8 entries found for "API 581"
Replacing Internal Visual Inspection with Non-Intrusive Techniques in Refineries: Practical Recommendations
by Michael Hurley, 12/17/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Inspection Mechanical Integrity Risk Risk Based Inspection
While Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) promised to reduce intrusive vessel entries, corporate risk aversion and rigid API standards have hindered progress. This post examines why internal visual inspection (IVI) remains the standard despite its human-factor limitations. We analyze the Probability of Detection (POD) for advanced NII technologies - including PAUT, PEC, and Corrosion Mapping - to propose a roadmap for achieving technical and regulatory equivalency in refinery asset integrity.
Why is Mechanical Integrity So Important to Process Safety Management?
by Michael Hurley, 12/3/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Management
Mechanical Integrity (MI) is the crucial foundation of Process Safety Management (PSM). Major accidents overwhelmingly result from equipment failures like ruptured vessels or corroded piping. This post details eight essential reasons why a robust MI program is vital, including preventing loss of containment , ensuring safeguards function as designed , and meeting mandatory OSHA and EPA compliance.
Leveraging AI to Accelerate Data Collection in Risk-Based Inspection Projects
by Stephen Elmer, 10/27/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Data Analysis Data Collection Data Management Data Migration Data Validation Risk Based Inspection Technology Value
Data collection is an RBI project bottleneck, often taking a very significant percentage of total effort due to manual interpretation of old, varied engineering documents. AOC developed AI-driven tooling to automatically extract, classify, and normalize this data, achieving a very high accuracy and significantly streamlining the process for faster, more reliable RBI implementation.
Proposal for Individual Damage Mechanism Risk Calculation in API 581
by Michael Hurley, 10/22/2025
Tags: API 581 Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Technology
In 2021, I published a proposed change to the API 581 PoF calculation. While I believe API 581 is solid as a recommended practice, I believe that inspection planning can be further optimized and fine-tuned to adapt to organizational needs. Since then, the original article has prompted a variety of comments and questions and so I have rewritten the original article for, hopefully, a little more clarity, and I have consolidated the top questions along with my comments.
API 580 vs API 581: Which RBI Approach Is Right For You?
by John Dickerson, 10/15/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Risk Based Inspection
Deciding between API 580 and API 581 for Risk-Based Inspection? This guide helps you choose the right approach for your site's unique needs. Learn whether the qualitative, experience-based framework of API 580 or the data-driven, semi-quantitative methodology of API 581 is the best fit for your facility.
Risk Strategies for Pressure Retaining Equipment
by Michael Hurley, 7/11/2024
Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Mechanical Integrity Risk Based Inspection
What are equipment/inspection strategies in relation to mechanical integrity (MI) and risk based inspection (RBI)? It is a simple answer, but can be complicated to produce a documented set. API RP 581 has gone as far as the RAGAGEP can go since it is up to the Owner/User to define them as they are responsible for their risk. Knowing strategy/effectiveness tables are likely to be used without modification therefore AOC created a set that can be used as inspection recommendations out of the box.
Proposed API 581 Inspection Plan Optimization Example
by Michael Hurley, 2/4/2021
Tags: API 581 Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Technology
This article deals with a proposal for a risk analysis option that allows for individual damage mechanism risk calculation. This is an example of how it can be applied and how it domonstrates value.
Proposed API 581 Inspection Plan Optimization
by Michael Hurley, 1/27/2021
Tags: API 581 Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Technology
This article deals with a proposal for a risk analysis option that allows for individual damage mechanism risk calculation. This allows for these individual damage mechanism risks to be compared to a risk target that when reached generates an inspection task with its own due date.
Asset Optimization is the authority on asset integrity solutions that align your people, process, and technology with unmatched returns across your enterprise.
Consulting Activities
Contact Us
United States
16000 Barkers Point LaneSuite 105
Houston, TX 77079
Phone: +1 (281) 909-7333
Email: info@aoccorp.com
Europe
CATCH Facility,Redwood Park Estate,
Stallingborough,
Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire,
DN41 8TH, United Kingdom
Phone: 00 44 (0) 1469 552875
Copyright © 2024 Asset Optimization Consultants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.