My assumption as well, and, he is the customer's rep from the sounds of it.  But, it still may be unreasonable as the OP has speculated but without more info it is too hard to tell.

Have a Great Day,  Brent

Nathan

Being Inspector, I am used to the term “Penalty” in steel construction. Cut-out is not directly equivalent to punishment or penalty. But it is obviously a drastic measure of correcting the mistake. I do believe that your client can be convinced when there is a definite answer or solution to the problem. Meaning that you can prove your proposal is written in the relevant Code. If not, I would prefer to obey than to argue. You maybe lucky to win the argument one time but next time will be harder for sure. 

It is much faster to cut & reweld than to wait for Client's decision and to get their reason on why your proposal is not acceptable.
The preventive measure can be discussed internally with your operations, without your Client's involvement.

About my client, he don't want to sign the release note for welding because he did not see the fit-up preparation. He advised us to write our proposal and send it to their head office in Europe. It will takes around two weeks to know the results. So would you want to wait or cut & reweld a butt welded joint on 6" pipe? Our hydro test cannot re-schedule and we need the Client rep to sign and clear all the QC documents.

~Joey~

Wouldn't it be less costly to the company you work for just to do what the Client's Supervisor ask for and go on about doing the work at hand.

                    M.G.

Okay, Nathan, you are asking a difficult thing.

My memory doesn't bring to mind if you already stated so but I am ASSUMING this was standard pipe, not some exotic material.  I am ASSUMING you have informed us correctly and that pre-heat, if required, was applied per a wps.  I am ASSUMING you were using compliant electrodes for welding.  As you can see, we, as not present on site opinion givers offering free opinions (which are like armpits, everyone has two and they both stink) are hindered by many unknowns. 

Also consider, did this moisture come into contact during welding, immediately after welding over this area, a minute or two after welding, or 5 minutes after welding.  I don't remember this being stated precisely.  Add to this, did this inspector see the drops hit or just see evidence of moisture on the weld sometime later?  If you could still see evidence of moisture but did not see it come into contact while also witnessing the welding while in progress then he is assuming a lot as well.  Difficult to justify a conclusion based upon so much speculation and assumption.

Now, though, as to your question about our 'opinion'... More than likely, it did not bother the quality of the steel pipe and/or weld metal. It does not 'sound' like there was enough moisture to have truly effected the hydrogen content nor the cooling rate of the pipe (my statement earlier about sweating on our work while welding and if this practice is supported we would be cutting out a lot of welds).  But, that is ASSUMING a lot of things and I am not the customer's representative.  I would agree with some of the others, it isn't a matter of code and/or quality of product,  it is a matter of authority and showing that he gets what he wants right or wrong.  And he is going to make sure you are soundly reprimanded for this 'little' mistake. 

**SPECIAL NOTE: NOTICE ALL THE 'DISCLAIMERS'!!  I ACCEPT NO LIABILITY NOR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ACTION OR STATEMENT MADE BY OTHERS BASED UPON MY 'OPINION'!
Disclaimers are things like: 'more than likely'; 'does not sound like'; 'assuming'; 'our opinion'; etc.

Have a Great Day,  Brent

few drops? have you counted? don't say it to your client, aside from the cut out, i'm afraid he will also remove you from the project.

Very good advice "one must learn to pick their battles carefully".  . You can't read that advice in the book, only here in AWS forum with people of vast amount of knowledge and experience.

~Joey~