Engineering Procedure

SAEP-324 27 September 2009

Certification Review and
Registration of Project Welders
Inspection Engineering Standards Committee Members
Kakpovbia, Anthony Eyankwiere, Chairman
Rajeh, Saleh Rashid, Vice Chairman
Albarillo, Rodolfo Celino
Anazy, Khalid Juma
Boult, David
Carrera, R L
Ghamdi, Khalid Salem
Ingram, James Young
Keen, Peter David
Khunaizi, Mohammad Redhi
Langla, Edward Charles
Mc Ghee, Patrick Timothy
Mohsen, Hassan Abdallah
Seyed Mohamed, Abdul Cader
Shammary, Hamed Abdulwahab
Stockenberger, Hans J
Suwaidan, Khalid Ali

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents

1 Scope............................................................. 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations................................. 2
3 Applicable Documents.................................... 2
4 Definitions and Acronyms............................... 3
5 Responsibilities............................................... 5
6 Instructions......................................................6

Appendix I – Table for Welder Criteria................ 10

Appendix II – Template Job Clearance Card...... 12
Appendix III – Flow Diagram of
Radiographic Requirement
for 1st Three Production Welds.............. 13

Previous Issue: 1 July 2008 Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014

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Primary contact: Kakpovbia, Anthony Eyankwiere on 966-3-8747226

Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2009. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

1 Scope

1.1 This Engineering Procedure specifies the minimum requirements for

certification review and registration of contractor welders working on In-
Kingdom construction and fabrication projects.

1.2 Unless specifically noted otherwise the term welder shall also mean welding
operator.

1.3 Welders Performance and Guidelines Criteria are provided in Appendix I of this
procedure.

1.4 Sample of Welder Job Clearance Card SA 4758 is provided in Appendix II of

this procedure to provide uniformity in usage.

1.5 This procedure does not apply to permanent Manufacturers Fabrication Facilities.

1.6 This procedure does not apply to Maintenance Projects as defined in Section 4.

2 Conflicts and Deviations

Conflicts between this Engineering Procedure and any other Saudi Aramco Standard
shall be resolved by the Chairman of the Inspection Engineering Standards Committee
of the Inspection Department in writing.

3 Applicable Documents

Unless stated otherwise, all codes and standards referenced shall be the latest issue
(including Revisions and Addenda). When industry codes and standards, or Saudi
Aramco standards are required for use by project specification they shall become a part
of this Engineering Procedure.

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedures

SAEP-321 Performance Qualification Testing and
Certification of Saudi Aramco Welders
SAEP-1141 Radiation Protection for Industrial Radiography
SAEP-1160 Tracking and Reporting of Welding, NDT and
Pressure Testing for Capital Projects

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-W-011 Welding Requirements for On-Plot Piping

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

SAES-W-012 Welding Requirements for Pipelines

SAES-W-013 Welding Requirements for Offshore Structures

Saudi Aramco Forms

SA 4758-ENG Job Clearance Card

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Petroleum Institute

API STD 1104 Welding of Pipelines & Related Facilities

American Society of Mechanical Engineers/Boiler & Pressure Vessels Code

ASME B31.1 Power Piping
ASME B31.3 Process Piping
ASME B31.4 Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid
Hydrocarbons and Other Liquids
ASME SEC IIC Welding Rods, Electrodes and Filler Metals
ASME SEC V Nondestructive Examination
ASME SEC IX Welding and Brazing Qualifications

American Welding Society

AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code - Steel

4 Definitions and Acronyms

Certified Welder: A welder that has a valid welder certification. A certified welder is
only qualified to weld with those welding processes, and within the essential variables,
of the valid certification according to the qualification governing code.

Contractor Welder: A welder working directly for, and under the supervision of, a
contractor.

Fabrication Shop: A building used for the fabrication and/or assembly of equipment
and structures such as pipe spools, pressure vessels, etc.

Fabrication Yard: A large open outdoor area used for the fabrication and/or assembly
of very large structures such as offshore platforms, large pressure vessels, etc.

Field Fabrication Shop: A temporary fabrication shop set up in the field near a
construction project by a contractor to fabricate piping, fittings and/or structural
components.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

JCC: Job Clearance Card (Form SA 4758-ENG)

Job Clearance Card (JCC): An identification card issued by Saudi Aramco

Inspection to contractor welders registered on field fabrication projects. The JCC lists
the welder’s name, symbol, photograph, certifications held, description of the job, and
the Name of Contractor Company.

