Welding Supervisor - Pipeline Production Group

Role Overview

Welding Supervisor - Pipeline Production Group at McDermott, offshore and onshore pipeline construction environments.

Role Purpose

Oversee all welding operations to ensure pipeline weld integrity, optimal equipment and personnel performance, and compliance with project specifications, welding procedures, and safety standards during offshore and onshore pipeline construction.

Key Responsibilities

Welding Operations Supervision

• Supervise, implement and monitor pipeline welding activities at firing line and onsite construction stations as per Inspection plans and procedures in alignment with project approved procedures and international standards.
• Review planned welding cycle time and ensure execution as per cycle time, guiding personnel through any issues.
• Monitor actual pipelay rate against planned figures and provide technical support to resolve day-to-day issues during pipeline construction.
• Manage welding personnel, assign daily tasks, monitor productivity and ensure proper use of equipment and consumables.

Welding Readiness and Start-up

• Ensure Welding readiness with respect to availability of Welding procedures, Welding stations, Qualified Welders, Welding consumables and spares, and competent personnel to comply with project schedule.
• Ensure readiness of firing line and onsite welding activities, resolve start-up issues and ensure sufficient shielding gas and welding consumables.
• Participate in kick-off meetings, readiness reviews including lessons learned during project set-up and start of Welding procedure and welder qualification.

Quality Assurance and Inspection

• Ensure first line inspection by verifying materials, welding consumables, checking shielding gas quality on arrival and verifying qualification of welders or liaising with PPG Welding Engineer and QCI onboard to confirm.
• Conduct fit-up and visual inspections to ensure compliance with project specification and procedures.
• Coordinate with NDT team for NDT results and mark repairs on welds correctly.
• Troubleshoot technical and quality-related welding issues and implement corrective actions focused on welding parameters through software for automatic welds, bevel geometry control, pre-heat and inter-pass control.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Liaise with Field and Production Engineer, Barge Superintendent, QC, NDT Supervisor, Certifying Authority, PPG Welding Lead, Equipment Lead, FJC Supervisor and NDT Lead during pipeline construction to ensure timely clearance for production continuity.
• Liaise with Welding Lead for operation and technical matters during system setup, production welding, welding parameters, inspection and fit-up during pipeline execution.
• Interface with client representatives and third-party inspectors during audits and inspections when required.
• Participate in daily coordination meetings, safety and Quality toolbox talks with construction and QHSES team.

Inventory and Resource Management

• Monitor and ensure inventory of welding consumables, shielding gases, spares and consumables are available onboard by raising requisitions in a timely manner to avoid downtime.
• Optimize resources and mitigate risks to deliver pipelines as per MDR safety and quality requirements on schedule and within budget.

Records and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of welding operations, including welder records, repair details, downtime, station timing and certifications of welders.
• Maintain detailed daily reports and records of all welding activities such as joints welded, breakdown of equipment, welding consumables, repair statistics, welder traceability and resource utilization.
• Share daily reports with PPG team.

Compliance and Safety

• Ensure compliance with MDR HSE requirements and quality assurance procedures throughout all stages of pipeline operations.
• Ensure pipeline weld integrity by ensuring welding activities are executed in compliance to project specifications, welding procedure and project procedures.

Workforce Development

• Assess competency of welders and bevel operators.
• Arrange training and mentoring the team to develop skills.
• Coordinate training and development of the workforce to improve welding methodology and good workmanship practices.
• Provide feedback to improve welding procedure to ensure high productivity and consistent weld quality during procedure qualification test and pipeline construction.

Project Closeout

• Ensure close-out of project and provide lessons learned during construction.
• Ensure accountability for Welding station activities during project execution with respect to Welding readiness, start-up, production KPI, minimize downtime and lessons learned.

Qualifications & Experience

• High school diploma minimum; preference for a technical qualification or trade certificate in a relevant field.
• Minimum 5–10 years of hands-on experience in pipeline welding, preferably on offshore projects.
• At least 2 years in supervisory roles.
• Knowledge of automatic or semi-automatic welding machines.
• Proficiency in reading technical drawings, Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and inspection plan documents.
• In-depth knowledge of various base materials used in oil and gas pipeline including carbon steel and CRA clad steel.
• Knowledge of ILUC working principles.
• Knowledge of Argon purging (CRA case).
• Knowledge of monitoring copper shoe wearing-off status.

Skills & Competencies

• Supervision and team management.
• Technical troubleshooting of welding equipment and procedures.
• Welding parameter optimization through software control for automatic welds.
• Bevel geometry and pre-heat and inter-pass control.
• First-line inspection and visual verification.
• Stakeholder communication and coordination across multidisciplinary teams.
• Safety and quality compliance.
• Record-keeping and daily reporting.
• Workforce training and mentoring.
• Project management and resource planning.

Additional Information

• Position designated as #LI-DA1.
• Role encompasses both offshore and onshore pipeline construction environments.
• Accountable for production KPI and minimizing downtime during project execution.