API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

Introduction
The following Level 1 and Level 2, Fitness-For-Service assessments were carried out on Grid Refe
01, in accordance with API 579-1, Part 4, for Type 'A' pressurized components subject to general
resulting from internal corrosion, using the methods outlined in API 579-2, 4.2. The assessement
are based on a thickness averaging approach. As per API 579-2, 4.2, the longitudinal weld seam
area of assessed corrosion is not considered to be a major structural discontinuity, though the we
efficiency of 0.85 has been taken into account.

Summary
The Level 1 assessment criteria are not satisfied due to the average measured thickness in the lo
The Level 2 assessment criteria are not satisfied.

Nomenclature

CTP Critical Thickness Profile.

D inside diameter of the shell corrected for LOSS and FCA as applicable.
FCA Future Corrosion Allowance (see API 579-1, Annex A, paragraph A.2.7).
L length for thickness averaging along the shell.
LOSS amount of uniform metal loss away from the local metal loss location at the time of the as
Q actor used to determine the length for thickness averaging based on an allowable Remain
(see API 579-1, Part 2) and the remaining thickness ratio, Rt (see API 579-1, Table 4.5).
Rt remaining thickness ratio.
RSFa allowable remaining strength factor (see API 579-1, Part 2).
tcam average measured wall thickness of the component based on the circumferential CTP dete
of the inspection.
tsam average measured wall thickness of the component based on the longitudinal CTP determ
the inspection.
tc corroded wall thickness.
tlim limiting thickness.
tmin minimum required wall thickness of the component (see API 579-1, Annex A, paragraph A.
tCmin minimum required thickness of a conical or cylindrical shell based on the stresses in the ci
hoop direction (see API 579-1, Annex A, paragraph A.2).
tLmin minimum required thickness of a conical or cylindrical shell based on the stresses in the lo
(see API 579-1, Annex A, paragraph A.2).
tmm minimum measured thickness determined at the time of the inspection.
tnom nominal or furnished thickness of the component adjusted for mill undertollerance as appl
trd uniform thickness away from the local metal loss location established by thickness measu
of the assessment.
API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

Vessel Data Note

s
Material SA-516, Grade 70, year 1999
Maximum Allowable Stress (S) 20000 psi
Design Conditions (P) 300 psig @ 350 F
Inside Diameter (ID) 48.000 in including FCA
Inside Diameter (D) 48.200 in excluding FCA
Inside Radius (IR) 24.000 in including FCA
Inside Radius (R) 24.100 in excluding FCA
Nominal Thickness (tnom) 0.750 in
Corrosion Allowance (FCA) 0.100 in
Weld Joint Efficiency (E) 0.85

Inspection Data
The grid used for the inspection and the thickness readings are shown below. The grid spacing se
Equipment Inspector in the circumferential and longitudinal directions is 1.5 inches based on the

Figure 1 Grid Refer

Inspection Grid CML-01
C C C C C C C C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
M1
M2
M3
M4 Vessel Shell

M5
M6 Weld
Seam
M7

Table 1 - Inspection Data (in)

Longitudinal Circrcumferential Inspection Planes Circumferential

Inspection
CTP
Planes C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
M1 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75
M2 0.75 0.48 0.52 0.57 0.56 0.58 0.60 0.75 0.48
M3 0.75 0.57 0.59 0.55 0.59 0.60 0.66 0.75 0.55
M4 0.75 0.61 0.47 0.58 0.36 0.58 0.64 0.75 0.36
M5 0.75 0.62 0.59 0.58 0.57 0.48 0.62 0.75 0.48
M6 0.75 0.57 0.59 0.61 0.57 0.56 0.49 0.75 0.49
M7 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75
Longitudinal
0.75 0.48 0.47 0.55 0.36 0.48 0.49 0.75
CTP
 Longitudinal
0.75 0.48 0.47 0.55 0.36 0.48 0.49 0.75
CTP
Grid
Spacing 0 1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9 10.5

API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

Perform a Level 1 assessment for internal pressure as per API 579-1, paragraph 4.4.2

(a) STEP 1 - Calculate the minimum required thickness. API 579 referenc

PR 0.430 in
C
tmin  
(SE  0.6P)

PR 0.212 in
L
tmin  
(SE  0.4P)

0.430 in
tmin  max[tmin
C L
, tmin ]

(b) STEP 2 - Thickness profiles are provided, the data for thickness readings is in Table 1, above.

0.360 in
tmm 

(c) STEP 3 - Determine wall thickness to be used in the assessment.

0.650 in
tc  trd  FCA 

(d) STEP 4 - Compute the remaining thickness ratio, Rt

tmm  FCA 0.400 in

Rt  
(tc )

(e) STEP 5 - Compute the length for thickness averaging from API 579-1, Table 4.5,
with Rt = 0.400 in
RSFa = 0.9 Table 2.3

The equation for Q is:

0.5
 
2 
1 R for Rt < RSFa for Rt ≥ RSFa
Q  1.123  t
 1 Q= 50
  (1 Rt / RSFa )  

Q= 0.4581 for Rt < RSFa Q= 50 for Rt ≥ RSFa

 Is Rt < RSFa YES Is Rt ≥ RSFa NO

Q= 0.4581 Table 4.5

API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

with LOSS = 0.000 in

D  ID 2(LOSS FCA)  48.200 in

2.564 in
L  Q Dtc 

(f) STEP 6 - Establish the Critical Thickness Profiles (CTP's) from the thickness profile data. Deter
measured thickness tsam based on the longitudinal CTP and the average measured thickness
circumferential CTP.

