Safe Welding Initiatives

Abstract Maintaining safety while operation and maintenance process is a challenge. Nowadays, challenges can be tackled by new approach such as adopting 4IR technologies. One of the maintenance activities is welding process which associated with safety and risk concern such as fumes inhalation, physical hazards, heat zone radiation, and welding Hazards. To mitigate these concerns, new technology can be adapted such as "Automated Pipe welding Technology" and "In Line Weld Test Tool (IWTT)". Automated Pipe welding Technology Automated robotic pipe welding technology is a new generation with advance features to support welding activities. Deployment of this technology has been successfully completed, and it is a part of initiatives towards solving challenges using 4IR technologies. The Automated robotic pipe welding machine will be very useful to handle high capacity fabrication works including, but not limited to, Preventative Maintenance Shutdown, T&I workloads, emergency jobs and corroded piping replacements along with routine welding jobs. It can for example, weld 8″ OD pipe just in eight minutes with the highest accuracy and weld quality instead of four hours regular welding period using manual welding processes. The core of the Automated welding technology is its unique vision-based penetration control system. It is equipped with a video camera integrated into the welding arm that can continuously analyze the image of the root-pass welding. In Line Weld Test Tool (IWTT) In Line Weld Test Tool (IWTT) is a new technology supporting pipe replacement activities during the welding stage. Deployment of this technology has been successfully completed with proven the effectiveness of the technology. IWTT will be very useful to reduce maintenance turnaround time and total cost as well as maintaining oil production sustainability. IWTT provides a verified and monitored atmospheric barrier (ambient isolation) to perform welding process safely and efficiently. Also, it provides a fast and efficient method of verifying the integrity of new weld joints and to perform the hydrostatic weld test for the new weld joint. This will reduce the system downtime, minimize environmental impact, and increase the safety in the field activities. In addition, it will minimize the overall consumption of the treated water to perform hydrotest.