API RP 571 & Advanced Damage Mechanisms and Material Investigation in the Refining, Petrochemical & Petroleum Industries

Introduction

Damage mechanisms identification, meaning first of all, understanding what kind of damage morphology to be expected in given operating environment, as well as understanding the root cause of the morphology of the damage is the key of the proper implementation of API/ASME in-service inspection codes, such as API 510, API 570, API 653. Furthermore, a proper implementation of any kind of risk-based or risk-informed initiative, such as RBI per API RP 580, ASME PCC-3 or API RP 581 is heavily dependent on expert understanding of the damage potential of the process and prediction of the damage state of the equipment in the future. For the damage found, an FFS assessment using API RP 579/ASME FFS-1 is explicitly requiring that the owner/user provide damage type and damage rate as most important input for equipment qualification and assessment of the equipment remaining life.

During this training course, a number of damage mechanisms will be explained in the systematic manner as presented in the code (API RP 571). Critical factors for each damage mechanisms are elaborated, this knowledge can be utilized in practice to establish proper Integrity Operating Windows or create Corrosion Control Documents, for example.  Basic prevention, inspection, and on-line monitoring methods are explored for each damage mechanism.

This GLOMACS API RP 571 & Advanced Damage Mechanisms and Material Investigation in the Refining, Petrochemical & Petroleum Industries training course will highlight:

• General damage mechanisms applicable to all industries
• O&G and petrochemical specific damage mechanisms
• Understanding of the basic processes and the related damage mechanisms
• Provide basis for informed corrosion control documentation, integrity operating windows (IOWs)

Objectives

By the end of this API RP 571 & Advanced Damage Mechanisms and Material Investigation training course, participants will learn to:

• Understand general damage mechanisms applicable to the industry and be able to identify their features and function
• Recognize and be aware of the mechanical and metallurgical failure mechanisms related to the brittle fracture and material embrittlement, creep and stress rupture, thermal and mechanical fatigue, as well as most prevalent problems such as corrosion
• Identify refining industry damage mechanisms on uniform or localized loss thickness and explain the various types of corrosion related to it
• Be aware of the conditions for and morphology of high-temperature damage mechanisms such as oxidation, sulfidation, carburization, metal dusting, high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) and decarburization, among others
• Understand the document background, scope, organization and limitation in use of API RP 571.
• Appreciate the need of further in-depth study for each damage mechanism for the practical implementation in the day-to-day-work

Training Methodology

This training course combines lectures teaching the theory and explaining the background of the damage mechanisms, and then link it to the operational conditions found in the typical petrochemical / refining plant. The lectures are accompanied and illustrated by the real-life examples and, in a number of cases, first-hand experience of the trainer, giving unique transition from theory to practice. Further, the practical workshops will allow the participants to try to combine own professional knowledge and experience with the newly acquired knowledge during the course in order to be able to solve practical problems.

Organisational Impact

The organization will increase the professional level of their maintenance and operation excellence, and, ideally achieve the following goals

• Technical excellence in understanding the state of the plant.
• Technical excellence and application of the state-of-the-art methods in inspection planning
• Systemic approach to the maintenance in terms of understanding the damage source and monitoring/inspection techniques
• Increased safety and asset reliability
• Optimal life-cycle utilization of the fixed assets
• Economic benefits in form of optimal RoI from capital assets

Personal Impact

The participants will gain basic understanding of the various damage mechanisms present in process industry, as well as understand the interaction between the material of construction, operating environment, process fluid and operating parameters. At the end of this API RP 571 & Advanced Damage Mechanisms and Material Investigation in the Refining, Petrochemical & Petroleum Industries  training course, the participants will be able to match the inspection and mitigation strategies to the true state of equipment, as well as to be able to recognize the morphology of the damage as such. Participants will gain sufficient knowledge and topic understanding for the successful completion of the API 571 Exam. This certification might put you in the narrow circle of several thousand specialists world-wide.