Longitudinal CTP

Figure 2: Longitudinal Critical Thickness Profile (in)

0.75 0.75

tleft
tright
0.55
0.48 t1 tmm t2 0.48 0.49
0.47

0.36

L = 2.564 in
Grid spacing = 1.5 in
tmm = 0.360 in
tleft = 0.550 in
tright = 0.480 in
L= 2.564 in

 (L / 2)   (L / 2) 
t1  tmm  (tleft  tmm)  t2  tmm  (tright  tmm) 
 (grid spacing)   (grid spacing) 

t1 = 0.522 in
t2 = 0.463 in
API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

The area method is used to determine the average thickness.

 (t1  tmm)   (tmm  t2 ) 

A1    (L / 2) A2    (L / 2)
 2   2 
A1 = 0.566 in2

A2 = 0.527 in2

A1 + A2 = 1.093 in2

(A1  A2 )
s
tam 
L
s
tam  0.426 in

Circumferential CTP

Figure 3: Circumferential Critical Thickness Profile (in)

0.75 0.75

tleft
tright
0.55 tmm
0.48 t3 t4 0.48 0.49

0.36

L = 2.564
in

Grid spacing = 1.5 in

tmm = 0.360 in
tleft = 0.550 in
tright = 0.480 in
L= 2.564 in
  (L / 2)   (L / 2) 
t3  tmm  (tleft  tmm)  t4  tmm  (tright  tmm) 
 (grid spacing)   (grid spacing) 

t3 = 0.522 in

t4= 0.463 in

API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

The area method is used to determine the average thickness.

 (t3  tmm)   (tmm  t4 ) 

A3    (L / 2) A4    (L / 2)
 2   2 
A3 = 0.566 in2

A4 = 0.527 in2

A3 + A4 = 1.093 in2

(A3  A4 )
c
tam 
L
c
tam  0.426 in

(g) STEP 7 - Determine the acceptability for continued operation using Level 1 criteria in API 579
The average measured thickness acceptance is used in this example.

s
tam  FCA  0.326 in

c
tmin  0.430 in from STEP 1

s
tam  FCA  tmin
c
 NO

c
tam  FCA  0.326 in

L
tmin  0.212 in from STEP 1

c
tam  FCA  tmin
L
 YES

The Level 1 assessment criteria are not satisfied due to the average measured thickn
API 579-1 Fitness-For Service Assessment

Plant ID Opolo
Equipment Number: ABC-1234 Equipment: Separator
Equipment Type: Vessel Date: 29th August 2014

Check the minimum thickness criteria in API 579-1, Table 4.4

tlim  max[0.2tnom, 0.10 inches]

tlim  0.150 in

tmm  FCA  0.260 in

max[0.5tmin , tlim ]= 0.215 in

tmm  FCA  max[0.5tmin , tlim ]  YES

The minimum thickness criteria are satisfied

Level 1 Assessment Summary

The Level 1 criteria are not satisfied, perform a Level 2 Assessment using API 579-1, Table 4.4

Level 2 Assessment

s
(tam  FCA)  0.326 in

RSFa  tmin  0.387 in

s
(tam  FCA)  (RSFa  tmin )  NO

The Level 2 criteria are not satisfied

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ervice assessments were carried out on Grid Reference: CML-

pe 'A' pressurized components subject to general metal loss
hods outlined in API 579-2, 4.2. The assessement procedures
As per API 579-2, 4.2, the longitudinal weld seam within the
be a major structural discontinuity, though the weld joint

d due to the average measured thickness in the longitudinal CTP

the local metal loss location at the time of the assessment.

hickness averaging based on an allowable Remaining Strength Factor
g thickness ratio, Rt (see API 579-1, Table 4.5).

component based on the circumferential CTP determined at the time

component based on the longitudinal CTP determined at the time of

component (see API 579-1, Annex A, paragraph A.2).

or cylindrical shell based on the stresses in the circumferential or

or cylindrical shell based on the stresses in the longitudinal direction

mponent adjusted for mill undertollerance as applicable.

etal loss location established by thickness measurements at the time
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including FCA
excluding FCA
including FCA
excluding FCA

ess readings are shown below. The grid spacing set by the Fixed
longitudinal directions is 1.5 inches based on the corrosion profile.

Grid Reference
CML-01

Grid
Spacing
0
1.5
3
4.5
6
7.5
9
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API 579 reference

e data for thickness readings is in Table 1, above.

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files (CTP's) from the thickness profile data. Determine the average
nal CTP and the average measured thickness tcam based on the
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ntinued operation using Level 1 criteria in API 579-1, Table 4.4.

atisfied due to the average measured thickness in the longitudinal CTP

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Level 2 Assessment using API 579-1, Table 4.4