Understanding

API 582 – Welding Guidelines for the Chemical, Oil, and Gas Industries
&
PTS 30106018 – Welding of Metals (amendment/supplement to API 582)

Rosli Ismail

Open
 Scope
• As guidelines and practices for welding & welding-
related topics for shop & field fabrication, repair &
modification of:
– Pressure-containing equipment
– Non-removable internals for PVs
– Structural items attached and related to process
equipment
– Any other equipment or component item when referenced
• Not cover pipeline welding & offshore structural
welding
Open
 Definition
• Applicable code : the code or standard specified by the
purchaser to which the equipment shall conform
• Inspector : purchaser’s rep
• Procedure qualification record (PQR) : a record of welding
variables used to produce an acceptable test weldment and
the results of tests conducted on the weldment to qualify a
welding procedure specification
• Purchaser
• [PTS] Principal
• [PTS] Contractor
• [PTS] Manufacturer / supplier

Open
 Definition
• [PTS] Design code : the code or standard specified by the
Principal to which the equipment or piping shall conform
• [PTS] High-alloy steel : SS, 12Cr and higher (e.g. ASME p6, P7,
P8, P10J, and P10K; ISO TR 15608 Group 7, 8, 10)
• [PTS] Low-alloy steel : steels from 0.5 Mo up to 9Cr-1Mo &
steels from 0.5 up to 9% Ni (e.g. ASME P4, P5A, P5B, P5C;
ISO/TR 15608 Group 4, 5, 6, 9)
• [PTS] Unalloyed steel : carbon manganese steels, including
0.3 and 0.5 Mo steels (e.g. ASME P1, P3; ISO/TR 15608
Group 1, 2, 3, 11)
• [PTS] Ceq : carbon equivalent
Open
 General Welding Requirements
• Structural (non pressure boundary) welding requirements shall comply with
AWS D1.1 or AWS D1.6
• Welding procedures
– When purchaser approve, with ASME 9
– Pre-qualified procedures per AWS D1.1 and D1.6 are acceptable for structural welding
– All WPS (welding procedure specification) and PQR (procedure qualification record)
shall be submitted prior to work.
• [PTS] Welder performance qualifications
– Conduct WPQT per design code and/or per Principal specifies
– Unless local regulation says otherwise, WPQ per ISO 9606, ASME 9, API 1104 or
equivalent
– Can exempt welder from pre-qualification test, for welder who certified to ISO 9606
and registered per Asian Welding Fed (AWF) Common Welder Certification Scheme
(CWCS) requirements (AWF CWCS Grp A Doc 01) or equivalent, but welder still active in
last 6 months

Open
 General Welding Requirements
• [PTS] Welding documentation, the following is essential:
– Welding Procedure Specification
– Welding Procedure Qualification, with content contains all
essential variables & supplementary essential variables per
design code & PTS
– Mfr to keep welder performance register
• Welder’s name & stamp
• Welding position & x-ray number
• Data of welding inspection & the result
• Materials (base & consumable)
• Geometrical data (dia, wall t, etc)
• Reference to WPS applied

Open
 5. Welding Processes
• Acceptable welding processes
– Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)
– Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) & Pulsed-GTAW (GTAW-P)
– Gas metal arc welding (GMAW)
• Spray (GMAW-Sp)
• Short circuiting (GMAW-S)
• Pulsed (GMAW-P)
• Globular (GMAW-G)
– Submerged arc welding (SAW)
– Electrogas welding (EGW)
– Flux cored arc welding (FCAW)
– Plasma arc welding (PAW)
– Other welding processes approved by purchaser
Open
 5.2 Limitations of fusion welding processes
Process Limitations
GTAW-P For root pass of single-sided joints  shall use same make & model of
welding system, use same equipment & settings per procedure
Comment: all above have effects on welding performance, & difficult to
detect defects even by RT
GMAW-S To limit use of GMAW-S to:
• Not for branch connections or socket weld
• For vertical weld, root pass & 2nd pass may be either uphill or downhill
• Can use for fill & cap pass for butt- or fillet welds, but thickness <
9.5mm & vertical welding using uphill
GMAW-P May be used for any material thickness in any position
Comment: fabricator to verify weld properties when welding system &
equipment settings are changed
[PTS] • Use for root, fill & cap for all piping with dia ≤ DN80
GTAW • All GTAW machines shall be equipped with arc starting devices (high
frequency, lift arc)
• Don’t scratch starting (strictly prohibited)

