API 580 (4th edition) Required Elements
by Steve Elmer, 6/17/2024 Be the first to commentTags: API 580 Risk Based Inspection
What are the requirements of API 580, 4th edition? It can be tedious sorting out the "shalls" from the "shoulds". Fortunately, our training team has been kind enough to do this for us. But don't tell them I told you.
I recently had the opportunity to sit in on our new API 580 class that includes the new updates in the 4th edition of the recommended practice. As usual, when reading the 580 document, it can be rather tedious to sort out the requirements from the recommendations. The document is very consistent about identifying those elements which are required (i.e. "shall") for a program to be considered API 580 compliant vs. those elements which are recommended (i.e. "should"). However, in my experience, while reading the document I find it very easy to overlook a "shall".
Fortunately for us, AOC's training team has gone through the document with a fine-toothed comb and compiled this handy table enumerating the various requirements established in the 4th edition of API 580. And what's more, they have even grouped them by RBI Work Process Step. So, if you have been struggling to sort out what, exactly, you need to do to call yourself 580 compliant, read on.
What are the required elements of API 580, 4th edition?
| API 580 (4th edition) Required Elements | ||
|---|---|---|
| RBI Process Step | Section | Requirement |
| Entire RBI Work Process | 5.4.2 | Use of expert opinion shall be included in a risk assessment regardless of type or level. |
| 5.9 | All users shall review applicable jurisdictional code and legal requirements for acceptability of using RBI for inspection planning purposes. | |
| 6.1.1 | Essential elements that exist in any RBI program shall include documentation of the following:
| |
| 6.3.2 | Boundaries for physical assets included in the RBI assessment shall be documented. | |
| 6.3.6 | When initial screening methodologies are used, the methodology and results shall be documented. | |
| 7.2.2 | In cases where the team leader is unfamiliar with the facility to be evaluated, the facility shall provide a team member that is familiar with the facility and its associated requirements. | |
| 7.2.2 | In all cases, the team leader shall be familiar with the RBI methodology employed and should be familiar with the types of operating processes to be assessed. | |
| 15.1 | Thus, an RBI program shall be maintained and updated to ensure that the most recent inspection, process conditions, equipment modifications, mitigation strategies, and maintenance information are considered and used in the RBI assessment. | |
| 15.1.2 | The RBI program shall document all applicable RBI reassessment intervals. | |
| 15.2.1 | The owner-operator's RBI program shall have a work process that identifies when a reassessment is necessary. | |
| 15.3.2 | The governing inspection codes (such as API 510, API 570, and API 653) and jurisdictional regulations, if any, shall be reviewed in this context and the appropriate time intervals applied. | |
| 16.1 | A documented management system to implement and sustain the RBI program shall be developed and documented by the user. | |
| 16.2 | The required data shall be captured and maintained such that the RBI assessment can be recreated or updated at a later time by others who were not involved in the original RBI assessment. | |
| Acquire/Update Data | 5.6.1 | Change information shall be communicated so that modifications in the risk-based management plan can be made. |
| 5.7 | As new data (such as inspection results and industry experiences with similar processes) becomes available, or when changes occur (e.g. operating conditions), a reassessment of the RBI program shall be made that will provide a refreshed updated view of the risks. | |
| 5.7 | Risk-based management plans shall be adjusted as needed based upon triggers that require an RBI assessment to be updated (changes listed in Section 15). | |
| 6.4.2 | Process conditions during start-up and shutdown shall be evaluated for all equipment covered by the RBI assessment. | |
| 8.3 | Data inputs and assumptions shall be validated by qualified personnel such as process engineer/operator to review operating parameters used (see Section 7). | |
| Assign/Update Damage Mechanisms | 7.2.4 | A corrosion specialist shall be responsible for assessing the types of damage mechanisms and the applicability and severity to the equipment considering the process conditions, environment, metallurgy, age, and other relevant data pertaining to the equipment. |
| 9.1 | The corrosion specialist shall define the credible damage mechanisms for each item addressed by the RBI assessment. | |
| 9.1 | All process conditions (e.g. start-up, shut-down, idle, anticipated abnormal and normal runs), as well as planned process changes shall be considered. | |
| 9.1 | The data and basis for assumptions used in the DMR shall be recorded in the RBI assessment documentation. | |
| 9.2 | A DMR shall analyze and evaluate the combinations of process conditions, the external environment, the materials of construction, and the inspection history for each equipment item to identify the active and credible damage mechanisms. | |
| 9.2 | The DMR shall also be used to determine the associated deterioration rates and susceptibilities of these mechanisms. | |
| Assess Risk and Rank | 5.5 | The RBI process shall be capable of generating a ranking of relative risk of all equipment evaluated |
| 10.1 | The POF analysis shall address all credible damage mechanisms to which the equipment being reviewed is or can be susceptible. | |
