The Task Of The Offshore Welder And Associated Safety Measures

By Edward Toh


The installation of gas rigs and oil rigs demand the skill and expertise of an authorized offshore welder, as underwater welding in Malaysia just isn't a straightforward task by any means. Underwater welding is used for the welding of work pieces fabricated from a wide variety of raw material, such as steel, copper and aluminium, among varied other metals. A common example could be a pipeline supply.

The basis for the classification of underwater welding is the nature of the equipment that is to be utilized for the task at hand as well as the welding procedure that's undertaken. One of the common welding techniques employed for the purpose of underwater welding procedures is manual metal arc welding. The advantage provided by this process is that it is relatively insensitive to the depth at which the welding process is being carried out. It's hence best fitted to repair work in deep water.

In Malaysia, the utilization of cofferdams (protective structures fabricated from steel) to house the offshore welder is a common safety precaution. This procedure can be termed as cofferdam welding. Hyperbaric welding is one other underwater welding technique that is useful for welding or repairing of pipeline supply and other similar welding tasks. In this process, a sealed enclosure protects the work piece, and is filled with a combination of helium and oxygen at .5 bar. Manual metal arc welding is mixed with hyperbaric welding to create high integrity welds at great depths, especially for welds like tie-ins in pipelines and risers.

The offshore welder employs the underwater welding procedure to weld steel pipeline supply, parts of large ships that are underwater, structures used in the support of harbors, and other related projects. Such projects are on the rise in Malaysia, providing new opportunities for the offshore welder.

Working at depths starting from 0.5 to 1 kilometer comes with the dangers of hydrogen-assisted cracking. In an effort to prevent this from happening, new and improved power sources are made use of, coupled with electrode coating formulations which are appropriate for the welding task.

The procedures involved in underwater welding processes in Malaysia, or another nation for that matter, can pose a threat to the lifetime of the offshore welder, if the necessary safety precautions are not undertaken. These include the utilization of appropriate protective apparel, use of proper equipment and welding consumables, and thorough inspection of all working conditions and welding process before the task is undertaken.

Underwater welders are exposed to potential electric shocks and the introduction of nitrogen into their bloodstream in deep waters, as a result of being exposed to air at elevated levels of pressure underwater. For construction and repairs of pipeline supply, or installing oil and gas rigs or for that matter any underwater welding task, emergency air supply needs to be made available, along with the supply of decompression chambers.

Decompression sickness happens when saturation diving is followed by rapid resurfacing. Stand-by divers ought to be obtainable at all times in case any mishap occurs or assistance is required through the process. The safety of all those involved in the procedure is of prime importance.




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