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Matthews Training API training course information 2014

of 12 [email protected] Issue 10th Nov 13

API CERTIFIED INSPECTOR

510/570/653/580/571

UK PROGRAMMES: 2014

Matthews Engineering Training Ltd is an Authorized global training provider to The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

www.matthews-training.co.uk

INFORMATION PACKAGE

MATTHEWS ENGINEERING TRAINING are now taking registrations for our 2014 UK preparation courses for the American Petroleum Institute (API) Individual Certification Programme (ICP) examinations. Read this information pack for details of how these programmes work

MATTHEWS ENGINEERING

TRAINING

INDEX

1. The API (ICP) training programmes

2. How do I become API certified?

3. Entry requirements

4. Costs

5. 2014 training schedules and format

6. The API examinations

7. Our 2014 course calendar

8. Your next step

Annex 1: Topics and code requirements

API 510 Pressure vessel inspector

API 570 Pipework inspector

API 653 Storage tank inspector



1. THE API (ICP) Programmes

The American Petroleum Institute (API) runs a certification programme for individual in-service inspectors (not companies) involved in the in-service inspection of pressure vessels, pipework and storage tanks. It is used extensively in the USA (it is a legal requirement in many states) and in other countries that use API/ASME codes. The API schemes under which inspectors are certified are termed the Individual Certification Programmes (ICP)

1.1 How many ICPs are there? There are three main ones, each linked to a specific set of API and ASME codes relating to the type of equipment covered. They are:

• API 510:Pressure vessel inspector:

• API 570: Pipework inspector

• API 653:Storage tank inspector These 3 main certification programmes have been established for many years. MATTHEWS ENGINEERING TRAINING LTD run training programmes for all three of these in the UK

There are other supplementary ones, most limited in application to the USA. Two do have technical relevance to supplement API 510/570/653 content so we run UK programmes on these. They are:

• API 580:Risk-based inspection (RBI)

• API 571: Damage mechanisms (DMs)

1.2 What is the recognition of API certification in the UK/ Europe?

The recognition of API inspector certification in the UK has increased over the past few years. There are several reasons for this:

• Increasing ownership of facilities and onshore power/process plants by US companies, who are used to recognising API certification.

• Regulatory authorities prefer to see some evidence of inspector competence, against technical codes that they recognise. Mention of inspection procedures to API codes regularly appear in industry seminars and discussion documents discussing the avoidance of system leakage, failures, regulatory issues etc.

2. HOW DO I BECOME API CERTIFIED?

In simple terms, to become certified as an API certified inspector, all you have to do is apply to API, meet their acceptance criteria (see later), and then pass the formal examinations (7 hours of exam for the main ICPs and 3 hours for the supplementary ones) In practice, unless you have full familiarity with the relevant codes (1000+ pages’ worth), you are unlikely to pass the exam and will need to prepare for the examination by enrolling on a training



course. The training course will teach you about the subject matter covered, test you using mock exams etc, and prepare you to take the API exam.

3. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS API set minimum entry requirements for candidates who want to take the ICP exams. The general principle is that candidates must be ‘employed by or under contract to an ‘authorised inspection agency or owner/user organization’. In the UK and other countries that do not have a formal system of legally authorised inspection organisations (UKAS accreditation is not the same thing as it is not a legal requirement), this is interpreted slightly differently. Inspectors who work under contract (self-employed or Ltd Company) are considered eligible, as long as they can demonstrate that they have been working in the inspection field The above requirements serve to exclude mainly those people who are not involved in the inspection industry and who therefore would not be suitable for API certification. In practice, most people who have been working in the inspection industry in NDT, inspection, maintenance etc do not have too much trouble in satisfying these entry requirements. Table 1 below shows the API-published entry requirements. Note that it is only necessary to satisfy one of the entry requirement rows (i.e. A, B, C or D)

Table 1: API exam entry requirements

Education Experience

required Skills

A Degree (or higher) in engineering

1 year Supervision or performance of

inspection activities of vessels/pipes/tanks as appropriate*

B

Higher qualification or certificate in engineering or technology

2 years

C Basic engineering

qualification 3 years

D No qualifications 5 or more years

Design, construction, repair, operation, or inspection

vessels/pipes/tanks as appropriate, of which 1 year must be in

supervision or performance of inspection activities

*:depending on whether you wish to sit for API 510,570 or 653

Are there any additional entry requirements for the training programme?