Open
 5.2 Limitations of fusion welding processes
Process Limitations
FCAW FCAW-S (self-shielding FCAW) may be used only for CS structural items, with
following:
• Use electrode types identified by consumable manufacturer for multipass
• Use only electrode class with min impact test requirements
• Don’t use with other welding processes without qualification
FCAW-G (external gas shielding FCAW) may be used for either groove or fillet welds
for pressure boundary or structural welding.
If procedures need impact or hardness test, review the weld metal properties with
consumable mfr
Welding consumables shall be limited to the AWS class in PQR.
For welding pressure-containing equipment, the diffusible hydrogen limit shall
meet Table 5-1.

Open
 5.2 Limitations of fusion welding processes
Process Limitations
EGW Use shall limit to following:
• Use only with filler materials intended for EGW process (AWS A5.26)
• Use only welding consumables in the class & mfr’s trade name in PQR
• Use only filler materials having classifications with min impact test
requirements
• [PTS] only for CS materials
SAW • Re-qualify SAW procedures when changing welding flux. Equivalence
under ASME 2 Part C shall NOT be adequate without re-qualification.
• Manually held (semi-auto) SAW is NOT permitted for welding pressure-
containing parts, unless purchaser approves.
• [PTS] don’t use for repair welding of PVs, storage tanks, or pipelines
[PTS] • Use only if all below is satisfied:
OFW • Base material is carbon or carbon-manganese steel
• UTS < 490 N/mm2
• Service temp > 0degC
• Pipe dia < DN50mm
• Wall t < 5mm

Open
 5.3 Single-sided welded joints
• For this joints where process side corrosion is
a concern, don’t use welding processes with
coatings or fluxes for root pass of austenitic SS
& nickel-based alloys, unless slag can be
removed from the process side or root pass &
inspected for slag removal.

Open
 5.4 Combining welding processes
• Other A1 through A5, other combination
requires qualification as a combination
procedure. (need to understand which A1
through A5???)

Open
 5.5 Mechanized & automated welding processes
• Orbital welding & similar fully automated welding
processes need separate programming weld schedules for
specific
– Joint geometry
– Diameter
– Wall thickness
– Welding position
• The schedules shall have all essential & non-essential
variables to describe motion, timing & electrical functions
of the welding system
• Note the schedules on WPS or as attachment to WPS
• Change in position per ASME 9 QW-461.9, shall be
Open
considered essential variable for procedure qualification
 6. Welding consumables (filler metal & flux)
• Specify filler metals in WPS by AWS specs and class; if not AWS,
purchaser approval required
• Do testing when
– Filler metal not per AWS specs
– Mfr’s typical consumable cert or other supplier certs not available
• When PWHT required, all-weld-metal test coupons shall be
PWHT with nominal temp & max time used in production
• Tensile strength, yield strength & elongation shall meet the
base metal properties
• When thickness CS base metal > ½-in (12.7mm) use filler metals
with low hydrogen deposits for groove and/or fillet welds
• Regardless of base metal thickness, can use cellulose type
coated electrodes for root pass and 2nd pass of pipe welding
Open
 6. Welding consumables (filler metal & flux)

