A Look at Gas Pipeline Welding Jobs

Gas pipeline welding jobs may vary from company to company, but their most important function is to weld pipes permanently, with heat their primary method. Part of their job also requires fitting pipes and laying them properly. This has to be done before they can be bonded together.

Job Description

The majority of pipe welders work in the gas and oil industries as they have to weld pipes that will be utilized for transporting oil, fossil fuels and gas. This isn’t always the case of course, as other welders need to weld pipes to be used in sewers and power plants. It goes without saying that there are some risks involved in the job, so they need to get the proper training prior to starting a career in this field.

Pipe welders begin their jobs by laying down the pipes based on blueprints provided to them. They may use titanium, cast iron or other types of metals and apply it in sewers, water mains, drains, gas and oil lines. Once the pipes are in place, welding may commence.

Methods Used

A pipe welder has different tools, and the type of metals they are working on and the circumstances will determine what type of tool has to be used. In certain cases, pipes have to be welded manually. If they need to perform manual bonding, heat ha has to be used. But in some cases though, a pipe welder will rely on a semiautomatic welding and use a welding machine capable of feeding wire around pipelines, bonding them.

As a pipe welder, you need to understand the different positions such as vertical position (2G), pipe incline fixed (6G), horizontal fixed position (5G) and horizontal rolled position (1G). Because of this, a pipe welder has to learn difficult and at time complicated tasks. Their job also requires them to work at different angles so they can get to pipe joints and weld them into one piece.

Required Training

A pipe welder needs to have some sort of formal training at a community or technical school, and you can also get training at special brazing, soldering and welding schools. Among the programs and coursework that you need to work on or be familiar with are metallurgy, physics, chemistry, blueprint reading, mechanical drawing and mathematics.

It is also vital for aspiring welders to participate in an apprenticeship program where they can increase their knowledge about electricity and computers too. Furthermore, before you can apply for a job as a pipeline welder, you need to get a certification at the American Welding Society.

Other Information

Pipe welders can be a difficult job as they are surrounded by strong light and hot materials, so they need to wear the proper gear while working. Part of their gear includes safety shoes, face shields, masks and goggles. In addition, they need to work in work spaces designed for welding.

Because their work is often physically demanding, you need to be physically so you won’t get tired by standing, stooping and benign for extended periods of time. They must also carry heavy objects from time to time.

The typical working schedule is 40 hours a week, but overtime is not uncommon. While technological advancements have been made, the need for welders is still high, with the demands still expected to go up until 2017.

Bio: Dana Johnson is a 35 year writer from Canada who has written extensively about different type of jobs in the gas refining industry. In her spare time she loves to travel and write in her blog forhttp://www.jobprimer.com/. Dana is now living in Toronto with her two cats.