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

API SIFE is about Quality Surveillance of Fixed equipment.

Fixed equipment covers a large number of equipment such as pressure vessels, piping columns, towers, heat exchangers, storage tanks, valves, etc.

As Inspector, you are part of the package team to ensure that the fixed 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 fixed equipment (pressure vessels, boilers, heat exchangers, storage tanks, towers, reactors, and piping systems) manufacturer.

• Distinction: Unlike rotating equipment (pumps, compressors), fixed equipment does not have moving parts during operation.

Quality surveillance is a combination of quality assurance, quality control and inspection. So, you should know about Quality plan (QP), Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) which is covered under:

•API Recommended Practice 588, Recommended Practice for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Fixed Equipment

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:

Note: Focus on this as 50% of exam questions come from API 588 alone. 

PMI:

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

Of course; you should know about the material (Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, Duplex, Super Duplex), NDT (personnel and Procedure and welding (WPS, PQR, WPQR) and pressure testing of pressurized vessels and piping and hence:

Material:

• ASME Section II, Materials

NDT Personnel Qualifications & NDT Procedural Requirement:

ASNT SNT TC‐1A Personal Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing Personnel

• ASME Section V, Nondestructive Examination

Welding (WPS, PQR, WPQ)

• AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code- Steel

• ASME Section IX, Welding and Brazing Qualifications

• API Recommended Practice 577, Welding Inspection and Metallurgy

Pressurized Containers (Pressure Vessel) Inspection and Testing & Acceptance Criteria:

•ASME Section VIII, Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels

• API Recommended Practice 572, Inspection of Pressure Vessels

Piping and Flanges:

• ASME B31.3, Process Piping,

• ASME B16.5 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings,

You know about coating because once the fixed equipment is built and tested, it is coated against corrosion protection and hence:

Coating & Painting Inspection:

 • SSPC – PA 2 Procedure for Determining Conformance to Dry Coating Thickness Requirements,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

General Notes

• The API SIFE 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.

• IThe Source Inspector has been defined as the individual responsible for:
  • Examining fabricated and manufactured equipment and materials at a supplier’s facility
  • Confirming that the supplier’s quality management system is being utilized effectively