SAEP – 324

Scope – Certification Review and Registration of Project Welders.

TERMS for Discussion

1- MSAER – Mandatory Saudi Aramco Requirement

2- Chairman, Project Quality Standards Committee
3- PWTC - Contractor Project Welder Tracking Coordinator.
4- IEU – Inspection Engineering Unit
5- OID – Operation Inspection Department
6- PMT – Project Management Team
7- WTA – Welder Testing Agency
8- WTS – Welder Tracking System
9- WRR – Welder Rejection Rate
10- JCC – Welder Job Clearance Card

Terms Used with respect to the Welders

1- Certified Welder –
2- Qualified Welder - The term Certified welder is preferred/
3- Contractor Welder –
4- Registered Welder –
5- Uncertified Welder-
6- Unqualified Welder – The term Uncertified welder is preferred
7- Qualification Card -

Documents Related to a Welder

1- Welder Certification – Certification in writing that a welder has produced a test weld
meeting a defied standard issued by an approved WTA (Welder Testing Agency)
2- Certified Welder – A welder having a valid Certification and approved agency qualification
card.
3- Uncertified welder – A Welder that does not have a valid welder certification from an
approved Welder Testing Agency.
4- Contractor welder – A welder working directly for, and under the supervision of a
contractor.
5- Registered Welder – A welder whose certification has been reviewed and found to be
acceptable, and is listed in the Welder Registration and Tracking System established for
specific project.
6- Welder performance continuity record – A record maintained to document welder’s
qualification and his continuity of production welds
7- Welder Performance Qualification – The demonstration of a welder’s ability to produce test
welds meeting a defined standard.

Welder Job clearance card (JCC) – Form SA-4758-ENG issued by Saudi Aramco Inspection
Agency to contractor’s welder after verification of Qualification Card and certificate issued by Saudi
Aramco approved WTA. JCC will allow the welder to start welding.

Contents of JCC

a. Welder Name
 b. Photographs
c. Symbols
d. Limits of Qualification
e. Project Reference (BI Number / JO Number or Work Order Number)
f. Name of Contractor company
g. Saudi Aramco Inspector’s Name and Signature.

Retraining – Welder shall require min 40 Hrs of practice and instruction on the applicable welding
process and has to produce evidence of attending the same, for reinstating the welder qualification
certificate after the expiration period or revoke.

Process of Starting of Welding Process

a- Contractor shall submit a Welder Registration Tracker & Tracking System to Project
Inspector
b- Contractor to establish a welder performance monitoring system or Welder Data tracking
system to be used throughout the life cycle of the project as per SAEP -1160
c- Prior to start of production welding – Contractor shall submit welder’s Qualification
Certificate and / or Welders performance continuity record.
d- PID issues JCC
e- JCC should be carried in Original with PID original signature
f- Once the JCC is issued the welder shall be registered in the Project’s Welder Registration &
Tracking System.
g- Withdrawal of JCC shall be done through Project Management.

Q - When requalification and certification of Welder is required?

A- In the absence of valid Welder’s Performance Continuity Record

Q – What are the documents the Welders Performance Continuity

A- Welder certifications and previous performance history supported by a permanent NDT report (

RT or UT). Welder has been welding within the past 6 months.

Q- Welder not registered in welder registration & tracking system be allowed to perform welding?

A – No.

Q- Welders returning to the same project within how much time do not require retesting

A – 6 months

Q – What is the process of reinstating the welder ?

A – Written proof of Training and the successful completion of a recertification test by approved
WTA

Welder Classification based on welder performance

Welder JCC Status Linear Repair Joint Repair Rate

Classification Rate (Lr/ Lw) (Jr/Jw)
A Acceptable Max 0.2% 5% Level A
 B Acceptable Max 0.4% 7.5 % Level B
C Max 0.5%
D Not Acceptable Above 0.5% Above 7.5 %

Lr => Is the welders total length of repair in one week

Lw => is the welders total length of repair in one week

Jr => is the total rejected welds

Jw=>is the total joint welds radiographed

Monitoring Process of a new welder

The first 3 productions but welds, made, regardless of the welding process shall be 100% examined
by the applicable NDE methods

The First 3 production but welds will not be included in the welding statistics or weld repair rates for
daily welding production percentage.

Targeted performance – WRR is 0.2 % on linear method & 5% on Weld joint method.

Level A & B – is cost effective

Level C – is not cost effective and require close supervision.

Level D – If WRR target is not achieved within 2-3 weeks

a- Re-training and retesting

b- Revoke qualification and remove from production work.