API Exams

The Reality of Industrial Inspection

In refining and petrochemical environments, equipment failure is a physical and financial catastrophe. The American Petroleum Institute (API) issues certifications that validate an inspector or engineer's ability to monitor, assess, and manage the physical degradation of industrial infrastructure. Plant managers and engineering firms rely on these credentials to staff their mechanical integrity programs.

API candidates cannot rely on theoretical knowledge alone. To qualify for most API exams, professionals need a documented combination of formal education and direct industry experience. A candidate with a high school diploma needs three years of petrochemical experience, while someone with a two-year technical degree needs only one year. Once earned, the certifications remain valid for a three-year term.

Core Exams: API-571 and API-580

The API-571 (Corrosion and Materials) exam tests your knowledge of metallurgical degradation. It focuses on more than 60 specific damage mechanisms found in heavy industrial environments. Candidates must understand the precise conditions that cause high-temperature oxidation, corrosion fatigue, microbial activity, and hydrogen attack.

The exam runs 3.25 hours and contains 110 multiple-choice questions, with 100 of those counting toward your final scaled score. It is a closed-book test. You must rely entirely on your understanding of the API RP 571 recommended practice without access to external reference materials.

The API-580 (Risk Based Inspection) evaluates your ability to balance equipment risk with inspection frequency. Instead of inspecting every piece of equipment on a rigid calendar schedule, risk-based inspection prioritizes assets based on their probability and consequence of failure.

Candidates face a 3.25-hour, closed-book exam consisting of 90 multiple-choice questions, where 80 are scored. The questions derive directly from the API RP 580 document, covering data collection, risk management, and failure modes. Plant operators value this certification because a properly implemented risk-based inspection program reduces unnecessary downtime while maintaining facility safety standards.

Career Value in Petrochemicals

API certifications act as a hard filter for employment in high-risk facilities. They provide proof that an individual understands the specific, documented standards the industry uses to prevent catastrophic failures.

When a refinery updates its mechanical integrity program, the engineers signing off on the damage mechanism assessments often hold the API-571 credential. Similarly, professionals managing the inspection intervals and regulatory compliance hold the API-580.

If you fail to submit a recertification application by the end of API's 90-day grace period, your credential expires. You must then submit a new application, pay the full fees again, and pass the entire 3.25-hour examination from scratch to regain your active status.