Study SheetsBased on API 653 Exam Information

The following is a collection of questions remembered by various students who took the API 653Exam in the past.

This study sheet is designed to help a student prepare for the API 653 Exam. Read eachquestion carefully and select the best answer by circling your choice. After selection of youranswer, write in the section number and publication in which your answer was found. Look up eachquestion in the reference publications listed below; remember, this exercise is to help you to learnto use the reference material. Generally, the assignment is broken into several sections. Eachsection should take approximately one hour to complete. Answers will be discussed at thebeginning of class the following morning.

The answers will be found in the following reference publications:

API 650, Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage, Tenth Edition, November, 1998, includingAddendum 1 (January, 2000), Addendum 2 (November, 2001), and Addendum 3(September, 2003).

API RP 651, Cathodic Protection of Aboveground Petroleum Storage Tanks, SecondEdition, December, 1997

API RP 652, Lining of Above Ground Petroleum Storage Tank Bottoms, SecondEdition, December, 1997

API 653, Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration and Reconstruction, Third Edition,December, 2001, including Addendum 1 (September, 2003).

API 2015, Safe Entry and Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks, Sixth Edition, August, 2001.API 2207, Preparing Tank Bottoms for Hot Work, Fifth Edition, September, 1998API RP 575, Inspection of Atmospheric and Low-Pressure Storage Tanks, First Edition,

November, 1995

ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, 2001 Edition, with 2002 and 2003 AddendaSection V, Nondestructive Examination, Articles 1, 2, 6, 7 and 23 (Section SE-797only)Section IX, Welding and Brazing Qualifications

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51. The letter “B” is placed on radiographic film holder for what reason?

a. To determine if back scatter radiation is exposing the film.b. To show the distance from the source of radiation to the weld.c. To function as a location marker for the radiograph.d. To designate whether the penetrameter is on the film side or the back side.

Section: Reference Publication:

52. A tanks bottom course has corroded in a general uniform manner (including thewelds). The tank’s diameter is 137’ and its height is 40’ (5-eight foot courses). The liquidstored in the tank is hydrocarbon with a specific gravity of 0.82 and it is not corrosive. Thetank was constructed from ASTM A-283, Grade C (A 283M, Grade C) carbon steel.Determine the minimum thickness of the bottom course for full height operation. Round tothe nearest hundredth. (This tank was built to API 650, Eighth edition).

a. 0.805”b. 0.691”c. 0.200”d. 0.483”

Section: Reference Publication:

53. When preparing to enter a storage tank for inspection, the most important thing to dois .

a. obtain a written entry permitb. to have all equipment needed for inspection ready and availablec. to be wearing protective clothingd. to check all platforms and ladders for serviceability

Section: Reference Publication:

54. A tank course made from 3/4” plate is welded with low hydrogen electrodes. Thewelder undercuts a horizontal butt weld to a depth of 0.02” and he reinforces the weld with a0.20” reinforcement.

a. The weld is acceptableb. The weld is unacceptable because of the excess undercutc. The weld is unacceptable because of the excess reinforcementd. The weld is unacceptable because of the excess reinforcement and excess

undercut

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55. What is the inspection frequency for flame arrestors?

a. 2 yearsb. 5 yearsc. 10 yearsd. Annually

Section: Reference Publication:

56. How many tensile tests are required to qualify a 1/4” plate groove weld?

a. 2b. 3c. 4d. 6

Section: Reference Publication:

57. The minimum bottom plate thickness for a tank with an applied reinforced lininggreater than 0.05” thick, applied in accordance with API RP 652, is inch.

a. 0.10b. 0.05c 0.125d. 0.0625

Section: Reference Publication:

58. The oxygen content for non-permit required confined space must be __________.

a. 0 - 10%b. 10% - 15%c. 19.5% - 23.5%d. 25.2% - 32.7%

Section: Reference Publication:

59. The acceptance criteria for a radiograph of a tank repair weld is found in .

a. Section V of the ASME Codeb. Section IX of the ASME Codec. Section VIII of the ASME Coded. ASNT SNT-TC-1A

Section: Reference Publication:

