Piping Inspector Certification

Program (API 570)

Introduction
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Publications Effectivity Sheet For API 570 Exam Administration:
June 1, 2011
570 Examination Samples

Introduction
The American Petroleum Institute (API) initiated the
Piping Inspector Certification Program (PICP) to provide
a continued high level of safety through the use of
inspectors specialized in process piping; to improve
management control of process unit inspection, repair,
alteration and rerating; and to reduce the potential for
inspection delays resulting from regulatory requirements.
This program is based on API Standard 570, Piping
Inspection Code: Inspection, Repair, Alteration, and
Rerating of In-Service Piping Systems; and RP 574,
Inspection of Piping, Tubing, Valves, and Fittings.
The program promotes self-regulation and establishes a
uniform program that assists state and local
governments in process piping regulations.

Minimum Qualification
Requirements
You must be employed by or under
contract to an authorized inspection
agency or owner/user organization as
defined in API 570.
You must satisfy one of the combinations
of education and experience for the
certification you are applying for.

Education

BS (or higher)
in engineering

2-year degree
or certificate
in engineering
or technology

Minimum
Experience
Required

1 year

2 years

High school

diploma or

Supervision or performance of inspection activities of piping

systems as described in API 570.

Design, construction, repair, operation, or inspection of piping

systems, of which 1 year must be in supervision or performance
of inspection activities as described in API 570.

Design, construction, repair, operation, or inspection in-service

piping

3 years

equivalent

None

Skills

systems, of which 1 year must be in supervision or performance

of

inspection activities as described in API 570.

5 or more
years

Design, construction, repair, operation, or inspection in-service

piping systems, of which 1 year must be in supervision or
performance of inspection activities as described in API 570.

The API 570 examination are

derived from the publications
Questions on the API 570 examination are
derived from the publications listed in the
effectivity sheet included in the current
application package.
Please be sure to bring those documents
to the examination with you.

Publications Effectivity Sheet

For API 570 Exam Administration: June 1, 2011

Listed below are the effective editions of the

publications required for the API 570, Piping
Inspector Certification Examination.
1. API Standard 570, 3rd Edition, November
2009.
2. API Recommended Practice 571, Damage
mechanisms Affecting fixed equipment in the
refining industry, 1st Edition, December 2003.(
includes only the portions listed below)

Publications Effectivity Sheet

For API 570 Exam Administration: June 1, 2011

Only the following mechanisms listed in API 571 to

be included.
ATTENTION:

4.2.7 Brittle Fracture

4.2.9 Thermal Fatigue
4.2.14 Erosion/Erosion Corrosion
4.2.16 Mechanical Fatigue
4.2.17 Vibration Induced Fatigue
4.3.1 Galvanic Corrosion
4.3.2 Atmospheric Corrosion
4.3.3 Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)
4.3.5 Boiler Water Condensate Corrosion
4.3.7 Flue Gas Dew Point Corrosion
4.3.8 Microbiologically Induced Corrosion (MIC)
4.3.9 Soil Corrosion
4.4.2 Sulfidation
4.5.1 Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (ClSCC)
4.5.3 Caustic Stress corrosion Cracking (Caustic Embrittlement)
5.1.3.1 High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTTA)

Publications Effectivity Sheet

For API 570 Exam Administration: June 1, 2011
3. API Recommended Practice 574, Inspection
Practices for Piping System Components, 3rd
Edition, November 2009.
4. API Recommended Practice 577 Welding
Inspection and Metallurgy, 1st edition, October
2004.
5. API Recommended Practice 578, Material
Verification Program for New and Existing Alloy
Piping Systems,2nd Edition, March 2010.
6. American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME), Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, 2007
Edition with 2008

Publications Effectivity Sheet

For API 570 Exam Administration: June 1, 2011
7. ASME Section V, Nondestructive
Examination, Articles 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, and
23(Section SE797 only).
8. Section IX, Welding and Brazing
Qualifications, Welding only (ASME)
9. American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME)
i. B16.5, Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings,
2003 Edition
ii. B31.3, Process Piping, 2008 Edition
Package includes only the above items
necessary for the exam.

