API Certs

By Pipeliner09 Date 04-01-2010 15:13

I am in a way, new to pipelining. I worked for a pipeline construction company right after I got out of welding school back in 1994 for 2 years. I started off as a welders helper even though I had been to school for 2 years, then when a welders position came open I tested and passed beginning my career as a real welder. The tests I took to certify for them back then was a 5G downhill with 6010 on 12" and then a then a 1" coupon welded with oxy-acetlyne welding, odd I thought but that was the certification test I had to pass and luckily back then I was taught oxy-acetylene welding in school. Anyway, since then I've been a boilermaker welder certified on both tubes and plate. And for the last 6 years I've been a union pipefitter/welder with UA certs on carbon and stainless with SMAW and GTAW processes. I've dropped out of the union because of not being able to work due to car accident injuries, herniated disks in my neck and back. Because of the one to my neck the Dr. told me I may never be able to weld to the quality it takes again because the nerve running down my right arm is pinched badly. I have since changed Doctors to a nuerosurgeon instead of orthopedic and he says that with sugery I may very well be able to weld again with extensive physical rehab. If I can go back to welding I want to get back into pipelining, I have a rig. My question is, would it be worth it to get AWS certs as I am undecided about going back to the union or just goin it own my own. Are AWS certs ussually accepted by these companies like UA certs, or is it more common to have to test for every or the majority of the jobs as a prerequisit. As you may know even with the UA jobs sometimes you had to have UA certs to even take the companies gate test and some jobs would except the UA certs with no gate test. I'm kinda askin what to expect if I go it on my own. I am somewhat familiar with UA local 798's process and if I go back to the union that may be the way I go. I'm just trying to gather all the research I can to make the best informed desiscion for progressing my career. All help is greatly appreciated. BTW one more question, what kind of test are ussually required I've heard just 5G downhill on some, and some that require a person to layout and cut and fit a 90 degree branch Tee and then weld it, which I can do but seems like an awful lot of a test. Like I said I appreciate all help and I appoligize for rambling but I wanted to lay out my background.

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 04-02-2010 02:00

AWS certs are for structural. Unless you are planning on welding handrails at compressor stations, they do not go far on pipelining. A 1104 test is pretty much good for a single job and then you have to make another one when you change companies the contractor is working for. If you get with a contractor that works for one company then you will have to pass the 1104 multiple which is a butt and branch weld and maybe a sleeve test for repair qualification with LH. The branch test may require you to lay the branch out using the Graves and then cutting, grinding and fitting the branch then welding out.

By Pipeliner09 Date 04-02-2010 19:00

Thank you, I know that pipeline work is done to API 1104 code but I didn't know AWS was only for structural. It has been a long time since I welded on a pipeline, back in 92-96, and I only had to get certified when I first started, but I only worked for that one contracter and we only did work for the same company, Atlanta Gas Light, so once certfied nothing changed so those certs were always good. But I know a lot of things have changed since then. And when I've worked as a boilermaker I held common arc certs that were recognized by some contracters and not by others, and since I've been in the UA my UA certs are recognized by some companies and some not, but 99% percent of the time if there is a gate test for a job the hall won't send you out to the job to take their test unless you already hold the same UA cert proving you have passed a similar test already. I have also held DOT code submerged Arc 1G and 2F certs and Dot code 3F and 4F SMAW certs from when I worked at a company in Florida building bridge beams. So since I have not decided wether I'm going back to the union or not, but I definatly want to go back to pipelining, I was wondering what to expect. I have read a lot of your posts here kahuna and I've come to respect your knowledge as you obviously know what you are talking about, thank you very much for your insight. Now I intend to search out all the information I can pertaining to the welding part of the API 1104 code. Good day sir.

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 04-02-2010 23:28

I need to clarify something. AWS can be used for things other than structural. Just in this conversation limited to pipelining, AWS would be for the structural where the pipe would be to 1104. I do not know of a unified certification used on pipelines between different companies. There are companies that require re-qualification if a welder goes from one region to another. Even passing the 798 test does not get you out of re-testing. I guess that is why pipelining pays so good.