API RP 571 Damage Mechanisms Course
Presented by Equity Engineering

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The American Petroleum Institute (API) conducts training classes that help attendees understand its new Recommended Practice (RP) 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry.

Over the past decade, API has developed two major technologies to improve fixed equipment reliability in refining. They cover Fitness-For-Service (RP 579) and Risk-Based Inspection (RP 580/581).

There are several common factors in both of these integral technologies, including:

• identification of the operative damage mechanisms
• assessment of future damage progression rates
• selection of appropriate Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques for detecting/characterizing equipment damage

API RP 571 was created to help link these technologies and to provide better access to information that is located in one concise source covering damage mechanisms. This new recommended practice also aids in understanding damage being inspected for in API 510/570 and API Std. 653.

Understanding damage mechanisms and the effect of process conditions is very important. Following are some of the main topics discussed in this new course:

• Setting up effective inspection plans requires an in-depth understanding of what kind of damage to look for and how to identify it.
• Methodologies for Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) and Fitness-For-Service (FFS) depend on the accurate prediction and determination of active mechanisms.
• An effective Management of Change (MOC) process needs to consider the effect of proposed changes on future degradation.
  · Many problems can be prevented or eliminated if the precursors to damage are observed and monitored so that any potential damage is mitigated.
• Appropriate inspection and/or testing can achieve a proper balance between cost and effectiveness for the relevant mechanisms.
  

Who should attend:

Plant inspectors, mechanical engineers, process engineers, and operators who are involved in inspection, RBI, FFS, and fixed equipment reliability programs, maintenance, and operations.

Although refinery problems are the main focus of the classes, personnel from related industries (such as mid-stream companies, gas plants, and petrochemical firms) also benefit from the course content and exercises.

Please visit our Calendar of Events for all upcoming courses.

For specific dates and locations, registration, and hotel information, view the registration brochure.

Also view information on our course in Europe.

Instructors:

Jonathan D. Dobis, P.E.
Principal Engineer
The Equity Engineering Group, Inc.
Elkton, Maryland

Mr. Dobis has more than 20 years experience as an owner-user and consultant to refining and chemical process industries. He has worked in both corporate and plant materials engineering positions, and is an industry-recognized expert in the subject of corrosion.

Mr. Dobis was the primary author of API RP 571. He has been involved in corrosion reviews for API’s Risk-Based Inspection projects, and recently focused on corrosion problems in process units such as crude, hydro-processing and HF acid alkylation.

Mr. Dobis is active in the National Association of Corrosion Engineers and has authored 16 technical papers on related subjects.

Gerrit M. Buchheim, P.E.
Principal Engineer
The Equity Engineering Group, Inc.
Cleveland, Ohio

Mr. Buchheim has more than 20 years experience in the refining and petrochemical industry as an owner-user, and several years as a consultant. As an expert in materials engineering and identification of damage mechanisms, he has taught similar private courses.

Mr. Buchheim was chairman of the API RP 571 task group for many years. He has extensive experience in the practical use of FFS technology in plant operations and in shut-down/maintenance planning. He has been actively involved in the technical development and promotion of RBI technology. He also has significant experience in the use of FFS assessments, and teaches API’s official Fitness-For-Service course. In addition, he is an industry-recognized expert in wet H2S cracking, high temperature hydrogen attack, and creep.

For more information, please contact Georgia Zellhofer at ggzellhofer@equityeng.com.