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.
The CSB will discuss its investigation of the November 19, 2023, fired heater tube rupture at a refinery in Martinez, California. The incident occurred during the initial startup of a renewable diesel hydroprocessing unit, resulting in a fire that seriously injured one employee. Topics will include fired heater safe operating limits, worker proximity to fired heaters, safety instrumented systems that detect low process flow into fired heaters, burner operation, valve misalignments, and corporate oversight.
Participants will: Gain an understanding of both the process-side and combustion-side causes that contributed to the tube rupture; Identify potential deficiencies that may exist at their own units; and Review the CSB’s industry recommendation to API for suggested revisions to API RP 556 (Instrumentation, Control, and Protective Systems for Gas Fired Heaters).
Moderator:
Willis Jernigan, AFPM
Speaker:
Melike Yersiz, U.S. Chemical Safety Board
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.