API 1104 is as loosy goosey as any welding standard ever published. It is not a code; it is a standard that places all the responsibility in the lap of the contractor. Everything is founded on the WPS that is qualified by the contractor. Like many ASME construction codes, API 1104 doesn't tell the contractor how to do anything.
If the contractor determines they want to use an electrode oven (or not) to store the low hydrogen SMAW electrodes, so be it. If the contractor decides the oven should be maintained at 150 degrees F, so be it. If the contractor decides the line pipe is to be purged with raw benzene, so be it. As long as the contractor qualifies the WPS and it passes the required tests it is fine by API.
Considering the financial repercussions of a weld related failure, few reputable contractors are going to intentionally do things that can compromise their reputations or financial well being. Those contractors that cut corners or don’t heed time proven industry practices are usually short lived.
Based on what I’ve read in the forum, many of the welders working on the rigs are contractors. As such, they are responsible for their own equipment, electrodes, welding procedures, etc.
Best regards - Al
Loosey Goosey! Right up my alley
Tank U Al 4 givin evry body an answer.
I don't no the secret hand shake yet.
Hahaha!! You pretty much said it Al! In my years working with the gas companies and other contractors welding gas pipe and other things the only person who knows how to handle the rods is me! Always new cans, never something that's been kickin around in the shop. I start talking about lo-hi and moisture and most guys get this haze over their eyes and then it occurs to me and my little voice sounds off in my head saying, "this guy has no friggin' clue what your talking about". I broke out the other day using the companies new Miller and the guy said, "will your procedures let you use our machine?". They're new to this so that's understandable but hear things like that all the time. Another guy said are you qualified to use 6P+, sure am, procedures say, "6010" and a 6P+ is still a 6010.
I don't claim to be an expert, but when I meet someone in charge of a project that knows less than I do, I get nervous, very nervous.
Best regards - Al
Hahaha!! The story of my life Al!! Story of my life!! Three months on a chiller job and guy could fit pipe in a straight line great, after that it was all over! Most of the guys I do gas stuff with really know a lot about the pipe, meters, trenching, it's just the whole welding portion that everybody is not familiar with.
I refuse to answer. I am afraid someone will be offended.
"afraid someone will be offended. "
Ur acct git Haked?
Impossster!
Oh Boy....
FarmCode...Rusty McSlagbuster....misdirecting inspectors....
pot calling the kettle black when calling Cactus an "impossster".
Very interesting. Something more than a little slaggy going on here.
Have a Great Day, Brent
PS: NO!! No 'WELCOME' at this point. I'm not sure you are.
There's a wide, wide variety of work in API land.
The local distribution gas companies do a lot of things that are flakey and operate under a slightly modified version of the Farm Code, and their standards are low across the country with a (very) few exceptions.
In mainline construction there is always a large amount of regulation that goes above and beyond anything API has in print.
I don't work in the tank or drill rig field so won't comment there.
But it helps to keep in mind that the scope of work that primarily falls under API is deep and broad and you can find fields where qualification, inspection and testing are very lax, like distribution work. You can also find fields where those things are strict and set in stone. You'll also see a lot of ASME requirements in transmission line work.
The bottom line is that the owner sets the standard, given that they have to comply with federal dot pipeline safety standards as a minimum (on interstate work). They always in my experience go far beyond those min. requirements. Usually due to the grade of pipe and the pressures involved.
With the recent trend to use operating pressure higher than that traditionally used in the past has put additional qualification/inspection/testing in place.
So, you can find a job that's technically in API land where 7018 rods rattle around in a rod bucket with 2" of water in the bottom but you can also find a API job where the welders using 9018 have a rod oven on the truck and a small generator to run it 24 hrs/day and inspection checks the over temp daily.
The bottom line is that I don't see a lot of distribution work exploding (cept in CA), a lot of drill rigs collapsing, a lot of tank failures and few if any modern transmission line failures (outside of stations but that's another topic) so evidently the standards used in those fields are at least close to being sufficient for the purpose at hand.
J
Catus, That never bothered you in the past.
That was before the Preachers got their undergarments in a knot. However, since I Primarily do API work on Drill Rigs and I have a Phd. Engineer who is an API Instuctor as a partner, I feel I am MORE than qualified to answer the question at hand.
By JTMcC 
Date 04-20-2012 02:55
Edited 04-20-2012 03:00
I understand that.
My point is there are a lot of things under API and the requirements, and their enforcement vary greatly.
But it seems to be working OK as things don't seem to be blowing up.
Maybe that's clearer.
J
I'll add that other posters went into API in general, and I responded to that. People who work in AWS or ASME usually missunderstand how things are actually done in the field in API covered work. They seem to think that for instance, that 1104 is the only requirement to be met and aren't familiar with what owners actually impose.