Non-Destructive Examination - Applying

ASME Code Requirements (Section V)
This course provides an overall understanding of the
basic principles and applications of the major nondestructive examination (NDE) methods as they relate to
ASME Code Sections V, VIII, and XI.
You Will Learn
The use of basic NDE equipment and material
Principles, procedures, evaluation, reporting and
ASME Code requirements of NDE procedures
Testing techniques including: visual testing,
penetrant testing, magnetic particle testing,
radiographic testing, ultrasonic testing, eddy current
testing

SECTION V NONDESTRUCTIVE
EXAMINATION

Alternative Rules for Ultrasonic Examination of Cladding and

Base Metal Clad Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2309
Evaluation of Nonrelevant and Geometric Reflectors . . . . . . . . . 2275
Radiography Using Phosphor Imaging Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2476
Use of
Manual Phased Array E-Scan Ultrasonic Examination Per
Article 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2558
Manual Phased Array S-Scan Ultrasonic Examination Per
Article 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2557
Manual Phased Array Ultrasonic Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . 2541
Metric Units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2523
Metric Units Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code . . . . . . . . . . . . N-7441
SA-278 Material for Part HLW Construction of Lined
Headers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2329
Wire IQIs Manufactured in Accordance With Earlier
Editions of SE-747 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2241

SECTION IX
WELDING QUALIFICATIONS

Electrodes and Fluxes for Submerged Arc Welding SFA-5.17

and SFA-5.23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2141
F-Number Grouping for
Cr-Fe-Ni-Mo-Cu, Classification UNS R20033 Filler Metal . . 2473
Ni-Cr-Fe, Classification UNS N06052, Filler Metal . . . . . . . . 2142
Ni-Cr-Fe, Classification UNS W86152 Welding
Electrode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2143
Ni-Mo Classification UNS N10629 Filler Metal . . . . . . . . . . . 2340
Ni-Mo Classification UNS W80629 Welding Electrode . . . . . 2341
Ni-23Cr-16Mo-1.6Cu Classification UNS N06200 Filler
Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2337
Ni-23Cr-16Mo-1.6Cu Classification UNS W86200 Filler

SECTION IX
WELDING QUALIFICATIONS

Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2338
9Cr-1Mo-V FCAW Consumable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2297
Titanium-Ruthenium Alloy (Ti 0.1 Ru) Classification UNS
R52255 Filler Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2336
Titanium-Ruthenium Alloy (Ti-3Al-2.5V-0.1Ru)
Classification UNS R56324 Filler Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2467
Parallel Plate Explosion Welding for Butt Joints Between
Dissimilar Metals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2493
Ultrasonic Examination in Lieu of Radiographic Examination
for Welder Qualification Test Coupons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2326
Use of
Metric Units. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2523
Metric Units Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code . . . . . . . . . . . . N7441

Examination Information
1. API examination consists of 150 multiple-choice
questions with an open and closed book sections.
The examination is administered by participating
members of the National Board of Boiler and
Pressure Vessel Inspectors and by the Professional
Examination Service (PES). Total length of
examination is 8 hours. Individual jurisdictions may
charge a sitting fee to take the examination in their
jurisdiction. Please contact the jurisdiction you
select for an exact amount. There is no additional
sitting fee at the locations where examination is
administered by PES.
2. If you pass the examination, and all sections of your
application are complete, you will be certified and
receive a wallet card and a certificate approximately
3 months after the examination date.

Examination Information
3. API grants each applicant three consecutive attempts during
the 18-month period to sit and pass the test, starting with the
first exam administration the applicant registers for. If you fail
the examination on your first attempt, you may retake it twice. If
you fail to appear for the test, it will still count as an official
attempt.
4. If you do not pass the examination on the first attempt, you
need to submit a $50.00 rescheduling fee. If you do not pass it
on the second attempt, you must also submit an updated
Employment Reference form. If the candidate is unsuccessful
on the third attempt, a new application must be submitted with
a new application fee.
5. Examination results will be mailed to you approximately 8
weeks after you have taken the exam. DO NOT call API, PES, or
your jurisdiction for examination results; these results WILL
NOT be given over the telephone.