Maintenance Project: A project to perform maintenance work under a short form

contract with the Maintenance Department as the proponent.

Manufacturer’s Fabrication Facility: in this procedure refers to In-Kingdom

manufacturers fabrication facilities.

OIU: Operations Inspection Unit.

PWTC: Project Welder Tracking Coordinator

Qualification: See preferred term Welder Performance Qualification.

Qualification Card: A photo identity card issued by a welder testing agency or

contractor to a welder passing a certification test that lists all the certifications held by
the welder. Qualification Cards must be carried at all times by the welder, and must be
presented for review upon request.

Qualified Welder: See preferred term Certified Welder.

Registered Welder: A welder whose certification has been reviewed, found to be

acceptable, and is on file with the project inspector. Meets the requirements of this
SAEP, SAEP-321 and SAEP-1160.

Registration: The act of registering a welder certification, or a photostatic copy

thereof. Registration is performed after certification review and approval. Current lists
of approved welders and/or Job Clearance Cards are examples of registration.

Retraining: as used in this procedure shall require a minimum of 40 hours of practice

and instruction on the applicable welding process. Training should also include
awareness of applicable sections of the Saudi Aramco Construction Safety Manual and
SAEP-1141, Radiation Protection for Industrial Radiography.

Saudi Aramco Approved Welder Testing Agencies: list available from ID website or
as recommended by ID representative on site.

Saudi Aramco Construction Safety Manual: as available from Saudi Aramco Loss
Prevention Department

Uncertified Welder: A welder that does not have a valid welder certification.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

Unqualified Welder: See preferred term Uncertified Welder.

Welder Certification: Certification in writing that a welder has produced a test weld
meeting a defined standard.

Welder Performance Qualification: The demonstration of a welders ability to

produce a test weld meeting a defined standard.

WPS: Welding Procedure Specification

WTS: Welder Tracking System

WRR: Weld Rejection Rate

5 Responsibilities

5.1 The Project Inspector is responsible for:

a) Reviewing contractor welder certifications prior to the start of welding;
b) Registering contractor welders with valid welder certifications;
c) Monitoring the initial production work of contract welders to determine
their ability to make sound welds in accordance with the approved welder
performance guidelines criteria for IK Projects per Appendix I.
d) Monitoring the contractors quality control program to ensure contractor
welder certifications and performance are being maintained in accordance
with the governing codes and standards of the job or project including but
not limited to ASME B31.1, ASME B31.3, ASME B31.4, ASME SEC IIC
and ASME SEC V.
e) Issuing and controlling Job Clearance Cards on the job.
f) Monitoring Welder Qualification activities to ensure compliance with
approved procedures and applicable codes/standards.
g) Monitoring Welder Qualification activities of 3rd Party Testing Agencies to
ensure compliance with Industry Codes and Saudi Aramco requirements.
Commentary Note:

If inspection of other non BI/JO work is handled by OIU, OIU Inspector is

responsible for the above.

5.2. The Project Welder Tracking Coordinator is responsible for tracking all issued
JCC’s, welder performance and revoking of JCC’s either at section level for
small to medium size projects or on a single Mega Project.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

6 Instructions

6.1 General Requirements

6.1.1 Contractors, fabricators and vendors are responsible for the testing and
certification of welders working under their supervision in accordance
with the governing Codes, standards, and or specifications of each
project.

6.1.2 The project inspector shall have the right to require the removal or retest
of any welder at any time due to unsatisfactory work or poor
performance as indentified in Appendix I Welder Performance
Guidelines.

6.1.3 Performance qualification testing of welders strictly for tack welding is

prohibited.

6.1.4 For SMAW performance qualification testing welders shall be qualified

for all passes and the full thickness of the test coupon.

6.1.5 The first three (3) production groove welds by each new contract welder
shall be radiographed 100%. Radiograph acceptance shall be as
specified by the applicable Code.

6.1.6 The first three production groove welds will not be included in the project
welding statistics or weld repair rates for daily welding production
percentage. The percentage radiography requirement is as listed in the
applicable SAES-W-011 Section 17 and SAES-W-012 Section 16. Each
welders and Welder operators work shall be represented in the
percentage required.