Yes; we are proud of our 95%+ first-time exam pass rate and are keen to make sure that delegates who we accept onto our API exam preparation training courses have a good chance of passing the examination. We therefore have an application assessment procedure consisting of a CV assessment and, in marginal cases, a technical questionnaire. The purpose of this is to assess an applicant’s initial knowledge of some of the technical subjects that will be covered in the course, and subsequently in the API examinations. This will give us an idea as to whether you will do sufficiently well on the course to give you a fair chance of passing the examinations



4. COSTS

There are various costs involved in achieving API certification. Table 2 shows the details.

Table 2: API Inspector certification: Budget costs

Cost per person

Budget (amount

depends on $: £

exchange rate)

Payable to When

payable Notes

API 510,570 or 653 Preparation training

course

2014 UK on-line + 7-day classroom programme

Total cost £2250 +

VAT

Training provider (Matthews Engineering Training Ltd)

On booking your place on the training course

. See our 2014 API

course calendar for course dates

and entry deadlines

Purchase of the API/ASME code document package you will require to sit the course and the examination

If you need a full set the will be

$900-$1300US plus shipping charges If you have access

to the correct editions of the

standards already, you will not have to

pay anything.

Purchased directly from the document suppliers (we will supply details of

how to order if you need them)

At the start of the first training course modules

(or soon afterwards)

From 2014, API candidates no longer need an original code

package to take to the exam. The exam centre

provides the codes you require

API application/ examination fee

$900 US Directly to API When you wish to book your API exam date

See our 2014 API

course calendar for the exam window dates for your training course.

The cost of the Matthews Engineering Training API 510/570 and 653 programmes (combined on-line + classroom) is £2250+VAT per delegate. As the object of the training programme is for delegates to progress through both parts of the programme and then sit the exam, fees are payable in full at the time of registration. In addition to the training programme fees you will have to pay for (see table 2):

• Your purchase of the code documentation package, if you don’t have access to the documents.

• Your travel and accommodation costs (if applicable) for the residential course

• The API exam registration fee (payable directly to API when booking your exam attendance)



5. TRAINING COURSE SCHEDULES

What is the format of the MET training programmes?

For API 510,570 and 653, the ‘combined’ in-line + classroom course consists of two parts:

• Part 1: Preliminary distance learning training modules

• Part 2 :A 3+4 days full time ‘residential’ classroom course This training programme format provides candidates with a structured way of acquiring the knowledge needed to sit for the API examinations. The advantages of the two-part format are:

• Candidates can fit Part 1 around their existing work commitments; for example offshore or contract work.

• It provides a more flexible way of learning than a long classroom course (some overseas API courses last 9-12 days or more) and minimises information overload

The figure below shows the structure of the training programme

What documents do I need to start the Part 1 programme?

One of the long-standing features of all the API inspector certification programmes is that candidates must acquire a code documentation package. This is an extensive set of documents comprising all the necessary parts of the API/ASME codes and standards covered in the API syllabus. You need these documents to participate in the online and residential parts of our training course. If you have access to a set of codes already (and they are correct up-to-date versions), for example through your employer, you will not need to buy this documentation package. If you need to buy the documentation directly from the suppliers, we will provide ordering information and contact details for you). We can inform you of the code edition revisions that you will need (see annex 1 of this document)

How much time input does each module require?

The modules vary a little in length and complexity and you can work through each one at your own speed. As a guide, however, we recommend that you budget at least 15-20 hours self-study time for each module. The best way is to do this is in study sessions of perhaps 1-2

hours each. This makes a total recommended study time of at least 50-60 hours.

Registration on training

programme

Part 2 3+4 day classroom

course

API

Exam

Part 1 4-5 x On-

line/distance

learning modules



How long do I have to complete the modules?

Once you have started, the on-line training modules follow a timed pattern and you have to work through sequentially, participating in sample questions and end-of-module tests as you go. You must keep up with the schedule in order to progress to the residential course.

What if I cannot complete the training programme?