• Toughness test
– If base metal exempted from toughness test, weld metal
toughness should be =/> 20ft.lb (27J) at 0F (18degC) or
MDMT, whichever lower
– The weld metal toughness should be certified by filler metal
mfr per ASME 2 Part C
• Consumable with “G” classification
– Shall restrict to brand & electrode type used in PQR
– Put the nominal chemical composition of the brand and type
in WPS
• Welding consumables shall be identified by
classification or trade name, maintained until
Open
consumed
 6. Welding consumables (filler metal & flux)
[PTS]
• Buy welding consumables from acknowledged bodies who tested
– Controlas
– Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
– American Bureau of Shipping
– Det Norske Veritas
• Welding consumables shall have
– Specified tensile
– Impact (ferrous materials only)
– Chemical analyses values
• Welding consumables for low temp service shall comply with design
code & PTS 30100231
• All consumables to have AWS classification or EN/ISO designation
(depend on design code) in the WPS
Open
• Specify welding fluxes by mfr & type
 6.2 Dissimilar welding
• When joining dissimilar ferritic steels (P1 through P5)
– Filler metal’s chemical composition to conform to either base metal or
intermediate composition
– But for non-pressure parts to pressure parts, filler metal shall match
chemical composition of pressure parts
• When joining ferritic steels (P1 P5) to martensitic SS (P6),
ferritic SS (P7) or austenitic SS (P8)
– Filler metal can be type 309 & 309L for design temp < 600F (315degC)
– Don’t use type 309Cb when PWHT is required, except for weld overlay
– Refer to Table 6-1 for nickel-based alloy filler materials
– If design temp > 600F, review filler metal selection with purchaser

Open
 6.3 Austenitic SS welding (P8 Group 1)
• Check Appendix A Table A-2 for recommended filler metal
selections
• Unless otherwise specified, if PWHT required or high temp
service (see ASME 2, Part D Table 6-300), Ferrite Number
(FN) for the deposited weld metal < 11 FN.
• Min FN for filler metal = 3 FN, except per above
– Min FN for type 347 = 5 FN
– For SS in cryogenic service, non-magnetic applications, or special
corrosive service, use consumables with lower FN
• When FCAW austenitic SS weld materials used at service
temp above 1022F (550degC)
– Do not add bismuth in material, bismuth in deposited weld metal <
0.002%
Open
– Max FN = 9 FN
 6.4 Duplex SS welding
• FN for weld procedure qualification &
deposited weld metal = 30-70 FN (check using
instrument calibrated to AWS A4.2)
• If deposited weld metal FN > 60 FN, control
moisture content of the duplex SS electrodes
to 0.2% max (check using AWS 5.5 Section 14)
• [PTS] FN assessment by point counting

Open
 6.5 Submerged Arc welding
• Specify flux trade name & designation in WPS
& PQR
• Don’t use filler metal/flux combinations
specified by mfr for single pass in multipass
• Don’t use alloyed submerged arc fluxes for
welding low alloy steels; use fluxes that
compensate arc losses of alloying elements
• Can use flux from re-crushed slag if purchaser
approves

Open
 6.6 Consumables storage & handling
• Follow mfr’s instructions
• Use separate oven for storage and baking of
welding consumables
• Oven heated by electrical means, and have
auto heat controls & visible temp indicator

