Welding Engineering Services

TES Canada provides welding engineering for pipeline operators, structural fabricators, equipment owners and industrial contractors. We support in-service welding, fabrication and repair, welding procedure development, CWB certification requirements and retained welding engineering services.

Our internal engineering team connects welding procedures with materials behaviour, inspection requirements and the intended service conditions. Support extends from defining the engineering basis through qualification planning, fabrication or field execution, and review of the completed records.

In-Service Pipeline Welding & Repair Engineering

Plan welding on operating pipelines around the condition of the pipe, the product in service and the proposed repair or connection. TES assesses the engineering feasibility of sleeve repairs, hot tapping, direct weld deposition and weld buildup before defining the procedure and operating controls.

• Burn-through and hydrogen-assisted cracking risk assessment using the available wall-thickness, material and operating data.
• Welding procedure engineering for pipeline sleeves, branch connections and deposition repairs, including heat-input limits, preheat, interpass temperature and weld sequencing.
• Review of thermal cycles and operating constraints; assessment of heat-treatment requirements and feasibility for the specific application.
• Qualification planning that represents the relevant operating conditions, inspection requirements and field engineering support.

Engineering feasibility remains specific to the asset and the proposed work. A qualified welding procedure alone does not establish that welding on a live pipeline is acceptable.

The agreed work package defines the assessed operating limits, inspection and test requirements, hold points, deviation controls and responsibilities for authorizing each stage of the work.

Structural Steel Welding & CWB Certification Support

Support structural steel fabricators and erectors in preparing for and maintaining company certification to CSA W47.1, with welding engineering aligned to applicable CSA W59 requirements.

• Certification gap assessments and preparation of welding documentation for CWB submission.
• Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) and Welding Procedure Data Sheet (WPDS) preparation and review.
• Retained welding engineering services, including the defined welding-engineer responsibilities for Division 2 companies.
• Technical support for procedure submissions, welding supervision interfaces, corrective actions and ongoing certification maintenance.

TES provides engineering and certification support. CWB evaluates the applicable requirements and makes company-certification and procedure-acceptance decisions. See our CWB retained welding engineering case study.

Welding Engineering for Fabrication, Modification & Repair

Translate the requirements of pressure vessels, industrial piping, storage tanks, structural steel and industrial equipment into practical welding instructions for new fabrication, modifications and repairs.

• Review of joint details, base and filler materials, welding processes and procedure suitability for the intended service.
• Welding requirements for fabrication and repair packages, including preheat, heat treatment, examination and testing interfaces.
• Engineering review of repair welding sequences, access restrictions and implementation constraints.
• Coordination with owners, fabricators, contractors and inspection teams; integration with repair engineering and jurisdictional submission support.

For pressure equipment within ABSA's scope in Alberta, support may include repair or alteration assessment, hot-tap procedure submission documentation and completion records, as applicable. Required permits, registrations and owner or regulator authorizations are established for the specific work.

WPS, PQR & WPDS Development and Independent Review

Develop welding procedures for the actual materials, joints, processes and service requirements, or independently review existing documents for compliance and suitability.

• WPS and WPDS preparation, and review of supporting Procedure Qualification Records (PQRs).
• Procedure qualification planning, test requirements and testing coordination, with PQR documentation based on actual qualification results.
• Review of qualification ranges, essential variables and application limits under the applicable standard.
• Welding documentation gap assessments and reconciliation of procedure, qualification and production records.

Procedure qualification and welder or welding-operator qualification are separate requirements. Test execution and any required witnessing or acceptance are arranged within the project scope.

Welding Engineering Advisory, Retained Support & Training

Provide project-specific and ongoing welding engineering support for fabrication shops, site teams and owner engineering groups.

• Technical troubleshooting of welding procedures, fabrication quality issues and recurring weld discontinuities.
• Retained engineering support with defined responsibilities, review arrangements and reporting.
• Technical training for engineers, supervisors, inspectors and production teams, tailored to their work and applicable requirements.
• Welding process selection and automation or robotics advisory for field and shop applications, including procedure and inspection implications.

Integrated Materials, Weld Integrity & NDT Support

Connect welding decisions with material compatibility, degradation mechanisms and the inspection evidence needed to assess weld integrity.

• Weldability, base-metal and filler-metal compatibility, and materials selection for new equipment, replacements and repairs.
• Metallurgical assessment of in-service degradation and materials compatibility reviews for process changes and life extension.
• Investigation of welding-related cracking and degradation, with metallurgical examination and testing coordination.
• Weld flaw assessment, Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA), repair assessment and NDT scope coordination, including coverage and sizing requirements.

Inspection results and engineering assessment answer different questions. The inspection scope should provide the flaw characterisation and material evidence needed for the assessment decision.