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60. All leaks in pontoons or compartments of double deck floating roofs shall be repairedby .

a. caulking the leaking joints and/or using soft patch materialb. rewelding the leaking joints and/or the use of patch platesc. cutting out the leaking area and flush patchingd. weld overlay any cracks and/or use soft patch material

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61. For what diameter tank is the variable point method for calculating shell thicknessmandatory?

a. Tanks with a diameter of 200 feet and greaterb. Tanks with a diameter greater than 300 feetc. Tanks with a diameter greater than 200 feetd. Tanks with a diameter of 300 feet and greater

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62. What is the minimum lifting power of an AC electromagnetic yoke used in magneticparticle inspection?

a. 40 pounds lifting power at the maximum pole spacingb. 10 pounds lifting power at the maximum pole spacingc. 10 amps lifting power at the maximum pole spacingd. 30 pounds lifting power at the minimum pole spacing

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63. What is the allowable edge settlement of a 100’ diameter tank that has an area ofsettlement that starts to slope 36” from the shelland the bottom lap weld is approximatelyparallel to the shell?

a. 13.32”b. 3.75”c 18.5”d. 2.22”

Section: Reference Publication:

64. A tank was constructed from welded ASTM A-516, Grade 60 (A 516M, Grade 415) steel.The third course must be evaluated for continued service. What is the allowable stress thatmust be used in the calculations?

a. 21,300 psib. 25,560 psic. 28,200 psid. 28,320 psi

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65. A 125’ diameter X 40’ high storage tank has questionable thickness annular plates.The first shell course thickness is .61”. The thickness of the corrosion allowance for the tank is0.125”. The product specific gravity is less than 1. What is the minimum thickness for theannular plate?

a. 0.17”b. 0.20”c. 0.325”d. 0.295”

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66. The principal advantage of thin-film linings are .

a. better protection of older storage tank bottoms and ease of applicationb. less susceptible to mechanical damage and easier to repairc. lower cost and not as sensitive to pittingd. lower cost and ease of application compared to thick-film coating

systems

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67. In no case shall the internal inspection interval of an aboveground storage tankexceed _____ years, if an RBI program is not in place.

a. 5b. 10c. 20d. 25

Section: Reference Publication:

68. Welders are qualified to what standard or code?

a. Section VIII of the ASME Codeb. Section V of the ASME Codec. Section I of the ASME Coded. Section IX of the ASME Code

Section: Reference Publication:

69. What is the maximum acceptable undercut of a nozzle to shell weld?

a. 1/64”b. 1/32”c. 1/16”d. 1/8”

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70. The nameplate for a reconstructed tank shall be attached to the tank shell adjacent to .

a. the existing nameplateb. a manway in bottom tank coursec. the stairway or ladder to the tank roofd. the door sheet

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71. When a welder has not welded with a process during a period of _____, hisqualifications for that process shall expire.

a. 3 months or moreb. 6 months or morec. 9 months or mored. 12 months or more

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72. What allowable stress is used in evaluating a riveted joint when using joint efficienciesgiven in Table 4-3 of API 653?

a. 16,000 psib. 18,000 psic. 19,000 psid. 21,000 psi

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73. Radiographs of repaired work and records of radiographs of repaired work shall bemarked with .

a. a grease pencilb. the mark of the welder who made the repairc. the letter “R”d. the initial of the inspector

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74. The transmitted film density through the radiographic image of the body of theappropriate hole penetrameter and the area of interest shall be _____ minimum forradiographs made with a gamma ray source.

a. 1.8b. 2.0c. 2.2d. 2.6

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75. A tank has a corroded area on its second course. It is elliptical in shape with the majoraxis parallel to the horizontal weld seam. The major axis dimension is 35” and the verticalminor axis is 21”. The tank diameter is 127’ and its height is 40’ (5-eight foot courses). Theminimum thickness measured in the corroded area is 0.52. The general thickness of thesecond course (away from the corroded area) is 0.75”. What is the maximum critical lengththat can be used in determining the averaging out of the hoop stresses around the corrodedarea. Round to the nearest 0.1”.

a. 40”b. 36.1”c. 30.1”d. 28.1”

Section: Reference Publication:

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