Open
 6.6 Consumables storage & handling
• [PTS]
– Record all storage, baking, issue & return of welding consumables
– Basic low-H electrodes & fluxes shall give weld metal deposit with diffusible
hydrogen content < 10ml/100g weld metal
– Extra moisture resistant (EMR) consumables with diffusible H content <
5ml/100g can be used without preheated storage for max 8 hours
– Test level of H per ISO 3690 if there is doubt
– Scrap all electrodes left at site or workshops, and with damaged flux coatings
– Submerged arc flux supplied in moisture-proof containers & stored in dry, 20C
location.
– Bring out submerged arc, gas metal arc & flux-cored arc consumables from
store only for immediate use. Return unused ones to store after completion.
Record batch numbers on issue.
– Unless mfr states, submerged arc flux may be recycled, but free from fused
flux, slag particles, mill scale, dirt, or other foreign matter. After bring out from
storage, held agglomerated fluxes in heated silo at 70C. Before re-use, rebake
the fluxes per mfr instructions
Open
 7. Shielding & purging gases
• When using shielding gas, show in WPS the shielding gas (or
gas mixture), % composition of gas(es) & flowrate
• Purity requirement per AWS 5.32. Record gas purity on PQR
& WPS when single gas is used
• Back purging for GTAW & GMAW for welding materials have
chromium content > 2-1/4%, unless joint is ground or back
gouged to sound metal
• If use back purge, put the gas used & flowrate in the WPS
• If use back purge to prevent oxidation or scale formation on
the weld underside, maintain the purge until at least ¼-in
(6.3mm) depth of weld metal has been deposited
• [PTS] Shielding gases for GMAW – when using flux cored
wires, check compatibility of filler wires with the type of gas.
Open
 8. Preheating & Interpass temperature
• When required, preheating applies to all welding, tack welding & thermal
cutting of ferritic steels except for thermal cutting of P1 materials
• Min preheat requirement shall follow applicable code:
– ASME 8 Appendix R
– ASME B31.3 Table 330.1.1
– AWS D1.1 Annex XI
• Any recommendations or requirements for preheat listed in the relevant
code shall be considered mandatory
• Apply preheat temp throughout the entire weld thickness and at least 3-in
(76mm) on each side of the weld.
• Check preheat & interpass temp using
– Thermocouples;
– temp indicating crayons;
– Pyrometers; or other suitable methods
• Specify max interpass temp in WPS & PQR for austenitic SS, duplex SS, &
non-ferrous alloys, and when impact test is required for carbon and low-
alloy steels
• Refer Table 8-1 for recommended max interpass temp
Open
 8. Preheating & Interpass temperature and
welding
• [PTS] Preheat requirements
– Preheating < 200C, use either:
• Fuel gas / air burner
• High-velo gas/oil burners
• Infra-red radiators
• Electric resistance
• Induction heating
– Preheating > 200C, use either:
• Electric resistance
• Induction heating
• Infra-red radiators
– Piping welds in shop, use either:
• Electrical heating
• Ring torches burning sulphur-free fuel
– Piping welds in field, shall use:
• Pipe dia ≤ 250mm, use appropriate torches (sulphur-free fuel)
• Pipe dia > 250mm, use electrical heating or infra-red or ring burners (sulphur-free fuel)
Open
 8. Preheating & Interpass temperature and
welding
• [PTS] Preheat requirements
– Use specifically designed heating nozzles; don’t use cutting torches
– Don’t do oxy-acetylene preheating
– Get even temp distribution
– Width of heated zone shown in Figure 1
– If use electric resistance elements, apply insulation as per Figure 1 (t = nominal wall
thickness of pipe)
– Width of insulated zone = 2t or 100mm + 150mm
– Complete the weld before preheat temp lowers
• Except, if permitted for unalloyed steels (at least 50% of weld is completed)
• Cool the joint under insulation
• Restore preheat temp and maintain for 30mins before continue welding

