Api 653 Exam 2018
Api 653 Exam 2018
Api 653 Exam 2018
exams)
Previous Exams Questions (which do not include any question appeared in JULY 2018)
Closed Book (C.B) Open Book (O.B)
API STANDARD 653 FIFTH EDITION, NOVEMBER 2014 Tank Inspection, Repair,
Alteration, and Reconstruction
1 Scope
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 This standard covers steel storage tanks built to API 650 and its predecessor API 12C.
1.1.2 In the case of apparent conflicts between the requirements of this standard and API 650 or its
predecessor API 12C, this standard shall govern for tanks that have been placed in service.
1.2 Compliance with This Standard
- The owner/operator has ultimate responsibility for complying with the provisions of this standard.
- Should a party other than the owner/operator be assigned certain tasks, such as relocating and
reconstructing a tank, the limits of responsibility for each party shall be defined by the owner/operator
prior to commencing work.
1.4 Safe Working Practices
- Procedures shall be developed according to the guidelines given in API 2015 (Safe Entry and Cleaning)
and API 2217A (Confined Space) that will include safeguard for personnel health and safety, prevention
of accidental fires and explosions, and the prevention of property damage.
Section 2—References
Section 3—Definitions
3.3 authorized inspection agency (Owner/Operator) / (Jurisdiction) / (Insurance) / (Contractor) The
owner/operator’s inspection program shall provide the controls necessary for use by authorized
inspectors contracted to inspect aboveground storage tanks.
3.10 critical zone The portion of the tank bottom or annular plate within 3 in. of the inside edge of the
shell, measured radially inward.
3.20 major alteration/or major repair
An alteration or repair that includes any of the following:
* Penetrations installing:
- Shell: >12 NPS / Below liquid level. (M.A) (14 NPS in the top course)
* Jacking a tank shell. (MR)
3.26 repair Work necessary to maintain or restore a tank to a condition suitable for safe operation.
3.27 repair organization
- An organization that meets any of the following: Owner/Operator, Contractor, or Jurisdiction who makes
repairs or alterations in accordance with this standard.
Section 4—Suitability for Service
4.1 General
4.2 Tank Roof Evaluation
4.2.1 General
4.2.1.2 Roof plates corroded to an average thickness of less than 0.09 in. in any 100 in. 2 area or roof
plates with any holes through the roof plate shall be repaired or replaced.
4.2.2 Fixed Roofs
4.2.2.2 When a frangible roof-to-shell joint is required, evaluate for items impacting compliance with
requirements under API 650, Section 5.10.2.6. Examples of some items to evaluate include tank bottom-
to-shell joint corrosion or tank roof-to-shell joint modification (such as reinforcement of the joint,
attachment of handrail, or other frangible joint area change).
4.2.3 Floating Roofs
4.2.3.2 Areas that are pitted shall be evaluated to determine the likelihood of through-pitting occurring
prior to the next scheduled internal inspection. If so, the affected areas shall be repaired or replaced.
4.2.4 Change of Service
4.2.4.3 Operation at Elevated Temperature All requirements of API 650, Annex M, shall be considered
before changing the service of a tank to operation at temperatures above 200 °F.
4.2.4.5 Normal and Emergency Venting
4.2.4.5.1 Effects of change in operating conditions (including product service and pumping rates) on
normal and emergency venting shall be considered.
4.2.4.5.2 Vents shall be inspected for proper operation and screens shall be verified to be clear of
obstruction.
4.3 Tank Shell Evaluation
4.3.2 Actual Thickness Determination
- 4.3.2.1 b) Calculate the critical length, L:
* L = 3.7 √D.t2, but not more than 40 in.
Where L is the maximum vertical length, in inches, over which hoop stresses are assumed to “average
out” around local discontinuities.
c) Profile measurements shall be taken along each vertical plane for a distance, L. In the plane(s),
determine the lowest average thickness, t1, averaged over a length of L, using at least five equally spaced
measurements over length L.
e) The criteria for continued operation is as follows:
i) t1 ≥ tmin ii) t2 ≥ 60 % of tmin; and
iii) any corrosion allowance required for service until the time of the next inspection shall be added to tmin
and 60 % of tmin.
4.3.2.2 Widely scattered pits may be ignored provided that:
a) no pit depth results in the remaining shell thickness being less than one-half the minimum acceptable
tank shell thickness exclusive of the corrosion allowance; and
b) the sum of their dimensions along any vertical line does not exceed 2 in. in an 8-in. length (see Figure
4.2).
