safety.
Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies (PinnacleART) is a leader in building, implementing and maintaining comprehensive reliability programs for facilities in the oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, wastewater and electric power industries, to name a few. Our team consists of talented experts and engineers, who offer the highest degree of service and uncompromised reliability for every one of our projects. PinnacleART’s specialists are dedicated to delivering optimal outcomes for our clients, which results in reducing risk, ensuring compliance, optimizing costs and improving safety.
In this Whiteboard Discussion, Chief Editor Greg Alvarado discusses the concept of "Scalable Accuracy," a term used to describe the varying levels of detail necessary to consider when planning and conducting a Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) assessment
Greg Alvarado explains the inspection effectiveness tables found in API RP 581, the importance of them, and how they should be used.
Greg Alvarado discusses the concept of "risk in square feet per year", a powerful metric found in the API RP 581 Risk Based Inspection methodology. Understanding metrics such as this one will allow you to begin trending your risks, identifying best...
Greg Alvarado explains the concept of RBI risk thresholds: "How much confidence do I need to have in what I believe to be the true damage state of the equipment?"
