The media is relatively quiet about the natural gas revolution.
Why? It has just started and because the “powers that be” are more interested in wind and solar power. Why? The hippy generation which spawned the green revolution has a religion – a belief beyond reason – and that belief contains a sub-belief that all gas and oil (fossil fuels) are the devil destroying the god head which is mother earth.
However, converting the USA to natural gas is the natural path.
Fortunes will be made by those who jump on this train now. If you’re a welder and sick of low wages, take a few minutes to read this. Why? The train is leaving the station in spite of the radical green movement because it just makes too much common sense and too much dollars and cents.
Natural gas is now so plentiful in the USA it is being exported from special shipping ports (the first two are in operation as of 2014). The ships are like a big bottle. USA natural gas is cheap and like water – it is everywhere. The USA is the largest producer of natural gas and experts agree – it will be for at least 100 years.
The seldom told story:
Global warming is now called “climate change” as winters get colder and the Great Lakes freeze over like they have not for decades. (After a while it just seemed “wrong” to call it global “warming.”
Some blame increased carbon emissions from industry and cars.
Yes, the carbon content in the air we breathe has increased very slightly – but man’s emissions are not causing the seemingly wild weather changes. In fact, the big storms we are having would have been considered “normal” just 50 years ago.
So, we have one side of the argument says that the increase in carbon is too small to have any effect on the weather – while the other side says increased carbon is dooms day. BUT both sides agree – everyone on earth needs to work toward fewer carbon emissions for many reasons – if for no other reason than because we breathe oxygen and carbon displaces it.
I can’t write this article without telling you that as we crush our own coal industry, prematurely closing clean coal power plants and mines:
China gleefully completes another new coal fired power plant every week! Sadly, because of this, all our carbon reduction efforts are equal to peeing into a bucket without a bottom. In addition, all the carbon reduction efforts across the world can be replaced by the emissions from one good volcano going active – and a few erupt each year.
Why this matters to you:
There is just no stopping the push for fewer carbon emissions, for many reasons – like it or not. However, the public is falsely led to believe the answer is to switch to solar and wind as possible and regardless of cost.
The nasty little truth about solar and wind is the hidden cost. Solar and wind are crazy expensive and only work from an economic perspective because governments are heavily subsidizing the installation of these systems.
The chickens coming home soon to roost are this: We are going to have to face cost realities soon – no government can continue to carry the financial burden of massive subsidies.
As soon as they shut off the “free money” (which actually funded by you and me paying higher taxes and utility bills – you are actually buying your neighbor’s solar system) the party will be over for radical alternative energy systems.
What’s the answer?
The answer is already happening. It is the conversion of everything possible to natural gas power. You won’t see this in the media but the USA has dramatically lowered carbon output in the last few years by converting power plants from oil and coal to natural gas and by building new power plants that use only natural gas.
God willing, China will finally come around and stop crapping all over our environment – and it will eventually be worth all the efforts we are making to reduce carbon. The bottom line is, we are going “natural gas” and FAST and no matter what.
What powered the city bus you rode yesterday?
It is very likely you rode a diesel bus (or taxi and soon trains) in which the diesel engine was converted to burn natural gas. The revolution to natural gas is underway.
What is causing the huge demand for pipe welders?
Natural gas requires mainline pipes, branch pipes and complex piping distribution and pumping stations. Every joint must be welded by a pipeline welder – a 6G code qualified welder.
If you are reading this and thinking about a career in welding:
The demand for pipe welders is through the roof while the average welder’s age just hit 56 years old. Few men and women are being trained to take the place of these soon-to-retire welders.
High demand means high pay.
This coupled with explosive growth in the natural gas industry for the next 20 years means consistently high wages and full employment for those who pick up the challenge of learning to code weld pipe to X-Ray quality standards.
How much is good pay?
As of 2014, if you are a code certified 6G welder with experience, you will make $100,000 a year. If you operate your own truck – look for $150k to $200k and in some places, up to $300k a year. Yes, you’ll do some traveling. It isn’t easy to break in and become a trusted and proven pipe welder because the work is critical and failure rates must be at or about 2% – that means you can only have 2 joints out of 100 fail inspection by a CWI – a Certified Welding Inspector. The cost to rework your bad work is just too high to allow higher failure rates.
What are some of the things that will soon be converted to natural gas?
