Our Founder
John C. Wormeli
Founder
The late Mr. John C. Wormeli founded the National Welding Inspection School in 1977. We would like to recognize Our Founder, John C. Wormeli, for all of his knowledge and accomplishments.
John received a Bachelor of Science degree in Welding Engineering from LeTourneau College, Longview, Texas in 1965.
After graduation, John worked as a young welding engineer at ACF Industries under contract to the Atomic Energy Commission and McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis.
By 1969 John accepted a Sr. Welding Engineering position with ARCO on the Handford Nuclear Project in Richland, WA. At ARCO, John was responsible for preparing the welding specifications and procedures for piping and vessels for the 625 square mile nuclear reservation.
In 1972, at the age of 32, John was asked if he would like to be the Sr. Welding Engineer for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline while still working for ARCO. Of course he accepted the position and was transferred to Houston to work on the Alyeska Pipeline team.
At Alyeska, John was given the responsibility to prepare the welding specifications and welding procedures for constructing the 48” pipeline and pumping stations. John’s responsibility included working with the contractors on the construction of the Valdez Terminal storage tanks.
John was part of the Alyeska Metallurgical Committee which consisted of the best metallurgical engineers and metallurgists from all of the Alyeska owner companies. It was from this elite group of engineers with years of worldwide metallurgical pipeline experience that John learned the fundamentals of pipeline welding and inspection. Working with this group for five years had a tremendous and permanent impact on John in terms of developing his ability to prepare welding specifications, welding procedures and troubleshooting of pipeline welding problems.
After construction of the pipeline in 1975-76, John was sent to study at the Cranfield Institute of Technology north of London to learn how to weld on the pipeline while it was in-service in a manner acceptable to one of the owners. This provided John considerable experience in working on loaded pipelines along with gaining valuable experience from members of the Alyeska Metallurgical team.
In 1977, after five years on the Alyeska Project, John received a call from ARCO personnel in Los Angeles and was told that since the pipeline was completed and safely in operation that he was to be transferred to Los Angeles and placed in the Refinery Division. At that time, after having worked every day for five years on the pipeline, with all of the major pipeline contractors, John told the personnel manager that he did not wish to work in the Refinery Division and would like to start his own consulting business. The ARCO manager was surprised but told John if he wanted to return to the company he would be welcomed back.
After leaving ARCO, John worked many more times for ARCO in conducting welding procedures and preparing manuals for new construction and in-service welding.
From that point on in 1977, the clock moved quite rapidly. Along with teaching the “Welding Inspection School” throughout the country, pipeline contracting companies such as Reading and Bates, Michael Curran and Associates, H.C. Price Pipeline, Associated Pipeline, Sheehan Pipeline, Wilbros Pipeline, Latex Pipeline, Gregory and Cook Pipeline, Williams Pipeline and many others have hired John for various consulting tasks regarding welding engineering. John has worked on or contributed to most of the major cross-country pipelines constructed since the Alyeska Pipeline, either for the owner or the contractor.
At 72 years of age, John built a new 15,000 square foot building called the National Welding Inspection School on 19 acres he bought on Hwy. 290 just a few miles west of Burton, TX . John took great pride in building this state-of-the-art facility that allowed him to teach what he loved with all the newest technology. This facility also provided “Hands-On” training using all of the equipment the inspector is expected to use during normal inspection and trouble-shooting activity. This facility has the state-of the art welding machines and inspection equipment to properly train the inspectors for field inspection of all pipeline welding processes. The intent of the new facility was to train and prepare the attendee with the knowledge and "hands-on" experience necessary to deal with all of the elements of inspection he/she may be confronted with in the field.
John received a Bachelor of Science degree in Welding Engineering from LeTourneau College, Longview, Texas in 1965.
After graduation, John worked as a young welding engineer at ACF Industries under contract to the Atomic Energy Commission and McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis.
By 1969 John accepted a Sr. Welding Engineering position with ARCO on the Handford Nuclear Project in Richland, WA. At ARCO, John was responsible for preparing the welding specifications and procedures for piping and vessels for the 625 square mile nuclear reservation.
In 1972, at the age of 32, John was asked if he would like to be the Sr. Welding Engineer for the Trans-Alaska Pipeline while still working for ARCO. Of course he accepted the position and was transferred to Houston to work on the Alyeska Pipeline team.
At Alyeska, John was given the responsibility to prepare the welding specifications and welding procedures for constructing the 48” pipeline and pumping stations. John’s responsibility included working with the contractors on the construction of the Valdez Terminal storage tanks.
John was part of the Alyeska Metallurgical Committee which consisted of the best metallurgical engineers and metallurgists from all of the Alyeska owner companies. It was from this elite group of engineers with years of worldwide metallurgical pipeline experience that John learned the fundamentals of pipeline welding and inspection. Working with this group for five years had a tremendous and permanent impact on John in terms of developing his ability to prepare welding specifications, welding procedures and troubleshooting of pipeline welding problems.
After construction of the pipeline in 1975-76, John was sent to study at the Cranfield Institute of Technology north of London to learn how to weld on the pipeline while it was in-service in a manner acceptable to one of the owners. This provided John considerable experience in working on loaded pipelines along with gaining valuable experience from members of the Alyeska Metallurgical team.
In 1977, after five years on the Alyeska Project, John received a call from ARCO personnel in Los Angeles and was told that since the pipeline was completed and safely in operation that he was to be transferred to Los Angeles and placed in the Refinery Division. At that time, after having worked every day for five years on the pipeline, with all of the major pipeline contractors, John told the personnel manager that he did not wish to work in the Refinery Division and would like to start his own consulting business. The ARCO manager was surprised but told John if he wanted to return to the company he would be welcomed back.
After leaving ARCO, John worked many more times for ARCO in conducting welding procedures and preparing manuals for new construction and in-service welding.
From that point on in 1977, the clock moved quite rapidly. Along with teaching the “Welding Inspection School” throughout the country, pipeline contracting companies such as Reading and Bates, Michael Curran and Associates, H.C. Price Pipeline, Associated Pipeline, Sheehan Pipeline, Wilbros Pipeline, Latex Pipeline, Gregory and Cook Pipeline, Williams Pipeline and many others have hired John for various consulting tasks regarding welding engineering. John has worked on or contributed to most of the major cross-country pipelines constructed since the Alyeska Pipeline, either for the owner or the contractor.
At 72 years of age, John built a new 15,000 square foot building called the National Welding Inspection School on 19 acres he bought on Hwy. 290 just a few miles west of Burton, TX . John took great pride in building this state-of-the-art facility that allowed him to teach what he loved with all the newest technology. This facility also provided “Hands-On” training using all of the equipment the inspector is expected to use during normal inspection and trouble-shooting activity. This facility has the state-of the art welding machines and inspection equipment to properly train the inspectors for field inspection of all pipeline welding processes. The intent of the new facility was to train and prepare the attendee with the knowledge and "hands-on" experience necessary to deal with all of the elements of inspection he/she may be confronted with in the field.
In September 2014, our dearest friend and founder passed away. Mr. Wormeli was a true inspiration to NWIS and the pipeline industry and his knowledge and curriculum will continue to be taught here at NWIS Training for many years to come.