Examination Information
What to Bring to the Examination
No. 2 pencils;
A non-programmable calculator (a calculator with only
simple functions);
The applicable API and ASME reference publications.
Please note: highlighting, underlining, page tabs, and
notes written in margins of the code books are
acceptable. However, loose pages inserted in the code
books are not acceptable.
Note: API and ASME publications are copyrighted
material. Photocopies of publications are not permitted at
the exam;
Your examination site confirmation letter;
A picture ID (i.e. drivers license).

570 Examination Samples

Which of the following are least likely to
experience corrosion under insulation
(CUI)?
a. Areas subject to process spills, moisture,
and/or acid vapors
b. Areas exposed to mist from cooling towers
c. Piping systems that operate above 250 F
d. Areas exposed to steam vents

570 Examination Samples

Incorrect substitution of carbon steel

is most likely to be found in:
a. Chrome steels.
b. Stainless steels.
c. Any ferritic steel.
d. Any non-ferrous.

570 Examination Samples

How does Portable Optical Emission Spectrometry

determine the elements in a material?
a. An electric arc causes a spectrum of light to
be emitted from the tested material. The light is
analyzed.
b. X-rays striking the material cause a spectrum of
x-rays to be emitted from the tested material. The xrays are analyzed.
c. Specific chemicals deposited on the tested
material cause a spectrum of colors to be emitted.
The colors are analyzed.
d. The surface is polished and etched. A replication
is preformed and is analyzed with a microscope

570 Examination Samples

An alloy weld overlay is applied to carbon

steel base metal. Who has the
responsibility to establish the minimum
alloy requirements of the as-deposited weld
metal?
a. Authorized inspector
b. Owner/User
c. Repair organization
d. Engineering organization

570 Examination Samples

Marking pens should not contain:
a. Carbon.
b. Chrome.
c. Oxides.

d. Sulfur.

570 Examination Samples

An alloy material is any metallic material

that contains alloying elements that are
added:
a. Only to improve mechanical properties.
b. Only to improve corrosion resistance.
c. To improve either mechanical properties
or improve corrosion resistance

570 Examination Samples

A documented material verification

program should be established by the:
a. Authorized inspector.
b. Owner/User.
c. Repair organization.
d. Engineering organization.

570 Examination Samples

Which of the following are least likely to
experience corrosion under insulation (CUI)?
a. Areas subject to process spills, moisture,
and/or acid vapors
b. Areas exposed to mist from cooling towers
c. Piping systems that operate above 250 F
d. Areas exposed to steam vents

570 Examination Samples

a.
b.
c.
d.

Which of the following descriptions best

identifies the cracks expected in
corrosion observed during a visual
inspection for a chlorine leak that has
been dripping on an austenitic pipe?
Following the grain boundaries
Transgranular and branching
Bright and faceted
A pattern of carbon stringers

570 Examination Samples

The preferred method for inspecting piping
injection points involves:
a. Visual inspection and ultrasonics.
b. Ultrasonic and/or acoustic emission
testing.
c. Eddy current and/or radiography.
d. Radiography and/or ultasonic

570 Examination Samples

Inspection records contain the following information for

a particular thickness measurement location (TML) in a
return bend:
Thickness Year
0.500
0
0.425
5
0.400
10
On the basis of the information above, the long-term
corrosion rate for the location is:
a.
b.
c.
d.

1 mils per year.

5 mils per year.
10 mils per year.
100 mils per year.

570 Examination Samples

a.
b.
c.
d.

A greater loss in metal thickness will

usually be observed near a restriction or
change in direction in a pipe line. What
usually causes this?
The effects of turbulence or velocity.
The effects of stagnation or fretting.
The effects of corrosion or declination.
The effects of oxidation or waning.

570 Examination Samples

Stainless steel such as type 304 18 Chr.8 Ni in the presence of temperature

above 100 degrees F. may crack
because of the presence of:
a.
b.
c.
d.

nitrates
sulphides
chlorides
dissolved oxygen

570 Examination Samples

Bodies of valves that operate in severe

cyclic temperature service should be
checked internally for:
a.
b.
c.
d.

erosion
fouling
cracks
pitting