What Is API 1104?
API 1104 is a welding standard published by the American Petroleum Institute. It covers the welding of pipelines and related facilities. The standard defines the requirements for welding procedures, welder qualifications, inspection methods, and acceptable defect limits for pipeline welds. It applies to pipelines that transport petroleum, natural gas, and other liquid products.
When a pipeline contractor hires you, they are not asking if you can weld. They are asking if you can weld to the specific standards outlined in API 1104. That means you need to pass a qualification test under a Welding Procedure Specification, or WPS, that follows the rules in this code. The test is a practical weld on pipe in a specific position, and the result is inspected by visual, radiographic, or bend testing methods.
Every pipeline company in the United States references API 1104 in their welding specifications. It is not optional. If you want to weld on pipelines that carry oil or gas, this is the standard you must meet.
What Does the API 1104 Qualification Test Involve?
The API 1104 qualification test requires you to make a weld on pipe in a fixed position. The most common test is the 6G position, where the pipe is set at a 45 degree angle and you weld around it without moving the pipe. This position tests your ability to weld overhead, vertical, and horizontal all in one joint.
You will typically weld with the SMAW (stick) process on carbon steel pipe. The wall thickness and pipe diameter depend on the WPS you are testing under. Most pipeline tests use pipe that is 6 inches or larger in diameter. You make a full joint including the root pass, hot pass, fill passes, and cap pass.
After you complete the weld, it is inspected. Inspection methods include visual examination, radiographic (X-ray) testing, and guided bend tests. The weld must meet the acceptance criteria defined in API 1104 for defect type, size, and location. If your weld passes, you are qualified under that specific WPS. If it fails, you must retest.
This is exactly why programs at Western Welding Academy spend 85% of training time in the booth. You cannot pass this test by watching videos. You pass it by welding hundreds of joints under the same conditions you will face on test day. The Expert Pipe Welder program gives you 24 weeks of that kind of repetition.
How Is API 1104 Different From Other Welding Certifications?
Welders often confuse API 1104 with other standards like ASME Section IX or AWS D1.1. Each standard applies to a different type of work. AWS D1.1 covers structural steel welding for buildings and bridges. ASME Section IX covers pressure vessels and boilers. API 1104 covers pipeline welding specifically.
The key difference is application. If you want to work on a pipeline crew running pipe across a right of way, you need API 1104. If you want to weld pressure vessels in a fabrication shop, you need ASME Section IX. The certifications are not interchangeable. A welder qualified under AWS D1.1 cannot legally make code welds on a pipeline without also qualifying under API 1104.
This matters when you choose a welding school. Some programs focus heavily on structural and plate welding, which prepares you for shop work but not pipeline work. Others, like Western Welding Academy, focus on pipe welding processes and positions that align directly with API 1104 testing requirements. To see how pipeline training compares to college programs, read why a pipe welding school beats a four year college path.
Ready to earn your pipeline welding certifications? Apply now or call (307) 284-5313 today.
Why Do Pipeline Contractors Require API 1104?
Pipeline companies require API 1104 because the welds they produce carry real consequences. A failed weld on a natural gas pipeline can cause an explosion. A bad weld on an oil line can cause an environmental disaster. The stakes are not theoretical. They are measured in lives and millions of dollars.
Federal regulations under the Department of Transportation, specifically 49 CFR Part 192 for gas and Part 195 for liquids, reference API 1104 as the acceptable welding standard. That means compliance is not a company preference. It is a legal requirement. Every welder who touches a regulated pipeline must be qualified under this code.
Contractors do not have time to teach you the code on the job. They expect you to show up with the ability to pass their company's specific qualification test, which will follow API 1104 procedures. The faster you prove you can pass that test, the faster you start earning. That is why the right training program matters.
What Do Verified Western Welding Academy Graduates Earn?
Pipeline welders who hold API 1104 qualifications earn some of the highest wages in the skilled trades. Here is what verified graduates of Western Welding Academy have earned after completing their training.
Leyton Wagner earned $4,514 per paycheck after graduating from Western Welding Academy. His paycheck was verified and published on the school's website. That level of income within months of finishing a program demonstrates what API 1104 qualifications are worth in the market.
