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What is a pipe stress engineer?

It's a good bet that when you were growing up having a career as a pipe stress engineer probably wasn't your dream. However, now that you are an adult, being a pipe stress engineer may be the ideal job for you. Before you decide, you must understand what is a pipe stress engineer. This is a unique job in the oil and gas industry. It's a high demand, high skilled, exciting job. The oil and gas industry is an ever expanding field with a wide variety of locations in which to work and many opportunities are available to work internationally as well as locally. Management and professional positions in the industry pay well above average and offer the opportunity to see new and emerging locales.

To know what a pipe stress engineer is, you must look for the person who has responsibilities in all aspects of the project from conception through completion. The main responsibility is that of performing both manual and computer stress analysis on pipelines.

Some other important responsibilities include studying the critical piping systems and selecting the proper method of analysis for each project, participating in the review of plot plans, as well as in the review of material and equipment specifications.

It is the responsibility of the pipe stress engineer to review equipment drawings in order to establish fixed supports for reboilers and exchangers. The engineer is responsible for checking and designing piping stiffener rings and the responsibility of reviewing and commenting on nozzle orientation drawings and design of pipe support vessel clips also falls on the pipe stress engineer. The pipe stress engineer is responsible for ensuring all pipe supports are modeled in 3D CAD (PDS/PDMS) Model by Piping Designers.

The duties of the position include analyzing pipe support designs to ensure that the design functions properly so as to comply with project schedules, code limitations, client and government regulations and equipment criteria, selection and specification of piping flexibility and supporting components, review of vendor drawings and calculations, and budgets.

In addition to all these duties, knowing what a pipe stress engineer is means being responsible for selecting vendors and preparing technical procurement documents and bid summaries for special pipe and support components. Pipe stress engineers serve as advisors to the Piping Designer and work closely with other engineers throughout all phases of the engineering project.

To answer the question "what is a pipe stress engineer?" educationally means minimum of a Bachelors degree in Engineering. It is essential that a pipe stress engineer have a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of piping analysis and design techniques. The pipe stress engineer must also have an understanding of codes, such as ASME code, federal, state, and local regulations, and industry practices. A Pipe Stress Engineer will be working with piping stress analysis software on a daily basis.

Since teamwork with a group of individuals is necessary, the question "What is a pipe stress engineer?" can be answered that the pipe stress engineer must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and work as a team with many individuals. The job of pipe stress engineer is a complex and demanding one, but also highly rewarding.