CHANGES REQUIRING REQUALIFICATION

Sl.
No

SP 1177

API - 1104

SP 1174

SP - 1173

BASE MATERIAL:

BASE MATERIAL:

BASE MATERIAL:

BASE MATERIAL:

SMYS 52,000 psi (360Mpa).

SMYS 60,000 psi (415Mpa).
CE - + 0.03 and 0.06

SMYS 42,000 psi (290 Mpa)

SMYS > 42,000 psi < 65,000 psi (448
Mpa)
SMYS 65,000 psi

An increase in the CE value < 0.03

units for sour service and 0.04 units
for non-sour from that qualified shall
also be considered an essential
variable

An increase in the CE value > 0.03

units shall also be considered an
essential variable

JOINT DESIGN:

JOINT DESIGN:

JOINT DESIGN:

Any change in bevel type or in

bevel angle, root face or root gap
dimensions outside the tolerances
shown in the approved WPS, shall
be considered as essential
variables.

A major change in joint design (for

example, from V groove to U groove)
constitutes an essential variable.
Minor changes in the angle of bevel or
the land of the welding groove are not
essential variables.

POSITION:
WPSs for manually welded line
pipe butt joints shall be qualified in
the 5G positions to cover
production-welding positions.
Automatic welds shall be qualified
for each position to be used in
production. Branches, attachment
welds
& Ancillary piping may be qualified
in the production welding position
or, to cover all positions, in the 6G
position, at the option of the
Contractor.

POSITION:

Where a joint bevel angle of < 60

is used for qualification, a decrease
of > 5 shall require re-qualification.
For non-sour service, single bevel
and double bevel (K) preparations
qualify single vees and double vees
(X) respectively but not vice versa.
For sour service, single-sided and
double-sided preparations shall be
separately qualified.
Removable backing strips or
inserts, if permitted, require
separate qualification
WELDING POSITION:

Page 1 of 6

A change in position from roll to fixed,

or vice versa, constitutes an essential
variable.

PQRs qualified in the 6G or 2 G and

5 G positions with the same
essential variables shall cover all
positions in production welding.

CHANGES REQUIRING REQUALIFICATION

DIRECTION OF WELDING:
A change in the direction of welding
from vertical downhill to vertical uphill,
or vice versa, constitutes an essential
variable.
FILLER METAL:

FILLER METAL AND NUMBER OF

BEADS:
a)

Low hydrogen
consumables shall be used
for grades API X70 (F70)
or higher except for root
pass. Low hydrogen
consumables shall be used
for fitting and flange
welding, if CE is > 0.40%
or wall thickness is grater
than 19 mm except for root
pass. Low hydrogen
consumables shall be used
for line pipe welding when
wall thickness is > 25 mm
except for root pass.
b) b) Details of the filler metal
sizes, classification, and
manufacturer/brand name
shall be stated on the WPS
for each pass. Details of
consumable pre-treatment
shall also be included on
the WPS.
c) c) For SMAW, maximum
bead width should be
restricted to 2.5 times the
electrode diameter. Based
on the minimum line pipe
thickness of 4.8 mm
normally specified for
pipelines, joints shall be
completed with a minimum
of three beads.

Page 2 of 6

A change from one filler-metal

group to another.

For pipe materials with a

specified minimum yield
strength greater than or
equal to 65,000 psi (448
Mpa), a change in the AWS
classification of the filler
metal

WELDING PROGRESSION:

FILLER METAL:

A change in the diameter of electrode

or filler wire. One size increase is
acceptable for passes other than root
and hot passes.

A change from uphill to downhill or

vice versa
FILLER METAL/ELECTRODE AND
FLUX:
For sour service or when impact
tested materials are used:
Any change in size, classification, and
plant of origin or trade name.
For non-sour service or when nonimpact tested material are used:
Any change of consumable
classification. Only one size variation
between the electrode (SMAW) and
filler metal (GTAW) size used for
qualification test and for subsequent
production welding may be permitted.
However, for the root pass of single
side welds, any increase in
consumable size is considered as an
essential variable.

