David Warner

This is the second entry of this new column, which focuses on you – the people who work in NDE. Our interviewee for this edition is David Warner, an Inspection Engineer for ENGTEQ in Aberdeen. David is a Graduate Member of BINDT and an EngTech…

Briefly describe your current role in NDE.

I currently work as an Inspection Engineer for ENGTEQ, a company specialising in asset integrity management. This role is based in Aberdeen, with the opportunity for sporadic trips to assets in the North Sea. My primary objectives are to liaise with the Offshore Inspection Engineers and client Senior Engineer in a collective effort to maintain the integrity of the plant and its abilities to retain containment on a variety of mediums, with most attention paid to hydrocarbons and safety critical elements. This is done through inspection of corrosion circuits, vessels and structural members on prescribed frequencies. Here at ENGTEQ, the work is then interpreted by discipline engineers, including myself, a corrosion engineer and a structural engineer, and then fed to the client, where informed decisions can be made.

What does your typical work day involve?

Currently, a typical day involves working through a historic backlog of workpacks that require review, prior to authoritative reviews with the client. I am looking at these reports to identify where items or actions may have been missed from offshore, ie items for replacement/repair, and to interpret ultrasonic data to determine the corrosion rates and to decide whether monitors need to be put in place or where existing monitors need to be increased. In addition to this, we are implementing equipment lists into a new work management system, so there is a lot of work required for that to be a success. This will ultimately lead us to a place where all the work is auditable against a pre-populated plan, and any deviations from this will need to go through a strict deferral procedure.

What have your different roles been throughout your career?

I was more focused on NDE during the first four years of my career because I was taken on by Oceaneering as an NDT apprentice after finishing school. Here, I worked almost exclusively in the North Sea, which gave me a great experience in NDE and, importantly, an appreciation of the wider oil & gas industry. Since joining CAN Offshore (ENGTEQ is a newly-formed subsidiary) just over two years ago, my focus has shifted more towards an integrity/inspection engineer-type path.

Why did you choose NDE?

Living in the north-east of Scotland we are heavily exposed to oil & gas jobs. However, I suppose joining Oceaneering was just very fortunate; it has certainly put me on a very interesting and rewarding career path with plenty of opportunities.

What is your favourite NDE technique and why?

Radiography, because having a tangible image of the component is a fantastic way of displaying to a client the severity of internal or external wall loss.

What education and training route did you follow?

I joined Oceaneering as an apprentice and the company’s objective was to train apprentices up to Level 2 certification in all the main strains of NDE (UT, radiography, MPI and DPI). After completing that, I worked in the North Sea and utilised these skills. I felt that should I further my own career I would look to gain an onshore job and obtain a degree. I have one and a half years to go of my BSc in Non-Destructive Testing from the University of Northampton and I am currently attending night classes in mechanical engineering at my local college. To supplement this I have completed ASME Plant Inspector courses and recently obtained my API 570 certification as well as EngTech status from The British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing.

What would you consider to be your biggest challenges and achievements to date?

My greatest achievement and challenge are aligned, as when I left my role with Oceaneering to join CAN Offshore for a position onshore, which I had never experienced before, I was highly apprehensive. The challenge was to learn and become a competent inspection engineer. This was proven with my promotion from assistant after only 10 months, which I considered a significant achievement. Coming onshore and joining CAN Offshore was easily the best decision I have made from a professional standpoint.

Do you think NDE has changed much during your training/career?

I have only been in the industry for just over six years and I can already see the greater emphasis that is being placed on more specialist techniques. These techniques are being particularly utilised by clients who wish to justify deferrals by using these more advanced techniques.

NDE is rarely considered a ‘hot topic’ and does not receive much media attention. Do you think this is a problem? If so, what can we do about it?

Not necessarily a problem; I don’t believe that by not receiving hype or attention this will detract from the vital work done in corroborating the integrity of almost every component used across the globe in a wide range of industries.

Finally, how would you describe NDE to someone who knows nothing or little about it?

NDE techniques differ in practicalities and applications but have a common objective in identifying defects. If no defects are found, this will help to validate a component as fit for service.

Do get in touch if you have any recommendations for future interviewees. Please contact the editor at ndtnews@bindt.org or email Maria Felice direct at maria.felice@rolls-royce.com

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