Almost anything that runs on gas or diesel will run much longer and much cleaner on CNG. Semi tractor trailer trucks will soon be converted by the millions to natural gas.
If you understand how a diesel engine works – the fuel is ignited by compression – there is no ignition (no spark plugs). The speed of the engine is determined by how much fuel is injected into the cylinders. Unlike a gasoline engine, there is no control on the air to the engine – diesels get all the air they can breathe. An air valve is added to run CNG.
The method of running a diesel on natural gas is to reduce the amount of diesel to 10% and introduce 90% natural gas. The 10% diesel ignites under compression thus igniting the natural gas. Diesel engines last much longer running natural gas and require fewer oil changes. This is because natural gas does not dirty an engine with carbon.
GM and Honda produce vehicles that run on natural gas now.
Honda make a Civic that runs on CNG (compressed Natural Gas) and GM makes a full size work van. In some parts of the USA if you are arrested, the police cruiser making the arrest may already be running on natural gas. You can buy a used Ford police cruiser now.
There are companies that will convert your car to natural gas and provide a compressor so you can fill your car at home for about 10 cents a gallon. Do you think that natural gas might soon be popular if you can fill up at home for 10 cents a gallon?
Air conditioning systems for homes running on natural gas are coming fast.
The units are now being manufactured. They work on the same principal used in RV refrigerators – ammonia in a closed system is heated – and when it is heated, it is sprayed into a coil becoming gas.
Ammonia, once heated, gives off cold until it returns to a liquid and it is heated again, producing more cold! Only a handful of these AC units have been installed in homes, but that will change – the savings are substantial.
Co-Generation:
Co-Gen is a system that takes the waste heat produced by a generator engine running on natural gas and capture it. This means that a small, very quiet generator sitting on the side of your house, can provide electricity and hot water for much less than paying the power company. They already exist. This system has the added advantage of acting as a back up generator in rural areas.
Conclusion:
Contrary to popular belief – you can teach yourself 6G pipe welding at home. The most common starting point is to master stick (SMAW) welding in the 6G position first. However, if you are interested in welding stainless pipe as career (also in high demand) you can teach yourself 6G using the TIG (GTAW) process first – it is up to you.
The USA is one of a few countries which does not have laws or rules that prevent you from learning the highest paying welding skill first – the skill of welding medium and high pressure pipe. The only thing that stops 99% of want-to-welders is tradition.
Yes, you can skip all the other minor welding skill and go straight to the top – when you attend “YOU” trade school. It is almost as simple as following directions and practicing perfect practice. In other words, you must know that your practice is correct or you will only become good at doing the wrong thing.
It isn’t easy, but it is more than possible. North Dakota, Texas and now many other States have thousands of jobs waiting for you.
All welding schools are expensive.
All welding schools will consume much your time helping you to acquire welding skills that prepare you for a $10 an hour job. This is why some people think welding is crazy. Welding isn’t crazy, the system is. All it takes is the courage and determination to be an “outlier” – a person who thinks outside the flock of sheep – willing to buck the system.
Finding a welding school that will pay you to learn is nearly impossible.
However, it is very possible to pay yourself well, by saving buckets of money and time by finding your American entrepreneur spirit. Start welding only on round objects (pipe) and don’t look back. You’ll never be out of work.
Some union locals will fast track you into pipe welding if you walk in with a decent test joint – one you welded at home because it is physical proof that you are a good way along – and they will admire you for your grit in having gotten that far. It is possible to practice at home for as little 30 days to get to the point where the union will stand up and take notice of you. If you are already an accomplish structural welder, you can shorten that time to 15 days.
More than one welder has recently done this and jumped forward to 3rd year apprentice. If you can get to the point of getting your best joint certified by a welding inspector before you visit the union (or non union company) it is just about a sure bet they’ll accept you.
In general, if you apply yourself, you can even advance from non-welder to pipe welder in as little as 60 days, welding 25 to 50 practice joints at home.
What happens if you fail?
The truth is, you can’t fail if you start. You will learn so fast and save so much money that the skill level you get to while teaching yourself at home will get where you want to go much faster. For example, it is impossible to find a pipe welding school that will take you if you have never welded. If you get half way there (and you can easily get half way there at home) you CAN accepted to a pipe welding school without being a structural welder FIRST – really! It is all about taking your best work to date to the pipe school. Initiative is greatly rewarded in all fields of endeavor – so endeavor!
What should you do next?