Area of examination & Reference Documents

In this module, you shall learn about:

Prequalification and area of examination

API SIFE – Reference Study Materials

Our E- Leaning Modules

API SIFE Source Inspector Fixed Equipment Scoring areas

API SIFE Source Inspector Fixed Equipment Reference Study Materials

API SIFE Source Inspector Fixed Equipment E-Learning course

Introduction

The API Source Inspector certification program is one of a kind inspection certificate amongst certification bodies for static equipment ; that is, there is no other similar certification developed by any other organization in the world so far.

API SIFE covers quality surveillance of fixed equipment.

The API 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.

SIFE – Source Inspector Fixed Equipment focuses primarily on pressure containing equipment such as vessels, columns/towers, heat exchangers, piping, valves, pressure relief devices, tubulars, and associated structural fabrications.

Prequalification and area of examination

No prequalification (education, experience) is required.

The API SIFE – Source Inspector Fixed Equipment certification is open to applicants with any experience in the petroleum and petrochemical industries, as well as applicants wishing to gain industry experience.

The exam is 3.25 hours long and there are 110 questions, of which only 100 are scored.

The remaining 10 are pretest, which are not scored.

Scored and non scored questions are shuffled and unmarked, so, you need to answer all questions.

All questions are multiple-choice and closed-book.

Paper and reference materials are not allowed into the examinations.

Although exam scores are scaled in order to standardize the level of difficulty, you are required to answer roughly 70 scored questions correctly.

This is equivalent to a  minimum 400 out of a scale of maximum 500. 

The focus of the exam is on source inspection issues and activities rather than design or engineering knowledge contained in the reference standards.

The bulk of the questions  address  mechanical inspection/surveillance  which  are  typically  known  by  persons  who  have experience  working as source.

You are scored for your performance in the following areas during the examination.

API SIFE – Reference Study Materials

The following standards and recommended practices need to be studied for API SIFE examination: 

API Recommended Practice 588, Recommended Practice for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Fixed Equipment, 1st Edition, 2019

API Recommended Practice 572, Inspection of Pressure Vessels,4th Edition, December 2016, Sections 3 and 4

API Recommended Practice 577, Welding Inspection and Metallurgy, 3rd edition, October 2020

API Recommended Practice 578, Material Verification Program for Alloy Piping Systems, 3rd Edition, February 2018

API Recommended Practice 588, Recommended Practice for Source Inspection and Quality
Surveillance of Fixed Equipment, 1st Edition, 2019

API Standard 598, Valve Inspection and Testing, 10th Edition, October 2016

AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code – Steel, 24th Edition, 2020

American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT); Recommended Practice SNT TC‐1A Personal Qualification and Certification in Nondestructive Testing Personnel, 2011 Edition

ASME Section II Materials, Part A, B, C, D, 2021; Sections SA‐20, SA‐370, SA‐6

ASME Section V Nondestructive Examination, 2021; All definitions in Subsection A, Article 1, Appendix 1 and Subsection B, Article 30, SE‐ 1316.
Articles 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 23 (section 797 only)

ASME Section VIII Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels, Division 1 and 2, 2021; All definitions in Appendix 3; Sections UG 4 – 15; UG 75 – 85; UG 90 – 103; UG 115 ‐ 120; Sections UW 1 – 3; UW 5; UW 26 – 42; UW 46– 54; UW 60; UCS 56 ‐57

ASME Section IX Welding and Brazing Qualifications, Welding only, 2021
QW 100 – 190; QW 200 – 290; QW 300 ‐ 380; QW 400 – 490; QW 500 ‐540

ASME B31.3, Process Piping, 2018 Edition; Chapters I, III, IV, V, VI

ASME B16.5 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings, 2020 Edition; Chapters 1‐8

SSPC – PA 2 Procedure for Determining Conformance to Dry Coating Thickness Requirements,; January 2022

SSPC Surface Preparation Guide, the following sections only:

SSPC‐SP1 Solvent Cleaning, 2015

SSPC‐SP3 Power Tool Cleaning, 2004

SSPC‐SP5 NACE 1 White Metal Blast Cleaning, 2007

SSPC‐SP6 NACE 3 Commercial Blast Cleaning,2007

SSPC‐SP7 NACE 4 Brush-Off Blast Cleaning, 2007

SSPC‐SP10 NACE 2 Near-White Blast Cleaning, 2007

SSPC‐SP11 Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal, 2013

As you can see, API SIFE touches a wide range of subjects that a static equipment inspector shall be familiar with; although not as an expert with an in-depth knowledge.

API Recommended Practice 588, Recommended Practice for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Fixed Equipment provides a very useful guide for Source Inspector Fixed Equipment (SIFE) that covers all the possible activities for inspection management of static or fixed equipment packages.

Please click on the link below to download ‘’Guide for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Fixed Equipment’’ for free.

 Guide for Source Inspection and Quality Surveillance of Fixed Equipment 

This is a very important document and over 40% covering over 40% of questions.