4.3.3 Minimum Thickness Calculation for Welded Tank Shell
E is the original joint efficiency for the tank. Use Table 4.2 if original E is unknown. E = 1.0 when
evaluating the retirement thickness in a corroded plate, when away from welds or joints by at least the
greater of 1 in. or twice the plate thickness.
Table 4.1—Maximum Allowable Shell Stresses (Not for Use for Reconstructed Tanks, See Note 6)
* SA 516 GR.70 Allowable Hydrostatic test stress St = 33,000 PSI (O.B)
- Table 4.2—Joint Efficiencies for Welded Joints
4.4 Tank Bottom Evaluation
4.4.2 Causes of Bottom Failure
4.4.3 Tank Bottom Release Prevention Systems (RPSs)
4.4.3.1 Internal Inspection 4.4.3.2 Leak Detection Systems and Leak Testing
4.4.3.3 Cathodic Protection 4.4.3.4 Internal Lining Protection 4.4.3.5 Release Prevention Barriers
(RPBs)
4.4.4 Bottom Plate Thickness Measurements
- Ultrasonic thickness measurement techniques are often used to confirm and further quantify data
obtained by MFL examination, but these techniques may not be required depending on the specific
procedure and application.
4.4.5 Minimum Thickness for Tank Bottom Plate (BOTTOM PLATES EXCEPT CRITICAL ZONE)
Welded Tanks for Oil Storage API STD 650 12th Mar. 2013 Add
1 & 2, Err 1 & 2 Jan. 2016
SECTION 4—MATERIALS
Table 4.4b—Material Groups (USC)
Figure 4.2—Isothermal Lines of Lowest One-Day Mean Temperatures (°F)
Figure 4.1b—Minimum Permissible Design Metal Temperature for Materials Used in Tank Shells
without Impact Testing (USC)
SECTION 5—DESIGN
5.1.5 Typical Joints
5.1.5.2 Vertical Shell Joints
b) Vertical joints in adjacent shell courses shall not be aligned, but shall be offset from each other a
minimum distance of 5t, where t is the plate thickness of the thicker course at the point of offset. (O.B)
5.1.5.7 Shell-to-Bottom Fillet Welds (Table)
Table 5.2b—Permissible Plate Materials and Allowable Stresses (USC)
5.4 Bottom Plates
5.4.5 If specified on the Data Sheet, Line 12, a foundation drip ring shall be provided to prevent ingress of
water between the tank bottom and foundation. Unless the Purchaser specifies otherwise, the ring shall
meet the following requirements (see Figure 5.5).
3) The drip ring shall extend at least 75 mm (3 in.) beyond the outer periphery of the foundation ringwall
and then turn down (up to 90°) at its outer diameter.
5.6 Shell Design
5.6.1.1 The required shell thickness shall be the greater of the design shell thickness, including any
corrosion allowance, or the hydrostatic test shell thickness, but the shell thickness shall not be less than
the following: (Table)
5.7 Shell Openings
5.7.4 Thermal Stress Relief
5.7.4.5 Minimum Stress-Relieving Temperature Holding Time (hours per 25 mm [1 in.] of thickness) (Table).
5.10 Roofs
5.10.2.2 Roof Plate Thickness: Roof plates shall have a nominal thickness of not less than 5 mm (3/16
in.) or 7- gauge sheet.
5.10.2.6 Frangible Roof: A roof is considered frangible (see 5.8.5 for emergency venting requirement) if
the roof-to- shell joint will fail prior to the shell-to-bottom joint in the event of excessive internal pressure.
When a Purchaser specifies a tank with a frangible roof, the tank design shall comply with a, b, c, or d, of
the following:
a) For tanks 15 m (50 ft) in diameter or greater, the tank shall meet all of the following.
1) The slope of the roof at the top angle attachment does not exceed 2:12.
3) The roof is attached to the top angle with a single continuous fillet weld on the top side (only) that does
not exceed 5 mm (3/16 in.). No underside welding of roof to top angle (including seal welding) is permitted.
5.10.4 Supported Cone Roofs
5.10.4.7 Roof support columns shall be provided at their bases with details that provide for the following.
b) Corrosion and Abrasion Protection: At each column a wear plate with a nominal thickness of not
less than 6 mm (1/4 in.) shall be welded to the tank bottom with a 6 mm (1/4 in.) minimum fillet weld. A
single adequate thickness plate may be designed for the dual functions of load distribution and
corrosion/abrasion protection.
