Offshore Platform Welder Training

Lesson 1 • Regulatory and Certification Overview

Introduces the certification bodies, welding codes, and inspection standards governing offshore work. Students understand compliance requirements before beginning technical training.

Lesson 2 • Welder Roles and Responsibilities

Defines the offshore welder's scope of work, chain of command, and documentation duties. Connects individual accountability to overall project quality and safety outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Offshore Hazard Awareness

Identifies physical, chemical, and environmental hazards unique to offshore welding sites. Prepares students to recognize risk before formal safety procedures are introduced.

Lesson 1 • Permit-to-Work Systems

Explains hot work permits, isolation certificates, and simultaneous operations controls. Students practice completing and verifying permit documentation for offshore welding tasks.

Lesson 2 • Fire Prevention and Emergency Response

Teaches fire triangle principles, hot work fire watch duties, and offshore muster procedures. Students rehearse emergency shutdown and evacuation steps relevant to welding incidents.

Lesson 3 • Personal Protective Equipment Selection

Covers PPE categories required for offshore welding, including respiratory, eye, and flame-resistant gear. Students match PPE to specific hazard profiles encountered on platforms.

Lesson 4 • Working at Height and Rigging Safety

Covers fall arrest systems, scaffold inspection, and safe rigging of welding equipment at elevation. Prepares students for structural welding tasks on topsides and jacket legs.

Lesson 1 • Corrosion Mechanisms in Marine Environments

Describes galvanic, crevice, and stress corrosion cracking relevant to offshore structures. Students identify material and design choices that reduce corrosion risk at weld zones.

Lesson 2 • Steel Grades Used Offshore

Identifies carbon, low-alloy, and stainless steel grades common in offshore structures. Students read material certificates and match grades to structural service conditions.

Lesson 3 • Heat-Affected Zone Behavior

Explains microstructural changes in the heat-affected zone and their effect on toughness. Students connect HAZ behavior to preheat and interpass temperature controls.

Lesson 1 • Shielded Metal Arc Welding Fundamentals

Covers SMAW equipment setup, electrode classification, and arc control techniques. SMAW is the baseline process for offshore structural repair and is taught first for its versatility.

Lesson 2 • Process Selection and Parameter Optimization

Integrates all processes into a decision framework based on joint geometry, position, and material. Students complete parameter sheets and justify process choices for given offshore scenarios.

Lesson 3 • Flux-Cored Arc Welding Operations

Introduces FCAW wire types, shielding gas selection, and parameter optimization for offshore steels. Students compare FCAW productivity advantages against SMAW for structural applications.

Lesson 4 • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding for Critical Joints

Teaches GTAW technique for root passes and high-integrity joints in stainless and duplex steels. Students practice precise heat input control required for corrosion-resistant alloy welds.

Lesson 1 • Joint Design and Groove Geometry

Covers butt, fillet, T-joint, and tubular joint geometries used in offshore structures. Students select groove angles and root gaps based on WPS requirements and access constraints.

Lesson 2 • Surface Cleanliness and Contamination Control

Addresses rust, mill scale, moisture, and coating removal before welding. Students apply cleaning methods appropriate to material type and offshore environmental conditions.

Lesson 3 • Tubular and Node Joint Preparation

Focuses on the complex geometry of tubular intersections common in jacket structures. Students profile-cut and fit tubular joints to achieve consistent root gap around the full circumference.

Lesson 4 • Fit-Up, Alignment, and Tacking

Covers dimensional tolerances, alignment tools, and tack weld placement for structural joints. Students achieve fit-up within code tolerances using clamps, strongbacks, and wedges.

Lesson 1 • Reading Welding Procedure Specifications

Teaches WPS document structure, essential variables, and how to extract setup parameters. Students practice interpreting WPS documents before executing any procedure-controlled weld.

Lesson 2 • Procedure Qualification Testing

Covers the PQR test sequence, destructive test types, and acceptance criteria for offshore codes. Students understand how a failed test result triggers procedure revision.

Lesson 3 • Procedure Control During Production

Addresses how WPS compliance is maintained during live offshore welding operations. Students practice parameter monitoring and deviation reporting against procedure limits.

Lesson 1 • Welding in Confined and Restricted Spaces

Addresses body positioning, cable management, and ventilation for confined space welding offshore. Students practice welding in simulated restricted access conditions with full PPE.

Lesson 2 • Weld Defect Recognition and In-Process Correction

Identifies porosity, undercut, lack of fusion, and cracking during active welding operations. Students apply corrective technique adjustments before defects require formal repair.

Lesson 3 • Root Pass and Fill Sequence Control

Covers root pass techniques for open-root and backing-ring joints in structural pipe and plate. Students control fusion, penetration, and profile through each fill and cap pass.

Lesson 4 • All-Position Welding Techniques

Develops technique for flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions using SMAW and FCAW. Students build positional competency required for structural qualification tests.

Lesson 1 • Non-Destructive Testing Methods Overview

Introduces radiographic, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and dye penetrant testing principles. Students understand what each method detects and how to interpret basic NDT reports.

Lesson 2 • Visual Weld Inspection Techniques

Covers weld profile measurement, surface discontinuity identification, and acceptance criteria application. Students use gauges and lighting to inspect completed welds against code requirements.

Lesson 3 • Weld Defect Classification and Reporting

Teaches systematic defect classification using international discontinuity terminology and severity levels. Students complete non-conformance reports and initiate the disposition workflow.

Lesson 4 • Quality Records and Traceability

Addresses weld map completion, material traceability, and final dossier assembly for offshore projects. Students compile a complete weld quality package meeting handover requirements.