| 10.1 | Further, it shall address the situation where equipment is or can be susceptible to multiple damage mechanisms (e.g. thinning and creeping). | |
| 10.3.1 | The process used to estimate/calculate the POF shall be documented. | |
| 10.3.1 | When general failure data are being modified, the owner-operator RBI programs shall define what qualified persons can perform this task. | |
| 10.3.3 | Owner-operator RBI programs shall define what qualified persons can make modifications to general failure data on a case-by-case basis. | |
| 10.4.2 | After the credible damage mechanisms have been identified, the inspection(s) shall be evaluated to determine the effectiveness to detect, characterize (e.g. sizing of flaws, identification of area of indications, accuracy of technique used, etc.) each identified mechanism. | |
| 11.1.1 | The COF analysis shall be performed to estimate the COF that is likely to occur due to a failure mode typically resulting from an identified damage mechanism(s) (see Section 9). | |
| 11.1.2 | If these other types of functional failures are used, they shall be documented in the user's program. | |
| 11.5.1 | Regardless of whether a qualitative or quantitative analysis is used, the major factors to consider in evaluating the COF shall include the following:
| |
| 12.1 | Risk shall be determined by combining the POF (results of work done as described in Section 10) and the COF (results of the work done as described in Section 11). | |
| 12.1 | The general form of the risk equation shall be as follows: Risk = POF × COF | |
| Inspection Planning, Process Monitoring, Risk Mitigation | 5.6.2.2 | The inspection plan shall describe the type, scope and timing of inspection /examination recommended. |
| 13.3 | Once a risk assessment has been completed, the items with unacceptable risk to the owner-operator shall be assessed for risk management through inspection plans or other risk management strategies. | |
| 13.4 | When an inspection strategy is developed, it shall be documented. | |
| Review Results | 15.2.2 | As part of the reassessment, the operating histories over the past run, including operating limit exceedances and trends, shall be reviewed to better predict if non-time-dependent damage mechanisms could have occurred. |
| 15.2.2 | When inspection activities have been performed, the results shall be reviewed to determine if an RBI reassessment is necessary. | |
Hopefully you will find this list as useful as I have. For a deeper dive into 580, you might be interested in taking one of our upcomming training offerings. AOC's RBI professionals will walk you through the standard to help you with your own RBI program and/or prepare for API 580 Certification.
Did you find this useful? Would you like to see more content like this? Please let us know in a comment below.
Add your comment
Related Services
AOC has delivered thousands of sustainable Risk Based Inspection (RBI) programs earning the trust of owner operators.
One of the most important steps in an RBI project is the corrosion study or damage mechanism review.
When evaluation of inspection results suggest that an asset is near its end of useful life, Fitness for Service evaluations can determine if the asset us suitable for continued operation.
Related Tools
How well do you know RBI? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge of the API 580 risk-based inspection (RBI) work process.
Create mechanical integrity (MI) program value rather than it being seen as a necessary cost to minimize.
Related Training
A high level overview introducing Mechanical Integrity and Risk Based Inspection
What impact does Risk Based Inspection (RBI) have on my organization?
Is your Risk Based Inspection (RBI) program aligned with the API 580 Recommended Practice? Are you ready for certification?
What's actually going on inside all of that fancy software? An introduction to the API 581 methodology.
A deep dive into quantitative Risk Based Inspection (RBI) as outlined in API 581.
Related Knowledge
What are equipment/inspection strategies in relation to mechanical integrity (MI) and risk based inspection (RBI)?
This is a practical approach to incorporating the new PHMSA gas well rules into your integrity program with the rest of your surface and subsurface assets.
An example to compliment our earlier proposal for a risk analysis option that allows for individual damage mechanism risk calculation in API 581
A proposal for a risk analysis option that allows for individual damage mechanism risk calculation in API 581
A long-standing vision of AOC, we are well on our way to meeting the goal of having 100% of our RBI staff certified to API 580.
What are the hidden benefits of implementing Risk Based Inspection?
A look at how the financial sector's concept of Asset Value Management can be applied to the petrochemical industry.
A look at how RBI adds value whether you are just starting out or transitioning from a traditional methodology.
A look at several of the secondary benefits of Risk Based Inspection
Additional process data may be needed when environment, stress, and metallurgy are so alligned so as to indicate susceptibility to environmental cracking.
Asset Optimization is the authority on asset integrity solutions that align your people, process, and technology with unmatched returns across your enterprise.
Consulting Activities
Contact Us
United States
16000 Barkers Point LaneSuite 105
Houston, TX 77079
Phone: +1 (281) 909-7333
Email: info@aoccorp.com
Europe
CATCH Facility,Redwood Park Estate,
Stallingborough,
Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire,
DN41 8TH, United Kingdom
Phone: 00 44 (0) 1469 552875
Copyright © 2024 Asset Optimization Consultants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
There are no comments for this article.