Open
 8. Preheating & Interpass temperature and
welding
• [PTS] Welding
– Weld preparation
• As per design code and Principal
• Use flame cutting for un-alloyed & low-alloy steels ONLY
• Can use plasma cutting for high-alloy steels & clad steels
• Can use cold shearing for plates < 25mm thick
• Dress back (approx 2mm) all thermally-cut surface edges of low alloy & high
alloy steels & cold-sheared plates using machining / grinding  remove
notches & scales
• No need to dress back cold-sheared plates ≤ 10mm. Do 2-sided welding when
possible
• Don’t use permanent backing unless specified
• If chemical composition of weld metal is not changing, can use temporary
backing devices (ceramics, fluxes, copper backing strips, etc)
– Remove strip without damaging surrounding material
– Ground flush & clean after removal
– Inspect welds of low-alloy ferritic steels after removing, acceptance criteria per design
Open
code
 8. Preheating & Interpass temperature and
welding
• [PTS] Welding
– Weld fit-up
• Shall comply design code
• Clean all surface thoroughly (to extend 25mm from area being arc(ed))
• Only qualified welders do tack welding
– Do not tack weld using bar in the groove
– Remove temporary tack welds by grind / chip
– Ground smooth area without affecting wall t
– Do MT or PT to ensure no linear indications
– Use non-welded fit-up clamps for alignment of all pipe, pipeline & equipment
work
• If Principal approves, can use weld-on fit-up devices on structural steel
(UTS < 460 N/mm2)
– Shall use qualified WPS
– Shall remove by chip/grind without damaging or reducing wall t
– Ground smooth area
– Do MT or PT to confirm no linear indications
Open
 8. Preheating & Interpass temperature and
welding
• [PTS] Welding
– Welding conditions
• Don’t weld when wet
• Don’t weld if no protection from wind & wind borne solids (sand etc.)
• If base metal temp < 5C, preheat both side to 50C or temp per WPS,
whichever is higher
– Weld application
• Put arc strikes in fusion path
– If welding interrupted, do proper restart procedure to ensure full fusion with previous
• Root runs shall be without interruptions (except for changing electrodes or
welder reposition himself)
– Do not allow welds to cool down until at least half wall thickness has been welded
• Do thorough inter-run cleaning & slag removal
• Do back-chipping, gouging & grinding thoroughly to sound metal before
welding the next layer
– Intermediate NDE may be required for very stringent or critical applications (per
Principal)
Open
 9. PWHT [PTS]
• PWHT for a PQR shall be per applicable code and
purchase order
• For production use, review and approve the heat
treatment procedure with purchaser prior to PWHT
• Show the following in WPS:
– Max heating rate
– Holding temp range
– Holding time
– Max cooling rate
– Or, make reference to separate project-specific PWHT
procedure
Open
 9. PWHT
• PWHT for a PQR shall be per applicable code and
purchase order
• For production use, review and approve the heat
treatment procedure with purchaser prior to PWHT
• Show the following in WPS:
– Max heating rate
– Holding temp range
– Holding time
– Max cooling rate
– Or, make reference to separate project-specific PWHT
procedure
Open
 9. PWHT
• Special heat treating methods (induction & internally
fired), purchaser to approve
• Unless purchaser waives, do PQR hardness test; testing
often waived when PWHT is done due to dimensional
stability or construction code thickness requirements
• When hardness test done due to service conditions
(per NACE RP0472, or defined by purchaser), use
12.6.1 for testing, unless otherwise specified
• When test is done due to other than service related
conditions, purchaser to specify the test requirements
• Purchaser may require production hardness testing,
per 12.6.2, or define company specific requirements
Open
 9. PWHT
• Purchaser to approve PWHT for austenitic SS or non-ferrous alloys
• WPQT for austenitic SS to ferritic steels welds shall use max PWHT temp
limit in welding procedure when SS is heated > 1300F (705C); except for
weld overlays
• When repairing a postweld heat-treated component without PWHT, follow
all applicable construction code requirements, or NB-23 or API 510
• When repairing cladding or overlay welds on low alloy steels without
PWHT, ensure min thickness of 3/16-in (5mm) for clad or overlay;
otherwise proof no new HAZ is formed
• Don’t exempt required PWHT for ferritic materials based on use of
austenitic or nickel-based filler materials (check applicable code)
• Don’t exempt PWHT for P4 & P5 materials for sour or hydrogen service
applications, or when chromium content > 1.25% (even if applicable code
allows)

Open
 10. Cleaning & Surface preparation
• Put in WPS methods for cleaning base metal surfaces
• Put any additional weld surface preparation requirements for
equipment to be coated afterwards
• Don’t weld when base metal is wet or damp
• Clean/gouge backside of double-welded joints to sound
metal, unless acceptable weld can be made without the
cleaning/gouging
• Remove all slag from backside of completed austenitic SS or
nickel-based alloy weld, unless purchaser permits
• May use aluminium flake weld-through primers for weld joint
surface protection
– WPS to show weld-through primer type & brand
– Don’t use other wed-through primers or coatings unless purchaser
Open
permits; may require additional procedure qualifications or weldability
tests
 11. Special procedure qualification
requirements/testing
• Include all additional test results in PQR
– Hardness test : results & location
– Impact test : absorbed energy values with test temp,
specimen size, % shear, & lateral expansion for
specified notch locations (when required)
• If purchaser specify, do mockups simulation
production conditions
• For special applications (purchaser says; eg.
severe corrosion service or high temp service),
may require special qualification tests e.g. stress
corrosion cracking or temper embrittlement tests.
Open
 11.2 Tube-to-tubesheet welding

