This guideline is the product of a Joint Industry Project (JIP) conducted in 2020-2021, with representatives from an operating company, two contractors, and a fabricator in the pipeline development industry. By establishing a methodology for validating and accepting deviations with welding procedure specifications (WPS) according to DNV-ST-F101, the industry can avoid unnecessary repeating welding procedure qualifications. This will enable planning of pipeline projects with lower risk, lower and more accurate cost, more reliable and shorter schedule for qualification phase, less material usage, and it will enable a project organization to take decisions based on technical justification and experience.
The Joint Industry Project is sharing the guideline with the industry to enable implementation of the work process and eventually improve the methodology based on industry experience.