What you are expected to know (Body of knowledge)?

API SIRE (Source Inspector Rotating Equipment) is about Quality Surveillance of rotating equipment.

As Inspector, you are part of the client’s package team to ensure that the rotating equipment is built and tested so to meet the minimum requirements of the purchase order and associated standards.

You are representing the end user or client’s team on the ground having direct contact with the rotating equipment manufacturer (pump, compressor, turbine) .

Quality surveillance is a combination of quality assurance, quality control and inspection. So, you should know about:

Quality Assurance such as the Quality Management System ) QMS) Quality Plan (QP) as per ISO 10005, Inspection and Test Plan (ITP), Inspection program, planning, performance and exam methods which is covered under:

•Study Guide for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Rotating Equipment

Know about the inspection part of the rotating equipment standards (Only the inspection part mostly normally found in section 6 of these standards):

•API Standard 610, Centrifugal Pumps for Petroleum, Petrochemical and Natural Gas Industries.

•API Standard 614, Lubrication, Shaft-sealing and Oil-control Systems and Auxiliaries.

• API Standard 617, Axial and Centrifugal Compressors and Expander-compressors.

• API Standard 618, Reciprocating Compressors for Petroleum, Chemical, and Gas Industry Services.

• API Standard 677, General-purpose, Extruder, and Epicyclic Gear Units for Petroleum, Chemical and Gas Industry Services.

Because exotic materials such as stainless steel, duplex and super duplex used, in order to avoid mix up of material, you should know about Positive Material Identification (PMI) and hence:

• API RP 578, Material Verification Programs for New and Existing Assets

Of course; you should know about material, NDT, welding (WPS, PQR, WPQR) and pressure testing of casing and hence:

• ASME Section II, Materials

• ASME Section V, Nondestructive Examination

•ASME Section VIII, Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels

• ASME Section IX, Welding and Brazing Qualifications

Because most of casings are cast, you should know about casting and their inspection and hence:

• ASTM A703 Standard Specifications for Steel Castings, General Requirements, for Pressure-Containing Parts

• Manufacturer Standardization Society (MSS) • MSS-SP-55 Quality Standard for Steel Castings for Valves, Flanges, Fittings and Other Piping Components.

And finally know about coating because once the rotating equipment is built and tested, it is coated against corrosion protection and hence:

 Surface Preparation Guide (SSPC)

• SSPC‐SP1 Solvent Cleaning

• SSPC‐SP3 Power Tool Cleaning

• SSPC‐SP5 or NACE 1 White Metal Blast Cleaning

• SSPC‐SP6 or NACE 3 Commercial Blast Cleaning

• SSPC‐SP7 or NACE 4 Brush-Off Blast Cleaning

• SSPC‐SP10 or NACE 2 Near-White Blast Cleaning • SSPC‐SP11 Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal

Focus on Study Guide for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Rotating Equipment as it covers a wide range of quality surveillance issues and almost half of API SIRE exam questions come from this document alone.

General Notes

• The API SIRE exam is 3.25 hours long.

• There are 110 questions, of which only 100 are scored. The remaining 10 are pretest, which are not scored.

• All questions are multiple-choice and closed-book. Paper and reference materials are not allowed into the examinations.

• This exam can be scheduled either at in-person test centers or through remote proctoring.

• The initial exam fee is US $500. Recertification every 3 years for $375. Rescheduling/ re-examination / late application cost $200.

• The 3 exam windows for 2026 are: March 13 – April 3, 2026; July 10 – July 31, 2026 and November 6 – 27, 2026.

• You should register for the exam, pay the fees and get API approval to attend the exam (API Authorization email) at least 9 weeks before the exam window (Application Deadline).

• Reserve an examination slot with Prometric as soon as you receive the API email authorization to attend the exam. Prometric works on first come first serve policy so Authorization by API does not necessarily mean you can attend your preferred time slot or test center.

• The API Source Inspector programs qualify individuals who perform the important task of quality surveillance of materials, equipment and fabrications at the supplier/vendor level in the oil, petrochemical and gas industries.

• Inspectors act on behalf of purchasers to:
  • Examine fabricated and manufactured equipment and materials at a supplier’s facility
  • Confirm that the supplier’s quality management system is being utilized effectively