API Fall Equipment and Standards
Meeting
Renaissance Hotel, San Francisco
11-01-06
Subcommittee on Inspection
ASNT Liaison Report
by
Gary Heath
API SOI ASNT Liaison Report
• Methods
– Ultrasonic
• The UT Handbook is in review and is scheduled
for publication 2nd quarter ’07
– Magnetic Flux Leakage Committee
• Developing Question and Answer booklets for
Level I, II and III
• Chemical and Petroleum Committee
– Working on the handbook and publication in
‘08
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
• A major owner user company survey of
ultrasonic thickness examiners taking a
performance based examination
resulted in a 70% failure rate.
API SOI ASNT Liaison Report
• Standards and Publications
– ASNT
• SNT-TC-1A
– ANSI / ASNT
• CP-189
• CP-105
– 2006 editions release 1st Quarter ‘07
API SOI ASNT Liaison Report
• NDT Reliability Committee
– Mil Hbk 1823 “NDT Reliability Evaluation
System Reliability Assessment” rewrite
– POD BOK Draft
• Certifications
– A new ASNT Level II program was approved and
will model the ASNT III program
– Initiative Ultrasonic Thickness Testing Examiner
program with industry specific requirements.
Rationale:
To address the high percentage of
employer certified thickness testing
examiners that cannot
detect, define and document
corrosion / erosion and laminar
discontinuities typically found in
petro-chemical applications.
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ULTRASONIC THICKNESS
TESTING TECHNIQUE
LONGITUDINAL BEAM • Instrumentation
• Primary Use – Ultrasonic thickness gauge with an A-Scan
– Measure the remaining thickness presentation
– Used to detect corrosion, erosion and laminar – Ultrasonic flaw detectors
discontinuities • Search units
• Used in refining, petrochemical, chemical – 5 MHz, .375” diameter
manufacturing, marine, oil and gas exploration and
production, power generation, and other industries – dual element transducers
• “In-service” - equipment placed into operation and – operating in the pitch catch mode.
may or may not be operating when the examination
is performed.

PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS CURRENT EXAMINATION

ASNT Documents REQUIREMENTS
– SNT-TC-1A, “Recommended Guidelines
for the Qualification and Certification of ASME / ASTM Document
Nondestructive Personnel” (general – SE-797-95 “Standard practice for
industry recognized document). Measuring Thickness by Manual
– CP-189, “Standard for the Qualification Ultrasonic Pulse-Echo Contact Method”
and Certification of Nondestructive
Personnel” (ANSI standard).
– CP-105 Standard Training Outlines for
Qualification of Nondestructive Testing
Personnel. (Proposed ANSI Standard .)

Proposal 1 – Develop an Industry

Proposal 1- UTT Examiner
Specific Certification Program –
Purpose:
To provide standardized third-party
Ultrasonic Thickness Examiner of
exams designed to determine the
In-Service Piping, Pressure
competence of UTT examiners.
Vessels and Storage Tanks (UTTE)

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 Proposal 1- Ultrasonic Proposal 1
Thickness Testing Examiner
Required Actions:
ASNT Actions To Date:
1. Created Petro-Chemical Sector & 1. Oil & Gas Industry Buy-in
exam development Committee 2. Industry participation in
2. Reviewed existing UT exam content exam content development
for applicability
3. Developing A-scan questions for
UTT straight beam inspections

Proposal 1 Proposal 1

Exams Required (UTT): General Exam:

1. Written General Exam 1. 40 multiple choice questions

2. Written Specific Exam 2. Covers fundamentals, principles
& theory of UT
3. Hands-on Practical Exam
3. Meets SNT-TC-1A & ANSI /
ASNT CP-189 requirements

Proposal 1 Proposal 1
Practical Exam:
Specific Exam:
1. Has test pieces with known
1. 30 multiple choice questions defects representative of actual
2. Covers industry standards API industry discontinuities
or ASTM requirements 2. Requires demonstration of
3. Meets SNT-TC-1A & ANSI / ability to detect, define and
ASNT CP-189 requirements document discontinuities