If, after booking your course place with Matthews Training you find you have problems making arrangements to start the on-line course, or meet the residential course dates you can postpone your course to a later date (normally the next course). To qualify for this, you must inform Matthews Engineering Training Ltd of your postponement before the start of the online training modules. If you delay your postponement until after this date, you will not be able to claim a free postponement and will need to either try harder to continue with the course, or forfeit your fee, as you will already have taken the place of another delegate who has had to wait until the next course

Is there tutor help available?

Yes, following registration, you will be given e-mail/contact details of your tutors. You can contact them with individual technical queries. This will help guide you through the training modules.

How do I know when I have completed the Part 1 training modules?

As you work through each of the modules you will learn about various code sections and do sample test questions and exercises. When you feel confident that you understand the material, you sit the on-line end-of-module test and are informed of your results. This will give you an idea as to your understanding of the technical material.

How does the residential training programme work?

Part 2 consists of a 3+4 day full time classroom training course. Unless they live nearby, most delegates will treat this as a ‘residential’ course, enabling them to take advantage of the evening study and revision sessions. The course consists of:

• Revision and sample tests of the subjects covered in the online modules

• Daily training modules of the remainder of the API examination syllabus

• Daily sample test sessions and homework/revision exercises For the last 2 days of the course, delegates will sit mock examinations held under simulated API exam conditions. This will prepare them to sit the formal API examination, which must be taken within the API exam window. This lasts approximately 10 days following the completion date of the residential course; it is in your interest to sit this as soon as possible, whilst you memory is fresh.

Where will the residential training course be held?

The exact location will depend on the number of delegates and where they come from. Normally we hold them in the UK midlands within an area bounded by Manchester/Birmingham/East Midlands/Leeds Bradford airports



6. EXAM ARRANGEMENTS (new for 2014)

How does the new API examination procedure work?

For 2014, API have introduced a completely new exam procedure. As is usual with US organisations, this procedure is formal, security-conscious, and non-negotiable. The exam questions are set by API and administered by their contractor PROMETRIC Ltd. The exam procedure is now computer-based and completely automated. The examination procedure lasts 7 hours; comprising open-book (4 hours) and closed-book (3 hours) examinations. In the open-book section of the exam codes are available on computer screen, and no hard copies are allowed

When and where are the examinations held?

The previous situation where all delegates sat the exam on a single day has now changed. There is now an exam date ‘window’ of 10 days and candidates have to apply in advance(once they have submitted their exam application and paid their exam fee) to sit the examination session they prefer. The UK exam centres for PROMETRIC are in Manchester and London .There are many more worldwide all listed on their website www.prometric.com We recommend that delegate apply to attend the Manchester site, the next day, or as soon as possible after the final training course day. Please note however that PROMETRIC will not guarantee that you can have the date or location of your choice; it all depends on the numbers of applications they get.



7. OUR 2014 API COURSE CALENDAR

See our website download for a separate copy of this calendar



8. YOUR NEXT STEP

To apply for your place on one of the Matthews Engineering Training 2014 API training

programmes simply:

STEP 1: READ THIS DOCUMENT

Please make sure you understand the procedure, technical content and costs involved. If you have any queries, contact Cliff Matthews or Stephanie on:

[email protected] or

Tel 07732 799351 (if we are busy, leave a voicemail message and we will get back to you)

STEP 2: CHOOSE A COURSE AND DATE

Choose a course date from our 2014 API course calendar. Ensure that your work rota etc allows you to attend both the residential course AND allows you sufficient flexibility to book an exam date

within the 10-day exam time-window shown on the course calendar.

STEP 3: CONTACT US

Forward your CV for assessment to [email protected]. We will then contact you to discuss your CV and its suitability for the course and exam entry requirements. In some cases we may ask you technical questions to check your knowledge and suitability for the course. If everything is in order we will agree your entry to the course.

STEP 4: PAY YOUR TRAINING COURSE FEES

We will forward you an invoice for payment of your course fees. For new or self-funded delegates we can only hold you a course place once payment has been received .For established customers who regularly send delegates on our training courses all we may

require is a PO number to confirm the place

STEP 5: EXAM APPLICATION

Once we have confirmed your course place we will forward you details of how to make your API online exam application and then book your exam date



ANNEX 1: TOPICS AND CODE REQUIREMENTS.