CHANGES REQUIRING REQUALIFICATION

DIAMETER (D):

A change in pipe or branch diameter

outside the following ranges:

PIPE DIAMETER AND WALL

THICKNESS:

< 323.9 mm: 0.5 OD to 2 OD

>323.9 mm: > 0.5 OD
The wall thickness range shall be
0.75t to 1.5t of the test weld. For
materials with SMYS < 360 N/mm
(i.e. up to grade X 52), the
thickness range may be 0.5 t to 1.5
t. For branches (including
weldolets) D means outside
diameter of the branch/weldolets at
the weld toe.

D < 168.3 mm; 0.5 D to 2 D

PIPE DIAMETER AND WALL

THICKNESS:
WALL THICKNESS:
A change from one wall thickness
group to another constitutes an
essential variable.

323.9 mm - 0.5 OD to 2 OD
>323.9 mm - 0.5 OD
The wall thickness range shall be 0.5t
to 1.5t of the test weld.

D > 168.3 mm; > 0.5 D and plates

For set-in branch welds, D is the
outside diameter of the run pipe and
for set-on branch welds, the outside
diameter of the branch pipe.
Approval given for a welded plate
qualification also covers pipes of D >
600 mm.
THICKNESS:
T < 4.8 mm; T to 2 T
4.8< T < 19; 0.5T to 2T or 19 mm
whichever is less
25> T<35; 0.5T to 35 mm

SHIELDING GAS AND FLOW

RATE:

SHIELDING GAS AND FLOW RATE:

SHIELDING GAS AND FLOW RATE:

SHIELDING OR BACKING
GAS FLOW:

A change of shielding or backing

gas flow rate to that outside the
range 20% of the average value
qualified and specified shall also
constitute an essential variable.

A change from one shielding gas to

another or from one mixture of gases
to another constitutes an essential
variable. A major increase or
decrease in the range of flow rates for
the shielding gas also constitutes an
essential variable.

A change of shielding or backing gas

flow rate to one outside the range
20% of the average value qualified and
specified shall also constitute an
essential variable.

A change of more than 20% in

shielding or backing gas flow or
the discontinuance of backing
gas purging at a stage earlier
than that of the qualification test.

SHIELDING FLUX:

SHIELDING FLUX:
8

Any change in flux classification,

manufacturer or brand name shall
constitute an essential variable.

Page 3 of 6

For changes in shielding flux that

constitute essential variables.

SHIELDING OR BACKING
GAS COMPOSITION:
Any change.

CHANGES REQUIRING REQUALIFICATION

SPEED OF TRAVEL:
Any change in the range of qualified
speed of travel, or electrode run out
length, shall constitute an essential
variable.

SPEED OF TRAVEL:

SPEED OF TRAVEL:

A change in the range for speed of

travel constitutes an essential
variable.

Any change in the range of qualified

speed of travel, or electrode run out
length, shall constitute an essential
variable

TIME BETWEEN PASSES:

An increase in the maximum time
between completion of the root bead
and the start of the second bead
constitutes an essential variable.

10

PREHEAT OR INTERPASS
TEMPERATURE:

PREHEAT:

11

Any decrease below or any

increase greater than 100C above
the specified and qualified minimum
preheat temperature,
or any increase in the specified
maximum interpass temperature
shall constitute essential variables.
Maximum interpass temperature
shall not exceed 250 C

HEAT INPUT RANGE:

12

Any change in average welding

heat input per pass outside the
range 15% of that qualified shall
be considered an essential variable.
Amps, volts and travel speed (or
electrode run-out length) may be
varied to the extent that the heat
input variation is maintained within
the 15% range. For sour service,
the heat input shall not fall below
that recorded during procedure
approval testing.

