Update on the Development of a Joint API/ASME Fitness-for-Service Standard for Pressurized Equipment

An overview of the efforts to produce a Joint API/ASME fitness-for-service standard for application to pressurized equipment is presented in this paper. This new standard is based on API 579 Recommended Practice for Fitness-For-Service [1]; however, many modifications to API 579 are being made to address the special needs of other industries such as the fossil electric power industry, and the pulp and paper industry. API 579 was initially released in January of 2000, and since that time has become the de facto international fitness-for-service standard for the refining and petrochemical industry. Insights into the driving force to create the first edition of API 579, a detailed overview of the second edition of API 579, and plans for the establishment of the first edition of a new Joint API/ASME 579 Standard are provided in this paper.