NDT inspection cost in Bartlesville: Radiographic Testing rates
Field-anchored pricing guide for RT (Radiographic Testing) and the other five common NDT methods in Bartlesville, OK. Rates are quoted in USD per hour and reflect the Tier-2 labour band that applies across mid continent markets.
Bartlesville's R&D pilot units cycle harder than most production refineries — a single weld-procedure qualification audit can stall a catalyst trial that's already burned $2M of feedstock.
Low band
$400
per hour · routine scope, full-day crew
Typical
$700
per hour · most jobs land here
High band
$1200
per hour · turnaround / night shift / rope access
Bartlesville, OK hosts a lean NDT contractor ecosystem built around energy hq heritage. Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops), ConocoPhillips legacy ops, and the wider south central operator pool route RT scope through pre-qualified providers — losing a Level II credential here costs real money on outage windows.
Phillips 66 (legacy HQ), ConocoPhillips, Frontier Oil legacy. That industrial substrate is what places Bartlesville, OK on the short list for RT programme contracts: inspection cadence, OK Corporation Commission oversight, and the r&d footprint at Phillips 66 Research Center all push the RT day-rate above generic regional benchmarks.
Spring/Fall TARs brings the seasonal peak — expect crew rotation to tighten and spot-buy premiums to land at the upper bound of the published rate band. Birthplace of Phillips Petroleum — historical industry heritage
OK Corporation Commission sets the documentary depth RT reports must reach in Bartlesville, OK — and API 510/570/653 layers a second audit trail on top. The method-level reference is BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT); allied industry codes complete the stack that owners cite in the bid pack. Procedures must demonstrate currency on both before the crew is cleared at gates like Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops).
- OK Corporation Commission
- API 510/570/653
- ASME
- BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT)
- BPVC Sec VIII Div 1 UW-51
- B31.3 para 344.5
A typical RT bid in Bartlesville, OK lands at $732/day for Level II work and roughly $1164/day for Level III sign-off authority. Mobilisation surcharge runs medium (band-M), with COL index 78 feeding the labour line. Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops) programme contracts trade volume against rate; spot-buys pay the 10–20% premium. The full multiplier resolves at ×0.95 once transport and demand-density are layered in.
| Line item | Rate | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly labour (Level II) | $74–$109/hr | standard programme rate |
| Hourly labour (Level III) | $146/hr | procedure qualification + disposition |
| Day rate (Level II) | $732/day | 8 hours, ≤30 km from base |
| Equipment surcharge | $266/day | instrument + consumables |
| Mobilisation | $525/trip | medium transport-surcharge band |
| Outage / night-shift uplift | +25–40% | turnaround windows and weekend work |
Effective multiplier vs national base: ×0.95 · transport surcharge band: medium.
The Bartlesville, OK RT contractor base is sized to recurring demand from Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops), ConocoPhillips legacy ops, Diversified Energy. Provider listings on NDT Connect include current ASNT certification level, instrument calibration status, and named-site experience — replacing the email-and-spreadsheet pre-qualification dance most procurement teams still run for new vendors.
Major regional clients served
- Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops)
- ConocoPhillips legacy ops
- Diversified Energy
For the energy hq heritage operators that dominate the Bartlesville, OK industrial base, RT is the workhorse for field rt on refinery and petchem turnarounds. Phillips 66 (legacy HQ), ConocoPhillips, Frontier Oil legacy means the scope is dense, repeatable, and tightly specified — with recurring asset populations driving volume.
Local crews run RT packages calibrated for the failure modes that matter most here, deliver Radiograph (film or DICONDE digital), and close the disposition against OK Corporation Commission. Programme work accounts for the bulk of billable hours; outage cycles drive the seasonal peaks. BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT) sign-off authority is the contractor capability that consistently wins the bid here.
Phillips 66 R&D centre — refining technology development. Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops) pre-qualifications are the gatekeeper — crews who already hold them win the volume work; new entrants run the onboarding gauntlet first. Birthplace of Phillips Petroleum — historical industry heritage
Inspectors qualifying into the Bartlesville, OK RT market route through ASNT Oklahoma Section for ASNT Level II/III certification under SNT-TC-1A or CP-189. Total Level II training time for RT runs roughly 720 hours including classroom and on-the-job experience. Welding-related credentials route through AWS OK regional for AWS CWI exam access; the nearest API exam centre handles 510/570/653 logistics. Prerequisite per ASNT: radiation safety training.
