1. A piping system has a design pressure/temp of 500 psig at 900°F.

What is the
minimum acceptable flange class if the flange material is ASTM A-182 Gr. F22?
A) Class 300 B) Class 400
C) Class 600 D) Class 900

Ans: B … 2009 ASME B16.5 Table 1A Mat’l Grp 1.10 on pg 4 Table 2-1.9 (pg 118)
Use psi tables (not bar)  Class 300 = Only good for 450  Class 400 = OK to 600

2. Which of these MAWP values is correct for a piping system designed at 380
psig at 700°F, having A53 Gr. B seamless pipe, latest UT = 0.28 inches, observed
corrosion rate = 0.005 inches per year, and the next inspection is in 4 years?

API left out diameter on this test question … Assume an 18 NPS piping system

A) 337 psig B) 380 psig

Answer: D … 570, Table 4 MAWP Calc = MAWP = 2SEt ÷ D … Note D = not given!
S = 16.7 KSI (B31.3 A-1 Tables), E = 1.0 Seamless Pipe (A-1B Tables), D = 18.0
Step # 1: Solve t … .280 in. minus twice ECL (ECL = .020) = .280 - .040 = .240 in.
Step # 2 … Math … 2 x 16,700 x .240 ÷ 18 = 33,400 x .240 ÷ 18 = 8,016 ÷ 18 = 445.33

3. Which of these MAWP values is correct for a piping system NPS 10, ASTM
A106 Gr. B Seamless pipe, designed at 300°F, latest UT = 0.30 inches, observed
corrosion rate = 0.020 inches per year, and the next inspection is to be in 5 years?

A) 372 psig B) 744 psig

Answer: A … API 570, Table 4 = MAWP = 2SEt ÷ D, S = 20 KSI (B31.3 A-1 Tables),
E = 1.0 Seamless Pipe (A-1B Tables), D = 10.750 … Step # 1 … Solve t … .300 in.
minus twice the Estimated Corrosion Loss (ECL = .100) = .300 - .200 = .100 inches
Formula: 2 x 20,000 x .100 ÷ 10.75 = 40,000 x .100 ÷ 10.75 = 4,000 ÷ 10.75 = 372 psi

4. To verify continuous corrosion control of poorly coated pipe (CP protection

A) Every 12 months B) Every 2 years

Answer: D … API 570, Para. 9.3.2 … 5 year rule (Close-interval Potential surveys)

5. Threaded carbon steel piping in an NPS 1.5 piping system is being replaced.
What is the minimum pipe schedule to be used?

A) Schedule 20 B) Schedule 40
C) Schedule 80 D) Schedule 160

Answer: C … ASME B31.3, Table 314.2.1  Normal Fluid Service CS (Note 3*)
6. A piping system made of mixed grades of piping, including A-53 CS with
silicon killed elbows and fittings, has recently been rerated from 400°F (204°C) to
500°F (260°C). The process fluid contains 0.52% weight sulfur. Inspector should:
A) Continue monitoring the system using existing CMLS if they have never shown more
than .002 inch (.05 mm) per year corrosion rates
B) Not be concerned with the 100°F (55°C) change
C) Increase the number of CMLs on the system
D) Relocate the CMLs to the fittings
Ans: C … API 570 5.6.3 (More CMLs Note c) & 574, Par. 7.4.6.2.j /special note
Localized specific corrosion 450°F API 571, Para. 4.4.2.3.c (McConomy Curves
/Crit. Factors Sulfidation) Note: best is to increase the number of CMLs & focus
on non-silicon-killed (low silicon) piping because the silicon-killed fittings will last
longer than the non-silicone killed pipe!