Page 4 of 6

PRE-HEAT:
A decrease in the specified minimum
pre-heat temperature constitutes an
essential variable.

PREHEAT:
Any decrease below the qualified
minimum preheats temperature or any
increase greater than 100C in the
specified minimum preheat shall
constitute an essential variable.

Any reduction in preheats

temperature. Any increase of more
than 50 C when supplementary
variables are applicable. Any increase
of more than 100 C when
supplementary variables are not
applicable. For 3% Ni steels, any
increase in preheat temperature and
any reduction in preheat temperature
more than 25 C.

WELDING CURRENT OR HEAT

INPUT:
HEAT INPUT:
Any change in average welding heat
input per pass outside the range 15%
of that qualified shall be considered an
essential variable. Amps, volts and
travel speed (or electrode run-out
length) may be varied to the extent that
the heat input variation is maintained
within the 15% range. For sour service,
the heat input shall not fall below that
recorded during procedure approval
testing.

The calculated average heat input per

pass shall not be decreased by more
than 20% for non-sour service or by
more than 10% for sour service. For
SS, any change greater than + 15%.
When impact testing is required as
per ASME B31.3, any change greater
than + 5%.

CHANGES REQUIRING REQUALIFICATION

13

WIRE FEED SPEED:

WIRE FEED SPEED:

Any change outside of the range

specified on the approved for
construction WPS shall constitute
an essential variable.

Any change outside of the range

specified on the approved for
construction WPS shall constitute an
essential variable

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
A change from DC electrode positive
to DC electrode negative or vice versa
or a change in current from DC to AC
or vice versa constitutes an essential
variable.

14

NUMBER AND SEQUENCE OF

WELD BEADS:
15

ELECTRICAL
CHARACTERISTICS:

Any change in the sequence of

deposition, e.g. a change from
temper bead deposition pattern,
shall constitute an essential
variable.

A change of electrode polarity or

current type, including the addition or
deletion of pulsating current.
NUMBER AND SEQUENCE OF WELD
BEADS:

NUMBER AND SEQUENCE OF

PASSES:

Any change in the sequence of

deposition, e.g. a change from temper
bead deposition pattern, shall constitute
an essential variable.
NUMBER OF WELDERS:

For sour service or when impact

tested materials (ITCS) are used, any
change in the sequence of filling or
capping passes

NUMBER OF WELDERS:
16

A change in the number of root

pass and hot (second) pass welders
shall constitute an essential
variable.

For pipe with D over 323.9 mm, any

change in the number of root pass and
hot (second) pass welders shall
constitute an essential variable.

REMOVAL OF LINE-UP CLAMP:

REMOVAL OF LINE-UP CLAMP:
17

Removal of the line-up clamp at a

stage earlier than stated in the
approved for construction WPS
shall constitute an essential
variable.

Page 5 of 6

Removal of the line-up clamp at a stage

earlier than stated in the approved for
construction WPS shall constitute an
essential variable.

CHANGES REQUIRING REQUALIFICATION

PARTIALLY COMPLETED JOINT:

18

19

PARTIALLY COMPLETED JOINT:

Any change in the minimum number

of runs before the joint is allowed to
cool shall constitute an essential
variable. The welding of fittings and
flanges shall be completed in one
cycle.

Any change in the minimum number of

runs before the joint is allowed to cool
shall constitute an essential variable.

TUNGSTEN ELECTRODE
CLASSIFICATION:

TUNGSTEN ELECTRODE
CLASSIFICATION:

Where the GTAW process is used,

any change in the tungsten
electrode AWS class and size shall
constitute an essential variable.

Where the GTAW process is used, any

change in the tungsten electrode AWS
class and size shall constitute an
essential variable.

PWHT:
20

Page 6 of 6

The addition of PWHT or a change

from the ranges or values specified in
the procedure shall each constitute an
essential variable.

PWHT:
The addition or deletion of PWHT and
any change in heat treatment
procedure or parameters.