Typical Engineering Deliverables

Deliverables are selected to match the project scope and may include:

• Engineering basis and applicability review identifying the asset, service conditions, governing requirements and data gaps.
• WPSs, WPDSs, qualification plans and reviewed PQR packages, as applicable.
• In-service welding feasibility and risk assessment, with defined operating and welding controls.
• Welding and repair technical instructions, inspection and test plans, hold points, acceptance interfaces and defined completion or release records.
• CWB submission documentation, certification gap reports and corrective-action support.
• Materials or weld integrity assessment reports and documented recommendations.
• Retained engineering review records, technical training materials and completion-documentation reviews.

Applicable Codes & Standards

The governing code basis is established for each project. Relevant references include:

Operating pipelines

CSA Z662; API Standard 1104; API RP 2201 for hot tapping; applicable ASME PCC-2 repair provisions. ASME B31.4 or B31.8 where relevant to the governing pipeline basis.

Structural steel

CSA W47.1 for company certification and CSA W59 for welded steel construction; applicable CWB procedure and personnel requirements.

Pressure vessels and industrial piping

ASME BPVC Section IX for welding qualification, together with the applicable construction or repair requirements, such as ASME BPVC Section VIII, ASME B31.3 and ASME PCC-2. CSA B51 and jurisdictional requirements where applicable.

Storage tanks

Applicable API 650 construction or API 653 in-service repair requirements, with welding qualifications as specified by the governing standard.

Weld integrity and examination

Applicable flaw-assessment frameworks, including BS 7910 or API 579-1/ASME FFS-1, and the governing examination requirements, including ASME BPVC Section V where specified.

The applicable edition, amendments, client specifications and jurisdictional requirements are confirmed at project outset. A standard reference does not establish regulatory approval or make every provision applicable to every asset.

TES Engineering Qualifications & Integrated Support

TES delivers these services through its internal engineering resources, combining welding engineering, materials assessment, weld inspection and integrity engineering. The team includes Professional Engineer and CWB Level 3 Welding Inspector qualifications and provides retained welding engineering services under the applicable CWB framework.

Project responsibilities are defined around the equipment, governing requirements and scope of work. Engineering review, qualification testing, inspection, company certification and regulatory acceptance each have distinct responsibilities.

Our Welding Engineering Workflow

Define the requirement

Confirm the asset, intended work, service conditions, client requirements and applicable code basis.

Review the evidence

Assess drawings, material records, procedure qualifications, inspection findings and operating information. Identify gaps that affect feasibility or execution.

Develop the engineering solution

Evaluate the welding or repair approach and establish procedures, materials, thermal controls and inspection requirements.

Coordinate qualification and reviews

Plan testing and any required witnessing, procedure acceptance, certification submissions or jurisdictional reviews.

Support implementation and closeout

Provide agreed engineering support during fabrication or field work, address findings and review completion records against the defined scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can TES help our company obtain or maintain CWB certification?

Yes. TES supports CSA W47.1 certification preparation and maintenance through welding engineering, WPS/WPDS documentation, submission support and corrective actions. Certification is issued by CWB after its requirements are satisfied.

Does a P.Eng designation or Level 3 inspector qualification automatically qualify someone as a retained welding engineer?

No. Professional registration, welding inspector certification and the welding-engineer requirements under the applicable CWB framework are distinct. Retained appointments must meet the requirements for the company and certification scope.

Can welding be performed while a pipeline remains in service?

That requires a project-specific assessment. Pipe condition, materials, product, operating conditions, repair geometry and welding variables must be reviewed alongside qualification and execution controls. Some conditions may require a different repair approach or removal from service.

What is the difference between a WPS, a PQR and a WPDS?

A WPS sets out the welding procedure requirements. A PQR records the variables and results of a procedure qualification test. A WPDS provides detailed welding parameters and joint information within the applicable CWB documentation framework. Their required content and acceptance depend on the governing standard.

Does TES carry out qualification testing and production welding?

TES develops the engineering and qualification plan and coordinates testing within the agreed scope. The proposal identifies the test provider, witnessing arrangements and fabrication or field responsibilities; these activities are not implied by an engineering engagement.

Can TES assess weld flaws identified by NDT?

Yes. TES integrates weld integrity assessment, ECA and repair assessment with inspection scope development. The assessment method and evidence requirements depend on the flaw, material, loads and governing acceptance framework.

What information should we provide for an initial review?

Provide the equipment or pipeline details, intended work, governing requirements, material specifications, drawings, existing procedures and qualification records, relevant inspection results, and operating conditions. TES can then define the engineering scope and additional information needed.

Connected TES Canada Services

Repair Engineering & Jurisdictional Submission Support

Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA)

Fitness-for-Service Assessment

ISO 3834 Welding Quality Requirements Support

Inspection Specification & Scope Development

Management of Change (MOC)

Technical Training

Tell us what you need to fabricate, modify, repair or assess. TES will review the available information and define the welding engineering support required for your project.

Contact TES Canada