1. Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment
In the Refining Industry Based on API RP 571
November 13-14, 2007 - Houston, Texas (Stress Engineering Facility)
In order to proactively improve and enhance the safety, reliability and profitability of oil refineries it is necessary to understand the What?,
Why?, Where?, and When? of mechanisms that cause damage to refinery equipment and lead to equipment failures. This seminar is based on
the newly published American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in
the Refining Industry.
The seminar will help you to:
(1) Identify the active damage mechanisms,
(2) Identify the potential modes of failure (e. g: leak, rupture, structural collapse, etc.),
(3) Detect and Characterize the type and extent of damage by selection of appropriate
non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques,
(4) Quantify the rate of damage progression,
(5) Monitor and control the progress of each damage mechanism.
Some of the Damage Mechanisms, which will be covered in this seminar, are:
Stress Rupture Soil Corrosion Carbonate Cracking (SCC)
Graphitization Galvanic Corrosion Caustic Cracking (SCC)
Spheroidization Atmospheric Corrosion Amine Cracking (SCC)
Creep Rupture Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) Ammonia Cracking (SCC)
Brittle Fracture Cooling Water Corrosion Polythionic Acid Cracking (SCC)
Temper Embrittlement CO2 Corrosion Chloride Cracking (SCC)
Strain Aging Amine Corrosion Oxidation
885OF Embrittlement Ammonium Bisulfide Corrosion Sulfidation
Sigma Phase Embrittlement Ammonium Chloride Corrosion H2/H2S Corrosion
Reheat Cracking HCl Corrosion Naphthenic Acid corrosion
Thermal Fatigue Sour Water Corrosion Carburization
Mechanical Fatigue Flue Gas Corrosion Decarburization
Vibration-Induced Fatigue Sulfuric Acid Corrosion Metal Dusting
Erosion Titanium Hydriding Fuel Ash Corrosion
Cavitation Liquid Metal Embrittlement High Temp. Hydrogen Attack
Corrosion Fatigue Hydrogen Embrittlement
Microbiological Corrosion (MIC) Wet H2S (Blistering/HIC/SOHIC/SSC)
Understanding damage mechanisms and the effect of process changes is essential if the impact of the changes on equipment damage is to be
adequately addressed in your management of change (MOC) systems. An understanding of damage mechanisms ensures that process changes
do not cause unexpected effects on the safety and reliability of refinery operations.

2. Who Should Attend?
Plant inspectors, mechanical engineers, process engineers, and operators who are involved in the operation,
maintenance, reliability and mechanical integrity programs for fixed equipment. Although refinery problems are the
main focus of this class, personnel from related industries (such as mid-stream companies, gas plants, and
petrochemical plants) will also benefit from the course content and exercises.
Course Highlights:
• An overview of basic metallurgy applicable to refinery construction materials.
• A description of common refining processes emphasizing where various damage mechanisms are usually
observed.
• An analysis of typical NDE methods and their ability to detect and characterize equipment damage.
• Detailed discussions of the more than 60 refinery damage mechanisms covered by API RP 571.
• Examples of equipment damage and failures, as well as learning exercises for students.
Course Instructor:
Charles Buscemi: Staff Consultant, Stress Engineering Services, Inc.
Mr. Buscemi has twenty years of experience in refinery and petrochemical plant corrosion and metallurgy. His
career has focused on materials selection for refinery and petrochemical plants, failure analysis and analytical
laboratory work, corrosion, and the high-temperature degradation of metals (including creep, temper embrittlement,
and high-temperature hydrogen attack). His other specialties include metallic coatings, and storage tank leak
mitigation.
Mr. Buscemi's career has included work experience with Chevron-Texaco, Exxon-Mobil, Marathon, Conoco-
Phillips, Motiva, Hunt Refining, Murphy Oil, Cytec and Monsanto. He holds a patent on a metallic coating to
inhibit high-temperature corrosion. He has a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering and a M.S. in Metallurgical
Engineering from M.I.T. Mr. Buscemi is a member of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE).
General Course Information
- This 2 day course will start at 8:30 am and end at 4:30pm each day except on the second day, the course
will end at 3:30pm. (the registration fee includes continental breakfast starting at 7:30am, breaks, lunch and
a social the evening of Tuesday the 13th
– dinner and drinks)
- Seminar Location: Stress Engineering Services, Inc. (Address: 13800 Westfair East Dr. Houston, TX
77041) A detailed agenda will be provided prior to the seminar that will include a detailed map to the
facility, a list of the closest hotels and the agenda
- Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis (seating is limited to first 35 registrants)
- See refund and cancellation policy on the registration form. Class substitutions are acceptable.
- Stress Engineering reserves the right to cancel a course if a minimum of 15 attendees is not reached.
- The Course Fee: $1,025.00 which includes a hard copy of API RP 571 or $850.00 without a hard copy of
API RP 571 and the student brings their own copy. See attached registration form.
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers Professional Development Hours (PDH) will be given for
maintaining the Texas P.E. License (between ten and eleven PDH’s)
Seminar Information:
Contact: Registration: Shelley Christian (Assistant Coordinator) Stress Engineering Services, Inc.
shelley.christian@stress.com or fax forms to 281-955-2638
Course Content: Clinton Britt (Course Coordinator) Stress Engineering Services, Inc.
clint.britt@stress.com or 281-955-2900
If the seminar does not have 15 paid attendees by November 2, then Stress Engineering Services, Inc. has the right
to cancel the seminar. The registration fee will refunded.