SECTION 7—ERECTION
7.3.7 Hydrostatic Testing Requirements
7.3.7.5 Water Filling Rate (Table) (2 Questions)(O.B)
SECTION 8—METHODS OF EXAMINING JOINTS
Figure 8.1—Radiographic Requirements for Tank Shells
8.6 Vacuum Testing
8.6.3 A partial vacuum of 21 kPa (3 lbf/in.2, 6 in. Hg) to 35 kPa (5 lbf/in.2, 10 in Hg) gauge shall be used
for the test.
8.6.11 As an alternate to vacuum-box testing, a suitable tracer gas and compatible detector can be used
to test the integrity of welded bottom joints for their entire length. Where tracer gas testing is employed as
an alternate to vacuum-box testing, it shall meet the following requirements:
a) Tracer gas testing shall be performed in accordance with a written procedure which has been reviewed
and approved by the Purchaser and which shall address as a minimum: …..
SECTION 9—WELDING PROCEDURE AND WELDER QUALIFICATIONS
9.2.2 Impact Tests
9.2.2.4 When the design metal temperature is below –7 °C (20 °F), impact tests of the weld metal shall be
made for all procedures used for welding the components listed in 4.2.10.1, for welding attachments to
these components, and for fabricating shell nozzles and manholes from pipe and forgings listed in 4.5.
Annex I (normative) Undertank Leak Detection and Subgrade
Protection
I.1 Scope and Background
I.2 Performance Requirements
d) The permeability of the leak detection barrier shall not exceed 1 10–7 cm (4 10–5 mils) per second.
API RP 575 3rd Ed.-April 2014 Inspection Practices for Atmospheric and Low-
Pressure Storage Tank
8.2.4 Anchor Bolt Inspection
- The condition of anchor bolts can usually be determined by visual inspection. A tap with a hammer to
the side of the nut may reveal complete corrosion of the anchor bolt below the base plate (Figure 35 and
Figure 36).
8.2.5 Grounding Connection Inspection
- If there is any doubt about the condition of the grounding connection, its resistance can be checked. The
total resistance from tank to earth should not exceed approximately 25 ohms.
8.2.10 Auxiliary Equipment Inspection
- When external piping inspection is specified, the soil around the pipe should be dug away for 6 in. to 12
in. (150 mm to 300 mm) to allow for inspection, as soil corrosion may be especially severe at such points.
After the pipe is exposed, it should be thoroughly scraped and cleaned to permit visual and ultrasonic
thickness or other non-destructive examination.
- Flame arrestors should be opened at appropriate intervals, and the screens or pallets should be visually
inspected for cleanliness and corrosion. Solidification of vapors from the stored product may also restrict
the flow area of the flame arrestor. (Fouling Materials)
8.4 Internal Inspection
8.4.1 Precautions
8.4.2 Preliminary Visual Inspection
- A preliminary, general visual inspection is the first step in internal inspection. Visual inspection is
important for safety reasons since the condition of the roof or top head and any internal supports should
be established first. The shell and bottom should follow—in that order—for the preliminary visual
inspection.
- In cases of severely corroded or damaged roof supports, it may be necessary to remove, repair, or
replace the supports.
- Inspectors should also be alert to accumulation of dry pyrophoric material (self-igniting when exposed to
ambient conditions) during inspection. These accumulations may occur on the tank bottom, in the seal rim
space areas, or on the top of rafters. Such accumulations that cannot be cleaned out prior to inspection
should be kept moist to reduce the potential for ignition. See API 2015 and API 2016 for more information
on controlling pyrophoric deposits.
8.4.4 Tank Bottoms
- Statistical methods are also available for assessing the probable minimum remaining metal thickness of
the tank bottom, and the methods are based on a sampling of thickness scanning data. The number of
measurements taken for a statistical sampling will depend on the size of the tank and the degree of soil-
side corrosion found. Typically, 0.2 % to 10 % of the bottom should be scanned randomly. The collection
of thickness data is required to assess the remaining bottom thickness. In addition, the outer
circumference next to the shell should be included in the statistical sampling. When significant corrosion
is detected, the entire bottom should be scanned to determine the minimum remaining metal thickness
and the need for repairs.
- Seams of riveted tanks can be checked by running a thin-bladed scraper or knife along the riveted
seam.