API 653 study plan

Calculate required shell-course thickness for a given tank diameter, height, and joint efficiency using the one-foot method, and state the conditions that require the variable-design-point method instead.

Differentiate the scope boundary between new-construction rules and in-service tank rules, listing at least five activities that belong to each.

Identify the material groupings and impact-testing criteria that determine whether a tank is susceptible to brittle fracture.

Sketch the shell-to-bottom, shell-to-shell, and shell-to-roof weld configurations and label the examination requirements that apply to each.

Calculate minimum acceptable bottom-plate thickness and decide whether a bottom area may be repaired or must be replaced.

Compute maximum allowable fill height for an existing tank from a measured shell-thickness profile and joint efficiency.

Evaluate settlement, out-of-plumb, and out-of-round survey data against acceptance criteria and state the disposition for each.

Sequence a formal external inspection and list the items examined on shell, roof, foundation, appurtenances, and connected piping.

Compare visual, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant, ultrasonic, and radiographic examination by principle, detectable flaw type, and typical application on shell, bottom, and weld seams.

Explain vacuum box testing, when it is used instead of other methods on bottom seams, and how results are interpreted.

Describe hydrostatic testing preparation, hold requirements, and the corrective actions triggered by a leak or settlement during the test.

Construct an internal inspection plan for a tank due for service, specifying examination method, coverage, and locations for each region.

Determine inspection intervals from measured corrosion rate, tank construction type, and service history.

Describe tank entry preparation: isolation, cleaning, gas-freeing, atmospheric testing, and permitting.

Distinguish repair from alteration from reconstruction using concrete field conditions, and state the approval and documentation path for each.

Rank candidate repairs by risk and identify which require engineering review before execution.

Select between insert plate, lap patch, and full-course replacement for a shell defect, and state the thickness and dimensional rules that govern each option.

Describe weld procedure qualification and welder performance qualification requirements that apply to repair welding.

Explain hot-work authorization on an in-service tank, including cleaning, gas testing, and monitoring precautions.

Outline relocation and reconstruction requirements covering foundation preparation, re-rating, and post-move examination.

Explain normal and emergency venting requirements and calculate whether a given vent capacity is adequate for fill, withdrawal, and fire exposure.

List operating practices for water draw-off, product withdrawal, and overfill prevention, and identify the failure mode each practice controls.

Apply brittle-fracture prevention limits during operation, including minimum fill temperature and impact-test status of the shell.

Outline safety controls for hot work, confined-space entry, and simultaneous operations on an in-service tank.

Sequence tank decommissioning and closure: product removal, cleaning, isolation, gas-freeing, and final documentation.

Identify the records that must be created, updated, or retained across a tank's life, and state the retention trigger for each.

Explain how an inspection history file is assembled, what belongs in it, and how it supports re-rating decisions.

Describe relocation requirements for inspection history, re-rating, and post-installation examination.

Audit a mock tank history file for completeness and flag every missing record against the index built in Week 7.

Re-drill the three weakest topics identified from prior practice scores until each is answered correctly on two consecutive attempts.

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions.

Consolidate remaining knowledge gaps into a single prioritized one-page review list.