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 Proposal 1 Proposal 1

Delivery System: Intended outcome:

ASNT will certify an individual
1. The General, Specific & Practical after the following:
UTT exams fit into the ACCP
1. Documented experience
format
2. Successful completion of all
2. All exams can be administered at
all ASNT Authorized Examination three exams
Centers (AECs)

Proposal 1 Proposal 1
Certification: Certification:
The ASNT certificate is proof that The ASNT certificate is proof that
the holder has met all of the per the holder has met all of the
SNT-TC-1A and CP-189. training, experience & examination
Term: requirements per SNT-TC-1A and
Valid for 5 years. CP-189.

Proposal 2
Answering the Certification
Needs of the Oil & Gas Industry
Immediate Need:
Proposal 2 – Develop industry Standardized third-party
written examinations – certification of NDT personnel
to perform MFL examinations
Magnetic Flux Leakage Testing
(MFLT) of Above Ground
on tank bottoms in the Petro-
Storage Tank Bottoms Chemical Industry.

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 Proposal 2
Develop industry specific
magnetic flux leakage (MFL)
written examinations for tank
floor testing.
Proposal 2
ASNT Actions To Date:
1. Created Petro-Chemical Sector &
exam development Committee
2. Reviewed existing MT exam
content for applicability
3. Developing MFL exam questions
4. Developing an ASNT NDT Level II
written-only exam program
Proposal 2
MFL Exams Required:
1. Written Level II General Exam
2. Written Level II Specific Exam
Proposal 2
Purpose:
To provide standardized third-party
written examinations designed to cover
the General and Specific examination
requirements for Magnetic Flux
Leakage Testing (MFLT) as defined by
Recommended Practice No. SNT-TC-
1A and CP-189.
Proposal 2
Required Actions:
1. Oil & Gas Industry Buy-in
2. Industry participation in
defining Sector requirements
3. Industry participation in exam
content development
Proposal 2
General Exam:
1. 40 multiple choice questions
2. Covers fundamentals,
principles & theory MT and
MFL
3. Follows SNT-TC-1A & CP-189
requirements
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 Proposal 2
Specific Exam:
1. 30 multiple choice questions
2. Can be designed to cover API
specified requirements
3. Meets SNT-TC-1A & CP-189
requirements
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Proposal 2
Delivery System:
1. The General & Specific exams
can be given on computer
through the Internet.
2. Both exams can be administered
at AECs or at the employers by
an ASNT certified Monitor.
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Proposal 2
Certification:
The employer may accept the
ASNT Level II certificate as proof
of having passed the General &
Specific exams. Upon completion
of the employer’s Practical exam
and documentation of experience,
the employer may certify the cert
holder to perform NDT.
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Proposal 2
Practical Exams:
ASNT will not administer
Practical exams as part of this
initiative. Practical exam
development and administration
will be the responsibility of the
employer or the Industry Sector.
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Proposal 2
Intended outcome:
Upon successful completion of
both exams, ASNT will issue an
ASNT NDT Level II certificate
attesting that the holder has met
the examination requirements for
Level II for the MFL technique.
Cert validity will be 5 years.
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ASNT’S Role
1. Provide the examination format
2. Assist in development of content
3. Psychometrically validate exams
4. Maintain examination database
5. Administer examinations
6. Grade exams and issue certificates
7. Maintain online certification lists
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 Industry’s Role ACCP Information

1. Provide Task Group members to 1. The ACCP provides Level II

assist with exam development
2. Provide industry requirements for
examination content
3. Provide Industry buy-in to the
completed examinations
certification in MT, PT, RT, UT & VT.
2. Certification by technique is available
and the UTT and MFL techniques can
be added to UT & MT.
3. The ACCP is currently accredited by
ANSI in accordance with ISO 17024.

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ASNT Level II Program

1. This program is modeled on the
ASNT NDT Level III program and
will be submitted to ANSI for ISO
17024 accreditation.
2. The program will offer certification
by individual technique or full test
method depending on the Specific
examinations taken.
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