7. What is the minimum required thickness (including corrosion allowance) for an

Ans: D … API 574, Par. 11.1.2/3/4  Barlow calc = t = PD ÷ 2SE  Add CA last

S =14.2 KSI (B31.3 A-1 Table), E = 0.85 ERW Pipe (A-1B Table), D = 4.500 (API 574)
Solve t = 525 x 4.5 ÷ 2 (14,200) (0.85) = 2362.5 ÷ 28,400 (0.85) or 24,140 = 0.098 in.
Solution must include corrosion allowance as requested 0.098 + 0.062 = 0.160 in

8. A buried piping system for 100 psig service is hydrostatically tested at 125 psig
for 8 hours. After 4 hours, the pressure dropped 5 psig, and the system was
repressurized back to 125 psig. During the remaining 4 hours, the pressure drop
was noted again to be by 5 psig. According to API 570, the inspector should:
A) Accept the test as successful
B) Visually inspect the piping and find the leak
C) Repeat the test and conduct further inspection
D) Excavate the piping and conduct an external visual inspection

Answer: A … API 570, Par. 9.3.7  IF MORE THAN 5% DROP, D is then correct

9. A piping system is designed for 300 psig at 700°F. The allowable stress value at
test temperature is 20 ksi. The allowable stress at design temperature is 15 ksi.
Which of the following pressures is to be used in a pneumatic test?

A) 440 psig B) 450 psig C) 562 psig D) 330 psig

Answer: D … API 570, Para. 5.8.2  B31.3, Sect. 345.5.4  300 x 1.1 = 330 psig
API devils are trying to bite your ass and get you to use temp correction formula
in 345.4.2.b  This is used with a factor of 1.5  ONLY FOR HYDROTESTS … 
10. The most extensively used NDE method for welds is:
A) Penetrant Testing B) Visual testing
C) Radiographic testing D) Magnetic Particle Testing

Answer: B … API 577, Par. 9.3.1, 1st Sentence … easy … All welds must have VT

11. When cracking is suspected and an internal visual inspection reveals no

Answer: C … API 574, Par. 10.3.2.2 … RT is unreliable for environmental cracking

12. An inspection reveals that a repaired NPS 4 seamless pipe, A-53 Gr. B, has a
thickness of 0.180 inches. If the service is 1000 psig at 500°F, what is the actual
remaining corrosion allowance considering only internal pressure?
A) 0.043 inches B) 0.064 inches C) 0.070 inches D) 0.116 inches

Answer: B … Barlow calc, ASME B31.3 Table A-1 (S=19 ksi), Table A-1B (E = 1.0),
PD = 1,000 x 4.500 = 4,500 ÷ 38,000 (2SE=2x19000x1)=.118 … .180 - .118 = 0.062 in.

13. For piping systems where service conditions have been changed, if data for
the same or similar service is not available, a corrosion rate is estimated from the
experience of the owner/operator or from:
A) Published data on piping systems in comparable service
B) The highest known corrosion rate in the unit
C) A default corrosion rate of 10 mils per year
D) Worst case industry data

Answer: A … API 570, Para. 7.1.2.b …

14. An NPS 12 carbon steel standard pipe in Class 2 service, designed to operate
at 450 psig and 500°F (260°C) with an allowable stress of 20 ksi, has a thickness
at inspection of 0.280 inches (7.1 mm). What is the maximum interval for the next
thickness measurement inspection (assume no RBI, E=1.0, Corr. rate = 25 MPY)?

A) 2.7 years B) 5 years

Ans: A … 570 Par. 6.3.3  UT Thickness meas interval = Lesser of 10 yrs or ½ RL

t required = PD ÷ 2SE: 450 x 12.75 ÷ 2 (20,000) (1) = 5,738 ÷ 40,000 = 0.143 inches
RL = 0.280 in. (t actual) – 0.143 inches = 0.137 inches ÷ 0.025 (25 MPY) = 5.48 yrs
Use lesser of ½ RL (½ RL = 2.74 yrs) or Table 2 value 10 years (Class 2) = 2.7 yrs
15. Which discontinuity is normally found at the weld toe or root surface?

A) Underfill B) Concavity
C) Overlap D) Incomplete fusion

Answer: C … API 577, Table 2 (Pg 22), Item # 7 … Overlap = WI = weld toe or root