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Overpressure Protection

Keith Timms
13:07 Hours
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Sample Lesson
This comprehensive course covers the complete spectrum of overpressure protection for many industries including chemical, mining, petrochemical oil and gas facilities. You’ll learn to select and size relief devices correctly and understand how to design compliant protection systems. The course combines theoretical foundations with practical applications, featuring real-world case studies, calculation examples, and hands-on problem-solving exercises plus a few tests.

Key topics includes API guidelines, relief device types and operation, relief device set pressures, sizing methodologies for various scenarios, installation best practices, hydraulic requirements for piping, and comprehensive coverage of overpressure causes from blocked outlets to fire scenarios. You’ll also learn about storage tank venting, advanced topics like ASME vs API differences and spec break requirements.

Who This Course Is For
Primary Audience:
• Process Engineers designing pressure equipment and relief systems
• Mechanical Engineers involved in equipment specification and installation
• Project Engineers responsible for regulatory compliance and project execution
• Operations Engineers managing existing pressure equipment
• Safety Engineers conducting overpressure risk assessments

Secondary Audience:
• Engineering Technologists supporting pressure equipment design
• Facility Managers overseeing pressure equipment operations
• Regulatory Affairs personnel preparing ABSA submissions
• Maintenance Supervisors responsible for relief device testing and maintenance
• Commercial Team Members evaluating projects with pressure equipment risks

Why You Should Care
Regulatory Compliance: Alberta has some of the most demanding pressure equipment regulations globally. Non-compliance can result in project delays, costly redesigns, regulatory penalties, and potential shutdown orders. This course ensures you meet all ABSA and AER requirements from the design phase forward.

Safety and Risk Management: Loss of containment due to overpressure represents one of the highest risk scenarios in oil and gas operations. Historical incidents have resulted in fatalities, environmental damage, and significant financial losses. Between 1870 and 1910 alone, over 10,000 pressure equipment explosions killed more than 10,000 people – leading to the formation of ABSA in 1912.

Financial Impact: Incorrect relief device sizing or improper protection methods can lead to:
• Inadequately protected equipment causing catastrophic failures
• Oversized equipment resulting in unnecessary capital costs
• Project delays from regulatory rejections
• Operational disruptions from spurious relief activations
• Potential reserve write-downs from unattainable production forecasts

Professional Development: Overpressure protection expertise is critical for career advancement in process engineering roles. This specialized knowledge distinguishes competent engineers and is essential for Professional Engineer licensure and project leadership positions.

Operational Excellence: Properly designed overpressure protection systems minimize operational upsets, reduce maintenance costs, extend equipment life, and improve overall facility reliability. Understanding these systems enables better troubleshooting and optimization decisions.

01-01 – Overview (13 min.)

02-01 – API 520, 521 & 2000 (10 min.)
02-02 – Other Related API Guidelines (9 min.)

03-01 – Basics of Relief Device Operation (11 min.)
03-02 – Basic Spring PSV Operation (15 min.)
03-03 – Conventional Relief Valves (4 min.)
03-04 – Balanced Relief Valves (8 min.)
03-05 – Pilot Relief Valves (15 min.)
03-06 – Buckling Pin Relief Device (5 min.)
03-07 – Rupture Discs (34 min.)
03-08 – Pressure/Vacuum Relief Devices (18 min.)

04-01 – The National Board (14 min.)
04-02 – ASME Relief Device Markings (11 min.)
04-03 – ASME PSV Trims (10 min.)

05-01 – Set Pressure Deviations from MAWP (9 min.)
05-02 – Cold Differential Test Pressure (CDTP) (4 min.)
05-03 – Pressure Accumulation Rules (13 min.)

06-01 – Basis of Hydraulic Calculations (6 min.)
06-02 – Inlet Piping & PSV Stability (10 min.)
06-03 – Discharge Piping (13 min.)
06-04 – Relief Valve Chatter (4 min.)
06-05 – Discharge Piping Design (12 min.)

07-01 – Critical Flow (9 min.)
07-02 – API Orifice Sizes (4 min.)
07-03 – Gas Service (7 min.)
07-04 – Liquid Service (4 min.)
07-05 – Two-Phase or Flashing Flow (10 min.)
07-06 – Sizing for Atmospheric Storage Tanks (22 min.)
07-07 – Rupture Disc Sizing Methods (6 min.)

08-01 – ASME & API Orifice Relief Area Differences (13 min.)

09-01 – Basic Causes of Overpressure (21 min.)
09-02 – Blocked Flow (8 min.)
09-03 – Compressors (5 min.)
09-04- Reflux failure (8 min.)
09-05- Hot Liquids Entering a System (4 min.)
09-06 – Liquid Overfill (3 min.)
09-07 – Failure of Controls (12 min.)
09-08 – Check Valve Leakage (9 min.)
09-09 – Thermal Expansion (7 min.)
09-10 – (Part 1) – Fires (17 min.)
09-10 – (Part 2) – Fluids Relieved (18 min.)
09-11 – Failure of Heat Transfer Equipment (13 min.)
09-12- Utility Failure (5 min.)
09-13 – Other Overpressure Failures (5 min.)

10-01 – PRD Maintenance (11 min.)

11-01 – Open Vents (5 min.)

12-01 – Spec Breaks (7 min.)

13-01 – Documentation (4 min.)

14-01 – Sample Calculation Exercise 1 (7 min.)
14-02 – Sample Calculation Exercise 2 (2 min.)
14-03 – Rupture Disk Design Example (5 min.)
14-04 – PVSV Example (5 min.)
14-05 – Multiple PSV Example (4 min.)
14-06 – Two Phase Flow Example (4 min.)
14-07 – Blocked Pump Discharge Example 1 (6 min.)
14-08 – Blocked Pump Discharge Example 2 (6 min.)
14-09 – Tank Vent Example (4 min.)
14-10 – Critical Flow Example (3 min.)
14-11 – Blowthrough Example 1 (4 min.)
14-12 – Blowthrough Example 2 (4 min.)
14-13 – Control Valve Failure Example (4 min.)
14-14 – Check Valve Leakage Example (4 min.)
14-15 – Thermal Expansion Example 1 (3 min.)
14-16 – Thermal Expansion Example 2 (2 min.)
14-17 – Fire Example 1 (5 min.)
14-18 – Fire Example 2 (4 min.)
14-19 – Depressurization Example (3 min.)
14-20 – Heat Exchanger Tube Failure Example (4 min.)
14-21 – PSV Reaction Force Example (3 min.)

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