6.1.7 For decision path on the first three (3) production welds see Appendix III.

6.1.8 Contractor to implement a tracking system that will track welder

performance, Welder repair rates, identify short comings and actions
required consistent with this SAEP and SAEP-1160.

6.1.9 Contract Welders and Welder Operators performance criteria to meet

0.2% Linear and 5% joint basis, with linear being the over-riding factor.
From the performance data the welders shall be categorized from the
linear WRR criteria as follows:
A. 0 - 0.2% Level A
B. >0.2% - 0.4% Level B
C. >0.4% - 0.5% Level C

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

D. > 0.5% Level D, Revoke

6.2 Field Fabrication Work

6.2.1 Contractor welders shall be tested in accordance with either

ASME SEC IX, AWS D1.1, or API STD 1104 as required, for all types
of welding (includes tack, repair and temporary).

6.2.2 Contractor welders working on In Kingdom field construction projects

(includes field fabrication shops also) shall be tested and certified by an
independent 3rd Party Welder testing agency approved by the Saudi
Aramco Inspection Department, Operations Inspection Division,
providing written approval prior to the start of work.

6.2.3 Certifications of contractor welders and previous performance history

shall be made available for review by the project inspector prior to the
start of work. Continuity records shall be supported by a permanent
NDT report – RT or UT.

6.2.4 Contractor welders that have not been properly certified shall not be
permitted to weld.

6.2.5 All properly certified contractor welders shall be registered by the

project inspector and issued a Job Clearance Card (JCC) prior to the start
of work.

6.2.6 The initial production work of contractor welders shall be monitored by

the project inspector to determine their ability to make sound welds.
Contractor shall establish a hold point after new welders first three (3)
production butt welds to verify the welding meets code requirements.
The welder shall not proceed to production welding until after
confirmation by NDT verification that the minimum acceptable NDT
requirement as specified in Appendices I and III has been met.

6.2.7 The project inspector shall monitor the contractors quality control
program to determine whether contractor welder certifications are being
maintained in accordance with the governing Codes and standards of the
job or project. Contractor welders that do not maintain valid
certifications shall have their JCC withdrawn. Once withdrawn, JCC's
will only be reinstated upon receipt of written proof of training, and the
successful completion of a recertification test. All withdrawn JCC's shall
be sent to the Project Welder Tracking Coordinator, where they will be
kept on file for a period of at least three years.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

6.2.8 For offshore pipelines and structures all welders welding primary joints
(refer to SAES-W-013, Table 4, Note 7) shall be requalified if the
original performance qualification test was not witnessed by a third party
inspection agency. Requalification testing shall be witnessed by a third
party inspection agency or the project inspector.

6.2.9 For offshore pipelines and structures all welders welding joints other
than primary joints shall be retested on a 10% random basis, as selected
by the project inspector unless the original performance qualification test
was witnessed by a third party welder testing agency. Requalification
testing shall be witnessed by a third party inspection agency or project
inspector. If the requalification failure rate exceeds 20%, all welders
shall be retested.

6.3 Fabrication Yard Work

6.3.1 For a land based Permanent fabrication yard or Project temporary field
fabrication yard, the fabricator shall maintain a welder identification
system acceptable to the project inspector. Welders shall carry an
identification card that includes a photo, welders name, company
identification number, and welders symbol.

6.3.2 A list of all welders shall be submitted to the project inspector prior to
the start of work. This list shall be maintained up to date by the
fabricator. The list shall include the welders name, symbol, processes
qualified and all other important essential variables as well as
certification issue dates.

6.3.3 The project inspector shall regularly audit welder certifications to ensure
fabricator compliance with the Codes, standards and approved Quality
Plan.

6.4 Job Clearance Cards (JCC)

6.4.1 Contractor welders working on field fabrication projects such as BI and

JO work, and who are properly certified, shall be registered and issued a
Job Clearance Card (Form SA 4758-ENG) by the project inspector prior
to the start of work.

6.4.2 Job Clearance Cards are only valid for the job or project for which they
are issued.

6.4.3 Job Clearance Cards can be withdrawn by the project inspector at any
time for cause if the contractor welder is not producing work of
acceptable quality. Once withdrawn, JCC's will only be reinstated upon

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

receipt of written proof of training, and the successful completion of a

recertification test.