- ASNT chapter: ASNT Oklahoma Section
- AWS section: AWS OK regional
- API exam centre: access via nearest regional centre
How much does RT cost in Bartlesville, OK?
RT (Radiographic Testing) day-rates in Bartlesville, OK typically clear at $732/day for Level II crews, with the pricing multiplier on the national base running ×0.95 (transport surcharge band: medium). Local Level II inspector wages average $76,000/year per BLS, which anchors that day-rate band. Always solicit at least three parallel quotes before committing programme spend.
Which Bartlesville, OK sites use RT most often?
Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops) and ConocoPhillips legacy ops are the high-volume RT buyers in Bartlesville, OK. The r&d footprint at Phillips 66 Research Center is a recurring RT mobilisation point. Pre-qualification at these gates is what unlocks the volume contracts.
What credentials do RT inspectors need to work in Bartlesville, OK?
Working RT scope in Bartlesville, OK requires ASNT Level II for the method (roughly 720 total training hours to qualify), plus ASNT Oklahoma Section membership is common. AWS CWI is required for welding-related scope; API 510/570/653 tickets unlock pressure-equipment work. API exam logistics route through the nearest regional centre.
What energy hq heritage failure modes does RT screen for in Bartlesville, OK?
On energy hq heritage jobs in Bartlesville, OK, RT is most often called for Butt-weld inspection on pipe and plate screening. Recurring programme cycles drive the volume. The technique sits inside OK Corporation Commission's acceptance framework, and local crews build inspection plans around the failure modes the energy hq heritage owners audit hardest.
How fast can a RT crew mobilise in Bartlesville, OK?
Routine RT scope in Bartlesville, OK typically picks up a certified crew within 24–72 hours of posting a request — the established contractor base around Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops) keeps mobilisation lead times short. Outage windows and turnaround support are negotiated against rotation; post the scope to NDT Connect to receive parallel quotes from providers already pre-qualified at Bartlesville, OK sites.
What standards govern RT acceptance in Bartlesville, OK?
RT examinations in Bartlesville, OK reference BPVC Sec V Art. 2 (RT) / BPVC Sec VIII Div 1 UW-51 as the technical floor and OK Corporation Commission, API 510/570/653 for documentary compliance. Phillips 66 (Research + tech ops)'s qualification matrix layers an additional customer-specific spec on top — procedures must close on all three before the crew is cleared at the gate.
Method
Radiographic Testing
Abbreviation
RT
Labour band
Tier 2 (×1.00)
Code authority
API 510 / 570 / 653
Get a quote
Post a RT scope and receive parallel quotes from certified Bartlesville providers.
Request a quotePricing caveat
The numbers above are field-anchored ranges, not a quote. Actual Bartlesville rates vary with scope, accessibility, shift, and contractor utilisation. Always solicit at least three quotes before committing programme spend.
Compare RT rates in nearby cities
Verified Bartlesville, OK Inspection-Market Data
Hard numbers from BLS, EIA, AAPA, Census & API directories — anchoring this page to Bartlesville, OK's actual NDT market, not a generic template.
- Local Wage Anchor — Level II NDT Technician
- $76K/yr typical for Bartlesville, OK
- Metro Industrial Base
- 37K people in Bartlesville, OK
- Sector Mix (NDT Demand Drivers)
- Energy HQ Heritage (55%)
- Active API-Certified Inspectors (regional)
- ~20 API 510 · ~25 API 570 · ~15 API 653
- ASNT Chapter / Community
- ASNT Oklahoma Section
- Cost-of-Living Impact on Rate Cards
- COL index 78.0 (22.0 pts below national avg) · transport surcharge band: medium
Source: BLS OES OK state 2024
Source: US Census ACS 2023
Source: BEA Regional Accounts 2023
Source: API ICP roster + state directories (est.)
Source: ASNT chapter directory
Source: C2ER ACCRA COL Index 2024
Continue Reading — In-Depth Guides
Authored by ASNT Level III inspectors. Real procedures, real numbers, real codes.
- Radiographic Testing — Complete GuideSources, exposure, IQIs, ASME V, digital RT.
- Radiographic Testing MethodMethod-level overview, sources, films, sensors.
- How to Interpret Radiograph Weld DefectsIdentify slag, porosity, LOF on RT film.
- NDT Inspector Salary Guide [2026]US pay by certification level, method & industry — and how to earn more.
- NDT Inspection Cost Index [2026]US inspection rates by method & region, and what moves the price.
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