API SIRE study guide
API SIRE · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The API Source Inspector (SIRE) credential is an individual personnel certification offered within the American Petroleum Institute's Individual Certification Programs (ICP), a family of certifications administered through API's Global Industry Services group - the part of API that, in its own words, "drives safety and efficiency within the oil and gas industry through standards, certifications, assessments, training and more." Source inspection work centers on representing a purchaser at a supplier's manufacturing site: reviewing the purchase order and inspection plan, surveilling fabrication and testing, witnessing examinations and hold points, and confirming that documentation supports acceptance before material is released. The exam content is organized into four practice areas - inspection planning and preparation; manufacturing process surveillance; testing, examination, and acceptance; and documentation, reporting, and quality systems - each shown at 25 percent in this study outline. The API SIRE study guide has 4 sections and about 1,247 words.
01Inspection Planning and Preparation
Before you travel to a supplier's plant, build the inspection plan from the purchase order, the referenced product specification (an API product standard, or API Q1 for the quality program), the drawings, and any buyer supplemental requirements. The supplier's inspection and test plan (ITP) is the working map: it lists operations, characteristics, acceptance criteria, and inspection points.
326 words, about 2 min02Manufacturing Process Surveillance
Surveillance is continuous verification that the supplier is doing what its own procedures and your PO require. Build the picture from incoming material records, first-piece or first-article inspection, in-process dimensional checks, welding controls (WPS/PQR, welder qualification and stamps, preheat and interpass limits), heat-treatment charts and furnace surveys, NDE personnel qualifications, PMI, coating controls, and the calibration status of every instrument in use.
297 words, about 1 min03Testing, Examination, and Acceptance
Examination and testing answer different questions: examination (visual, dimensional, NDE) looks for discontinuities; testing (hydrostatic, pneumatic, functional, hardness, impact) demonstrates performance. Know which standard's acceptance criteria govern and which standard the PO invokes; when they conflict, the more stringent normally governs unless a documented deviation is approved.
301 words, about 2 min04Documentation, Reporting, and Quality Systems
Compile and review documentation as the work proceeds, not at the end. The report set normally includes inspection reports, the signed ITP, material certificates and traceability, welding and NDE records, heat-treatment and test records, calibration certificates, nonconformance reports with dispositions, and the final data book or manufacturing record book.
323 words, about 2 min