6.4.4 Job Clearance Cards shall be returned to the Project Welder Tracking
Coordinator when the contractor welder goes on home leave or is
terminated from the project. Contractor welders that return to work
within three months from home leave (to the same project) may be
reinstated without retesting.

Revision Summary
27 September 2009 Major revision.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

Appendix I – Table for Welder Criteria

Welder Performance1 Guideline (Contractor Welders)

(On-Plot & Pipeline Manual / Semi-automatic Processes6)
2 2 3, 4, 5, 6
Welder JCC Status Linear Joint Qualification & Performance
Classification Repair Rate Repair Rate (Weekly & overall) -
(Weekly / (Weekly / Weld Rejection Rate, WRR
Overall) Overall)
7
Level A Welder , achieves both
A Acceptable Maximum 5% maximum 0.2% Linear and 5% Joint
0.2% Repair Rates
7
Level B Welder , achieves up to
B Acceptable Maximum maximum 0.4% Linear and up to
0.4% 7.5% 7.5% Joint Repair Rate,
7
Level C Welder , borderline, always
C See Note 7 Maximum See Notes meets maximum 0.5% Linear and
0.5% regularly meets 7.5% maximum
allowed Joint Repair Rate
8
Level D Welder , consistently
D Not Above 0.5% Above (weekly) exceeds above 0.5% linear
Acceptable 7.5% and 7.5% joint rate. Pipe welding
qualification to be Revoked. Note 8

Notes:
1. Contractor’s Welding Process Control Procedure (Company approved) shall clearly state acceptable Welding
Performance parameters for initial and weekly production.
2. Procedure shall define Linear & Joint method performance targets and these quality targets shall be acceptable
to COMPANY and approved before welding begins.
3. Procedure shall detail NDT requirements of initial Welder production to determine acceptability of welder
performance, especially with new welders.
a. First three joints as a minimum shall be examined.
b. Welders shall not make additional initial production welds until their “initial performance” has been verified
and NDT results are acceptable per the procedure.
c. First three joints shall not be counted as routine daily production for project WRR.
4. Procedure states maximum number of consecutive weeks when a welder exceeds performance targets.
Severe weather or other factors beyond welder control may be considered.
5. Procedure shall state the amount of NDT up to 100% when target repair rates are exceeded or when a welder
has been removed from Work.
6. Pipeline Projects using Semi-automatic / Automatic / Combination Processes may utilize even more stringent
Weld Quality Guidelines than those listed above for Manual process.
7. Level A, B & C Welders
a) In all cases, Welder performance should target “A” Classification results with the lowest possible Linear &
Joint Repair Rates achievable.
b) Continuing Process Improvement, Cost Effectiveness is acceptable for Cat. A & B welders.
c) Cat. C welders are not cost effective and require close supervision)

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

8. Level D Welders
a) Welders may exceed the 7.5% joint WRR weekly for a maximum period of 2-3 weeks with close
surveillance on all repairs.
b) Additional supervision / additional NDT (to 100%) is required until consistent results of 7.5%
WRR or less (joint repair rate) are achieved.
c) If WRR target is not achieved within 2-3 weeks, the options are: (i) welder may be considered
candidate for re-training and retesting or (ii) revoke qualification and remove from production
work.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

Appendix II – Template Job Clearance Card

Welder Job Clearance Card

Saudi Aramco 4758-Eng (5/09) Required by SAEP-324

WBS Photo
Project
Contractor
Welder Name Symbol

Note: This clearance card is for welding on the above mentioned project
only, and may be revoked if welder's performance is not satisfactory.
Card must be returned when welder is removed from this project.

PID Inspector Issuing Card JCC No. Date

Welder Job Clearance Card (Back)

PID Section

Cleared For Welding On

Material P-No's
Process
Electrodes/F-No's
Position/Progression
Min/Max Thickness
Diameter Range
JCC No.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee SAEP-324
Issue Date: 27 September 2009 Certification Review and
Next Planned Update: 27 September 2014 Registration of Project Welders

Appendix III – Flow Diagram Of Radiographic Requirement

for 1st Three Production Welds

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