Gavin Walden earned $3,986 per paycheck. His results were also verified through graduate outcome tracking. Gavin went straight from training to a pipeline crew and started welding code joints immediately.
David Smolek brought home $3,417 per paycheck. His earnings confirm that graduates across different classes are consistently reaching high pay levels after completing the program.
Noah took a job on the North Slope in Alaska and cleared $2,800 per week. The North Slope demands welders who can work in extreme conditions and pass strict qualification tests. Noah's training in the Professional Pipe Welder program prepared him for exactly that.
Hank hit $150,000 per year by the age of 21. While most people his age are still in school, Hank was already building a six figure career as a traveling pipeline welder. His story shows what happens when you combine the right certifications with the right training and a willingness to go where the work is.
How Does Western Welding Academy Prepare You for API 1104?
Western Welding Academy builds its entire curriculum around the skills and positions required for pipeline certification tests, including those under API 1104. Students weld on pipe from day one. The school runs 40 hour weeks with 85% of that time spent in the booth.
The school holds the number one AWS Accredited Testing Facility designation. Instructors bring over 330 combined years of pipeline field experience. That means the people teaching you have run the same welds, passed the same tests, and worked the same spreads you are training to enter.
The Expert Pipe Welder program runs 24 weeks at $35,800 with all inclusive tuition covering housing, tools, and materials. The Professional Pipe Welder program is 19 weeks at $27,600. The Foundational Pipe Welder program is 12 weeks at $17,050. Each program puts pipe welding and certification readiness at the center of the curriculum.
The 94% hire rate within 90 days, verified through a 234 alumni survey in November 2024, proves the training works. Graduates leave the program ready to pass contractor qualification tests and start earning. If you want to understand what welding certification actually pays, the numbers speak for themselves.
Ready to earn your pipeline welding certifications? Apply now or call (307) 284-5313 today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What does API stand for in welding?
API stands for the American Petroleum Institute. In welding, API 1104 is the standard that governs the procedures, qualifications, and inspection methods for welding pipelines and related facilities. It applies specifically to pipelines that transport oil, natural gas, and other petroleum products across the country.
Q2. How hard is the API 1104 welding test?
The API 1104 qualification test is demanding. You must complete a full weld joint on pipe in a fixed position, typically 6G, and the weld is inspected by X-ray or bend testing. The test requires clean root passes and consistent technique. Welders who train specifically on pipe in all positions pass at much higher rates than those who practice on plate only.
Q3. Can you get API 1104 certified at a welding school?
Welding schools prepare you for the API 1104 qualification test, but the actual certification is issued when you pass a specific contractor's qualification test under their Welding Procedure Specification. Western Welding Academy trains students on the exact processes and positions required so they are ready to pass those tests on the first attempt.
Q4. How long does it take to prepare for an API 1104 test?
Preparation time depends on your starting skill level and the quality of your training. A complete beginner in a full time program like the Expert Pipe Welder at Western Welding Academy can be ready in 24 weeks. Welders with some prior experience may be ready sooner through shorter programs like the 12 week Foundational or 19 week Professional track.
Q5. How much does an API 1104 certified welder earn?
API 1104 certified pipeline welders can earn $250 to $800 per day depending on experience and location. Verified graduates of Western Welding Academy have earned $4,514 per paycheck (Leyton Wagner), $3,986 per paycheck (Gavin Walden), and $2,800 per week (Noah). Earnings scale with experience, certifications, and willingness to travel.
Q6. What makes Western Welding Academy different from other welding schools?
Western Welding Academy has a 94% hire rate within 90 days, verified by a 234 alumni survey in November 2024. Students spend 85% of training time in the booth. The school is the number one AWS Accredited Testing Facility with over 330 combined instructor years. Programs range from 12 to 24 weeks with all inclusive tuition covering housing, tools, and materials.
Get Certified and Get on a Pipeline Crew
API 1104 is the certification that separates pipeline welders from shop welders. The industry needs 82,500 new welders every year, with a projected 330,000 welder deficit by 2028. If you want to be one of the welders who fills that gap and earns a pipeline paycheck, the training starts here. Call Western Welding Academy at (307) 284-5313 or apply now to get started.
