4 API 510 Frequency and Data Evaluation (Sections 6 and 7)

Sections 6 and 7 of API 510 cover the subjects of inspection interval frequency (section 6) and inspection data evaluation (section 7). The contents of these sections are closely linked with, not only each other but also the previous section 5 covering inspection practices. Note the following points about these sections:

• They contain the main core material of API 510, particularly from the viewpoint of exam question content.

• All three of the sections have been added to, rearranged and changed in emphasis with each new edition of the code. They therefore have the characteristics of something that has grown organically rather than been designed recently from scratch. There is a focus and a logical order, of sorts, but this is surrounded by a mass of additional information contained in rather dense paragraphs of text.

• The title data evaluation predominates in section 7. Don't be misled by this — vessel inspection doesn't generally result in large data sets that need sorting and analysing — just think of it as describing what you do with inspection findings. Figure 4.4, later, shows the situation.