Join this session to hear the latest on API's 5th edition of Recommended Practice (RP) 751, Safe Operation of Hydrofluoric Acid Alkylation Unit. In this session, we're discussing maintenance from the operator perspective, integrity management and other safety programs for hydrofluoric (HF) acid alkylation units.
In this session we will show the results of a failure in a Mechanical Integrity Program. This track will also discuss event investigation results, along with, lessons learned and path forward, in hopes to enlighten all in the industry.
Facilitator: Dean Roberts, Ergon-West Virginia Refining Inc.
If you were asked to name the safest U.S. manufacturing industries, would petrochemical manufacturing and fuel refining be your top two choices? If so, you’d be right.
Reliability and Maintenance Bootcamp, Mechanical Integrity
This technical session is designed to give engineers and maintenance professionals a practical understanding of how API-579 Level 3 Fitness-for-Service (FFS) assessments—powered by Finite Element Analysis (FEA)—can solve complex reliability challenges in the oil and gas industry.
We will introduce advanced methods for evaluating equipment with damage mechanisms like corrosion, cracking, and dents. You’ll learn when Level 3 assessments are needed, how FEA is applied, and why these techniques offer better accuracy, safer outcomes, and longer equipment life.
Highlights include:
API-579 FFS framework and when to escalate to Level 3
Benefits of FEA: realistic modeling of stress, temperature, and pressure
Real-world case studies: pressure vessel corrosion, weld cracking, and pipe dents
Key takeaways for maintenance planning and repair decisions
Tailored for a broad operator-based audience, this session uses real examples—not just theory—to demonstrate how advanced analysis can enhance reliability, reduce costs, and support critical decisions.