• Qualify WPS per ASME 8 Div 2, Article F-3

• Vendor shall submit fabrication plan (includes
assembly, cleaning, weld preparation, rolling,
& testing) for purchaser approval
• Qualify WPS for seal welding of tube-to-
tubesheets per ASME 9

Open
 12. Other items – Backing Materials

• When metallic backing material is permitted

– Specify its P-number or chemical composition in
WPS and/or fab dwg
– For joints btw similar materials, match the
chemical composition with base metal

Open
 12. Other items – Peening

• Permitted only with purchaser approval

• Not permitted for root pass or final layer

Open
 12. Other items – Weld overlay & clad
restoration (back cladding)
• Qualify weld overlays per ASME 9
• WPS for weld overlay shall include chemical
composition/composition ranges of the major
elements for the particular alloy (see Appendix
B)
• Qualify single-sided welding of clad or weld
overlaid materials using the specified materials
• See Appendix B for detailed requirements &
guidelines for performing weld overlay & clad
restoration (back cladding)
Open
 12. Other items – Temporary attachments

• Shall be compatible with base metal, welding

per qualified weld procedure
• Remove temporary attachments by gouging or
grinding, and restore the base metal to
original condition before final heat treatment
(if required) & HT or final acceptance

Open
 12. Other items – Stud welding
• Automatically timed arc & resistance stud welding for attaching
load-carrying studs shall be per UW-27, UW-28 & UW-29 of ASME
8 Div 1 or AWS D1.1 Sec 7 for structural attachment
– Test a production test sample of at least 5 consecutively welded studs at
the start of each shift & after maintenance operations on the stud
welding equipment
• Test production welds with bend or hammer test per ASME 9,
QW 193; if purchaser permits accept joints with < 100% fusion
• Automatically timed arc & resistance stud welding for attaching
non-load-carrying studs shall be qualified on materials having
same chemistries as the production welds, and prepare a WPS
– Test a production test sample of at least 5 consecutively welded studs at
the start of each shift & after maintenance operations on the stud
welding equipment

Open
 12. Other items – Hardness testing – weld
procedure qualification & production testing
• When purchaser specify, WPQT shall include:
– Hardness test per ASTM E92 using 10kg load
• Shall meet requirements on production joints
• Do hardness survey on transverse weld cross section
– Perform hardness traverses 1/16-in (1.5mm) from
the internal & external surfaces (per Figure 12.1)
• Take HAZ readings approx 0.2mm from weld fusion line
– Hardness values = 248 HV10 or lower (for P1
materials (including S1, Group 1 & 2) in crack
inducing environments (per NACE RP0472,
identified by purchaser); other P numbers to be
specified by purchaser
– Record hardness test results in PQR

Open
 12. Other items – Hardness testing – weld
procedure qualification & production testing
• When purchaser specify, WPQT shall include:
– PQR hardness test, per purchaser specs
– Production hardness test, per purchaser specs
• Hardness test on pressure-retaining welds per NACE RP0472
• Test after PWHT
• Test location per NACE 0472 unless specified by applicable code/standard or
per purchaser specs
• Take readings in HAZ if specified by applicable code/standard
• Readings taken using portable hardness tester per ASTM A833. Other methods
can be used per purchaser. Take reading at process-side when possible
• Max allowable hardness (unless otherwise agreed btw mfr & purchaser)
– P-1, P-3, P-4 material = 225 Brinell
– P-1 material in crack-inducing environments per NACE RP0472 or per purchaser = 200
Brinell
– P-5A, P-5B Group 1, P-5C material = 241 Brinell
– P-5B Group 2 = to be agreed btw purchaser & fabricator
• Record all results and locations
Open
Open