Rig Welding
Welding is one of the most critical trades on any oil rig. Structural failures in an offshore environment can be catastrophic — every weld matters.
Welding Processes Used on Rigs
| Process | Full Name | Best Used For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMAW | Shielded Metal Arc (Stick) | Structural repairs, pipe, windy conditions | Workhorse of rig welding. Works outdoors. Simple equipment. |
| GTAW | Gas Tungsten Arc (TIG) | Stainless steel, exotic alloys, precision | Highest quality weld. Slow. Requires clean conditions. |
| FCAW | Flux-Cored Arc Welding | Fast structural welds, windy outdoor work | Self-shielded variant works in wind where MIG fails. |
| GMAW | Gas Metal Arc (MIG) | Shop fabrication, indoor repairs | Fast and clean, but shielding gas disrupted by wind. |
| Hyperbaric | Dry Underwater Welding | Subsea structural repair | Done inside pressurized dry habitat. Best quality underwater weld, down to ~1,000m. See full guide. |
| Wet | Wet Underwater Welding | Emergency repairs, 30–400 ft depth | Welder is directly in water. Lower quality than hyperbaric. |
Which Standard Applies to What
Rig welding is not governed by one standard. Which one applies depends on what you are welding, not who you work for — and a ticket to one does not qualify you for another.
API 1104
Pipeline welding standard. Mandatory for most rig pipeline positions. Tests welding in multiple positions.
Pipeline — EssentialAWS D1.1
Structural steel welding standard. Required for platform, derrick, and structural work. 6G pipe is the highest standard.
Structural — EssentialAWS D3.6M
Underwater welding certification. Required for any subsea welding work.
Underwater WeldingASME Section IX
Pressure vessel and boiler welding qualification. Required for high-pressure vessel and piping work.
Pressure VesselsExplore Welding
Underwater Welding
How hyperbaric and wet welding actually work, what it pays, and how to become a commercial diver-welder.
Hyperbaric & Wet Welding →Certifications & Career Path
The complete progression from junior welder to CWI inspector, with pay at every stage.
Read More →Four Different Jobs
"Rig welder" covers four fairly different jobs. They use overlapping processes but different standards, different hours, and in practice different people — a hand who is excellent at one is not automatically employable in another.
Maintenance and Repair
The day-to-day: handrails, walkways, skid frames, cracked brackets, worn wear plates. Usually SMAW, usually awkward positions, often around live operations with a hot work permit in force. This is where most rig welders spend most of their time.
Most CommonStructural
Derrick members, substructure, crane pedestals, platform steel. Governed by AWS D1.1, inspected properly, and the work most likely to be scrutinised after the fact — because a failure here does not stay local.
AWS D1.1Pipework and Pressure
Mud lines, choke and kill lines, pressure piping, vessels. API 1104 or ASME Section IX depending on the system. Root pass quality matters more than appearance, and radiography will find what a grinder hides.
API 1104 / ASME IXSubsea
A different trade that happens to involve welding. You are a commercial diver first and a welder second, working to AWS D3.6M. Covered separately on the underwater welding page.
AWS D3.6MWhat the Job Is Actually Like
Rig welding is outdoor work on a steel structure that moves. Offshore, the deck is never entirely still, and wind pulls the shielding gas off a TIG puddle badly enough that a lot of subsea and topside work reverts to stick for that reason alone.
Almost every job requires a hot work permit, a fire watch, and a gas test before an arc is struck — the whole system is described in the permit to work guide. On a live rig, the permit is often the constraint on when you can work, not the welding itself.
The hazards are the usual ones concentrated into a small space: arc flash, hexavalent chromium in stainless fume, confined space entry, hot work next to hydrocarbon systems, and working at height on the derrick. Respiratory protection and the correct shade are not optional, and are covered in the PPE guide.
Schedules follow the rig, not the trade — offshore rotations rather than day shifts. Pay reflects that, and is broken down by role in the salary guide.