API 510 CERTIFIED VESSEL INSPECTOR Technical standards covered API 510 Syllabus subjects

Note: The code editions you need will change, depending on which course date you are planning to take. Contact us before buying any codes for 2014 exams

• API 510, Pressure Vessel Inspection Code

• API RP 571, Damage mechanisms Affecting fixed equipment in the refining industry

• API RP-572, Inspection of Pressure Vessels

• API RP 576, Inspection of Pressure-Relieving Devices:

• API RP 577 Welding and Metallurgy

• ASME VIII, Division 1, Rules for Constructing Pressure Vessels

• ASME V, Non-destructive Examination

• ASME IX, Welding Qualifications

Vessel Certification Requirements. Types and Definitions of vessel maintenance inspections. Vessel corrosion and deterioration. Remaining life and inspection intervals Vessel relief devices. Maintenance inspection safety practices. Inspection records and reports.

Code calculation for in-service degraded pressure vessels (including repairs and re-rating) Thickness measurements, corrosion and vessel integrity Vessel weld joint efficiencies, weld joint categories and type of radiography required Static head pressure calculations Vessel shell/head types/MAWP and thickness calculations Nozzle reinforcements Internal and external pressure calculations Pressure testing requirements after repairs etc Re-rating Pressure Vessels Impact test requirements Weld WPS/PQR evaluation (ASME IX basis): SMAW/GTAW/SAW General rules for welding (ASME VIII and API 510 basis) NDT requirements of ASME V: Visual/RT/DP/MPI •Techniques /Calibration •Examination/Interpretation



API 570 CERTIFIED PIPEWORK INSPECTOR Technical standards covered API 570 Syllabus subjects Note: The code editions you need will change, depending on which course date you are planning to take. Contact us before buying any codes for 2014 exams

• API 570, Piping Inspection Code: Inspection, Repair, Alteration, and Re-rating of In-Service Piping Systems

• API RP 571, Damage mechanisms Affecting fixed equipment in the refining industry,

• API RP 574, Inspection Practices for Piping System Components.

• API RP 577 Welding and Metallurgy

• API RP 578, Material Verification Program for New and Existing Alloy Piping Systems

• ASME V, Non-destructive Examination,


• ASME B16.5, Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings

• ASME B31.3, Process Piping

Code calculations and inspection intervals for new and degraded pipework including consideration for:

• Corrosion rates and allowances

• Remaining service life and inspection intervals

• Weld quality factors (based on ASME B31.3)

• Thermal expansions Thickness calculations of pipes, blanks Hydraulic, pneumatic and leak testing Impact test requirements and exemptions Minimum wall thickness and working pressure/temperature requirements for pipework flanges (ASME B16.5 basis) Weld heat treatment requirements Weld WPS/PQR evaluation (ASME IX basis): SMAW/GTAW/SAW General rules for welding (ASME B31.3 and API 570 basis) NDT requirements of ASME V: Visual/RT/DP/MPI

•Techniques •Calibration •Examination •Interpretation

PMI requirements and procedures



API 653 CERTIFIED STORAGE TANK INSPECTOR Technical standards covered API 653 Syllabus subjects Note: The code editions you need will change, depending on which course date you are planning to take. Contact us before buying any codes for 2014 exams.

• API 575, Inspection of atmospheric and low-pressure storage tanks.

• API RP 571, Damage mechanisms affecting fixed equipment in the refining industry,

• API 650, Welded steel tanks for oil storage.

• API 651, Cathodic protection of above-ground storage tanks

• API 652, Lining of above-ground storage tanks

• API 653, Tank inspection, repair, alteration and reconstruction

• ASME V, Non-destructive Examination,


Code calculations and inspection intervals for new and degraded storage tanks including consideration for:

• Corrosion rates and allowances

• Remaining service life and inspection intervals

• Pitting assessment Corrosion protection of storage tanks Thickness calculations for tank shells and floors Tank settlement and distortion evaluation Hydraulic testing Impact test requirements and exemptions Minimum wall thickness and working pressure/temperature requirements Tank repair procedures (patches, lap welds etc) Weld heat treatment requirements Weld WPS/PQR evaluation (ASME IX basis): SMAW/GTAW/SAW/GMAW General rules for welding (API and ASME basis) NDT requirements of ASME V: Visual/RT/DP/MPI

•Techniques •Calibration •Examination •Interpretation

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