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

(API Exam Preparation Training)

Course topic:

Oil and Gas Management

Format availability:

In-Person, Online streaming

Duration:

5 Days

Introduction to the course

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 KC Academy 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)

Course details

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

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 training course in order to be able to solve practical problems.

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

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.

This KC Academy API RP 571 & Advanced Damage Mechanisms and Material Investigation in the Refining, Petrochemical & Petroleum Industries training course is aimed at engineers and personnel that is  involved in designing, operating, maintaining, repairing, inspecting and analyzing pressure vessels, piping, tanks and pipelines for safe operations in the refining, petrochemical and other related industries

  • Experienced Maintenance Personnel
  • Corrosion/Material Engineers; Corrosion Managers/Technicians
  • Asset Integrity Engineers
  • Maintenance Managers
  • Mechanical and Process Engineers
  • Inspectors
  • Designers

Daily Agenda

DAY 1:
Introduction, Materials Refining, Basics of Corrosion
  • API RP 571 and links to ASME PCC-3, API 580/581
  • Materials of construction and their applicability
  • Steels -- Carbon Steel; Cast Iron; C-Mo Steel; Cr-Mo Steels
  • Stainless Steels and Duplex steels
  • Material Selection process
  • Materials, damage mechanisms, barriers
  • xxStandards and other references; Terms, symbols and abbreviations;
  • Refining Processes
  • Types of corrosion
  • Basic mechanisms
DAY 2:
Corrosion
  • Galvanic Corrosion
  • Concentration Cell Corrosion
  • Erosion/Erosion - Corrosion
  • Cavitation
  • Atmospheric Corrosion
  • Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)
  • Cooling Water Corrosion
  • Boiler Water Condensate Corrosion
  • Oxygenated Water Corrosion (Non-Boiler)
  • Brine Corrosion
  • Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC)
  • Soil Corrosion
  • Dealloying
  • Graphitic Corrosion
  • CO2 Corrosion
  • Caustic Corrosion
  • HCl Corrosion
  • Workshop: Corrosion assessment CO2 corrosion
  • Workshop: HCl Corrosion
DAY 3:
Refining and High Temperature Corrosion
  • Sour Water Corrosion (Acidic)
  • Ammonium Bisulfide Corrosion (Alkaline Sour Water)
  • Amine Corrosion
  • Ammonium Chloride Corrosion
  • Aqueous Organic Acid Corrosion
  • Hydrofluoric (HF) Acid Corrosion
  • Sulfuric Acid Corrosion
  • Phenol (Carbolic Acid) Corrosion
  • Phosphoric Acid Corrosion
  • Oxidation
  • Sulfidation
  • High Temperature H2/H2S Corrosion
  • Napthenic Acid Corrosion
  • Carburization
  • Metal Dusting
  • Decarburization
  • Nitriding
  • Flue-Gas Dew-Point Corrosion
  • Fuel Ash Corrosion
  • Workshop: Damage mechanisms filtering ASME PCC-3 using ASME PCC-3 table
DAY 4:
Embrittlement and High Temperature Damage Mechanisms
  • Brittle Fracture
  • Temper Embrittlement
  • 885°F (475°C) Embrittlement
  • Sigma Phase Embrittlement
  • Hydrogen embrittlement
  • Liquid metal embrittlement
  • Titanium Hydriding
  • Graphitization
  • Spheroidization (Softening)
  • Strain Aging
  • Creep and Stress Rupture
  • Short Term Overheating – Stress Rupture including Steam Blanketing
  • High Temperature Hydrogen Attack
  • Dissimilar Metal Weld (DMW) Cracking
  • Stress Relaxation Cracking (Reheat Cracking)
  • Refractory Degradation
  • Gaseous Oxygen-Enhanced Ignition and Combustion
  • Thermal Fatigue
  • Thermal Shock
  • Mechanical Fatigue including Vibration-Induced Fatigue
  • Corrosion Fatigue
DAY 5:
Environmental Assisted Cracking, Process PFDs, IOWs
  • Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (Cl-SCC)
  • Polythionic Acid Stress Corrosion Cracking
  • Wet H2S Damage
  • Caustic Stress Corrosion Cracking (Caustic Embrittlement)
  • Amine Stress Corrosion Cracking
  • Carbonate Stress Corrosion Cracking
  • Ethanol Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)
  • Ammonia Stress Corrosion Cracking
  • Hydrogen Stress Cracking - HF
  • Hydrofluoric Acid SCC of Nickel Alloys
  • Workshop: Assessing susceptibility to Cl-SCC
  • Wrap-up of Refining Damage mechanisms; comparison and coverage in API 581
  • Process Unit PFDs
  • Proposed IOWs, link to the damage mechanisms
  • Workshop: API 571 test quiz

Frequently Asked Questions

There are no prerequisites. Our courses are open to students of all backgrounds who are 18 years of age and older. All courses are conducted in English. Video lectures include English subtitles and the option to slow-down, pause, or replay lectures for better retention. Discussion boards are a critical component of each of our courses; therefore, we suggest students have a conversational knowledge of English when pursuing a Certificate of Completion. For any of the art writing courses, students need to be 100% proficient in written English.

You should have an up-to-date web browser such as: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer. For more detailed information, please see the guides for supported browsers and basic computer specifications. Our Online Courses can be accessed on a mobile or tablet device, although we strongly encourage you to have access to a desktop or laptop computer and reliable internet connection for certain course components. Former students have told us it is easiest to read discussion threads and complete written assignments on a laptop or desktop computer.

Registration is available on our website. Just follow these simple steps: Click the “Apply Now” button in the top right corner of your screen. Select “Online Courses.” Choose your course(s). You will be asked for basic contact information and your credit card payment. We require full payment at the time of registration and all tuition is billed in US dollars. Be sure to check with your bank or credit card company, as your financial institution may charge a foreign transaction fee.

Our classes are kept small, at no more than 30 students, to better facilitate and encourage personalized interaction with the instructor and fellow participants. Your classmates come from all over the globe and contribute their global perspectives and experience. Some are currently working within the arts while others are just beginning. All classmates share in their passion for the art world.

It is recommended that you begin your course promptly. If you do need to start the course a few days late, contact your instructor as soon as possible after the course has opened to discuss your options. Registration closes on the Friday after the course begins.

Enroll now

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Dubai
04-08 Aug 2025
Fee: $5,950
Online streaming
22-26 Dec 2025
Fee: $3,950
Dubai
22-26 Dec 2025
Fee: $5,950
Course customization available
Course customization available

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