Welding flux

A welding flux formulated for pipe welding or one-side welding applications including about 0.05-25 weight percent gas releasing agent, at least about 0.05 weight percent arc stabilizing compound, up to about 75 weight percent high melting compound and up to about 40 weight percent low melting compound, said weight percent ratio of said high melting compound to said low melting compound about 1.1-5:1, said low melting compound including about 5-35 weight percent silicate glass, said silicate glass including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of sodium silicate glass, lithium silicate glass, potassium silicate glass, and combinations thereof, said arc stabilizing compound including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a lithium oxide compound, a lithium fluoride compound, a potassium oxide compound, a potassium fluoride compound, sodium oxide compound, sodium fluoride compound, said welding flux including a plurality of components selected from the group consisting of As, B, Ba, C, P, Pb, S, Zn, and combinations thereof, said welding flux including, less than about 0.5 weight percent carbon, up to about 0.1 weight percent As, up to about 0.02 weight percent B, up to about 0.1 weight percent Ba, up to about 0.1 weight percent Pb, up to about 0.02 weight percent P, up to about 0.01 weight percent S, and up to about 0.1 weight percent Zn.