API 579 ASME FFS - FITNESS FOR SERVICE

OVER VIEW :

Combining the demand for longer service lives together with improved inspection technologies, mean that fitness for service assessments are more than ever needed to demonstrate that the equipment is safe for continued operation. API-579/ASME-FFS-1:2007 has established itself as the "go to" document for the assessment of defects commonly found in fixed equipment including pressure vessels, storage tanks, piping and pipelines. It comprises of a compendium of assessment methods developed from a variety of industries to provide procedures to determine the acceptability of specific defect types. For each defect type, three assessment levels are provided that are progressively detailed and so more accurate for the defect in question, but in turn, assessments increase in complexity and are less prescriptive in nature. Consequently, the code is heavily reliant on the competency of the integrity engineer to ensure that the assessment has been conducted in the intended manner.

This course aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the concepts behind the prescribed methodologies within API-579/ASME-FFS-1:2007. Building on these concepts, the attendees will be guided through the application of these techniques to real-world scenarios in order to associate theoretical techniques with problems encountered within their own industry. In the safety of a class-room environment, attendees will also be asked to perform basic fitness for service assessments on problem examples to enable confidence to be developed in order to undertake assessments or act as the "informed client" when reviewing third-party assessments.

Course Objectives :

1. To present defect assessment concepts which address the fitness for service of equipment encapsulated in API-579/ASME-FFS-1:2007.
2. Discuss assessment limitations, applicability and data requirements to enable the practical application of fitness for service assessment techniques.

Who should attend :

1. Inspectors needing to understanding the significance detected defects.
2. Integrity engineers requiring the knowledge to undertake fitness for service assessments.
3. Plant and integrity managers responsible for making run, repair, rerate or replacement decisions based on fitness for service assessments.

Lecturer :

1. Alan Chung, Principal Engineer, Asset Integrity

Outline Course Agenda :

Introduction :

1. FFS Concepts
2. Failure case studies
3. What is FFS and when it is required
4. Structure of API-579/ASME-FFS-1:2007
5. API-579/ASME-FFS-1:2007 Annexes
6. Roles and responsibilities
7. Data requirements
8. Assessment levels
9. Assessment criteria
10. Expected FFS outcomes

Individual defect modules:

1. Brittle Fracture
2. General Metal Loss
3. Local Metal Loss
4. Pitting Damage
5. Hydrogen Damage
6. Weld Misalignment and Shell Distortion
7. Crack-Like Flaws
8. Creep Damage
9. Fire Damage
10. Dents and Gouges
11. Laminations

Each individual defect module will comprise of:

1. Causes and nature of defect
2. Data gathering
3. Applicability and limitations of assessment
4. Level 1 assessment concepts
5. Level 2 assessment concepts
6. Level 3 assessment concepts
7. Other considerations
8. Case study
9. Problem exercise