The Australian Pipeline Industry Association (APIA) Board approved the development of a training program for engineers working in the pipeline industry at the end of 2008.

The first stage of the program development began in May 2009, which involves two streams:

1. The Competency Document Stream, which involves identifying a list of competencies required by the Australian pipeline industry, developing a structure for the competencies that reflect the industry’s structure and drafting the competencies that are most needed. These competencies will underpin the framework of the training courses and employer development programs; and,

2. The Explanatory Document Stream, which involves developing a document that provides a historic and philosophical background to AS2885 and guidance on its interpretation and application.

A unique pipeline industry

Program Project Manager Chris Harvey of Chris Harvey Consulting believes the development of a training program for pipeline engineers within Australia is important due to the the nation’s size and unique pipelining conditions.

“The Australian standard for pipelines, AS2885, is uniquely placed amongst international pipeline standards. So it’s really important that Australian engineers get trained within, with an understanding of it and why it’s different,” he says.

Mr Harvey notes that standard pipeline training courses in the United Kingdom and the United States operate out of large universities and can be economically viable because of the larger population of workers in the UK, European and US pipeline industries.

“We’ve got a relatively small industry that needs to be able to look after itself, because you just can’t stick people on a plane and send them to the UK or America to train. So coming up with a design for a training program that is sustainable within the constraints of the particular geographic and economic conditions of the Australian industry is important,” Mr Harvey says.

Addressing the skills shortage

Mr Harvey applauds APIA’s proactive response to the skills shortage facing the pipeline industry.

“If you want to accelerate people’s capabilities and the skill base, the way to do it is to identify what competency is needed in the sector and to provide it.

“I think we’re on the right track with that, and the Board’s done well to identify that this first stage of identifying what is needed is the sensible way to go, rather than launch into a training program straight away,” Mr Harvey says.

Specialising in pipelines

Mr Harvey says that training in pipeline engineering requires a specialist program to complement the general qualifications provided by a basic engineering degree.

“We’re really getting into the next level of specialisation for pipelines, because there are elements of chemical, mechanical, civil and electrical [engineering] involved,” Mr Harvey says.

Reference groups to the rescue

Two reference groups are currently working on the two documents, and Mr Harvey acknowledges the previous work of APIA committee members Ted Metcalfe and Ed Gaykema in identifying general areas of training required.

“We have a reference group for the competency document and one for the explanatory document,” Mr Harvey says.

The two reference groups, each consisting of ten members and their organisations, have been the main source of assistance to Mr Harvey. Other people outside the groups were also contacted for further help in order to provide a range of opinions and disciplines across the sector.

“The first reference group includes people who are more operationally focused, because they tend to be the ones who think about training. And the explanatory documents reference group [comprises] people involved in design and the AS2885 standard itself,” Mr Harvey says.

The members of the Competency Document Reference Group are: Ed Gaykema (Jemena), Tony Williams (GPA), Peter Tuft (Peter Tuft & Associates), Richard Davidson (APA Group), John Van Weel (Jemena), Leng Saw (Romea Training), Roger Kilby (GasCor), Sally Charles (formerly PIPEd), Cecilia Johansson (McConnell Dowell). The members of the Explanatory Document Reference group are: Phil Venton (Venton & Associates), Cameron Dinniss (Orrcon), Brian Martin (Brian Martin & Associates), Peter Tuft, Mike Peoples (OSD Pipelines), Phil Colvin (Jemena), John Piper (OneSteel), Peter Kempster (McConnell Dowell), Liz Brierley (SEAGas), Bob Allison (APA Group) and Cecilia Johansson.

“I have benefitted greatly from the insights of the reference group members,” said Mr Harvey. “Special contributions have come from Peter Tuft through his participation on both reference groups and Phil Venton providing a pivotal role on the explanatory document reference group because he is chair of the ME 38 and ME 38-1 standards committees.” McConnell Dowell has also provided assistance through making Cecilia Johansson available as part-time project team member.

Compiling competencies

Mr Harvey says that the first stage for the Competency Document Stream involves identifying a list of competencies required by the Australian pipeline industry, developing a structure for the competencies that reflect the industry’s structure, and drafting the competencies that are most needed. The Competency Document Reference Group has identified a total of 230 competencies required in the pipeline industry, of which approximately 90 will be drafted in the first stage.

To date, approximately 60 competencies have been drafted and distributed for review and feedback from APIA members, and most of these are now available on the APIA website.

“The first part of the work was putting a framework structure together around the competencies. The first few months, we were actually saying ‘Well, what is it we’re trying to do? How do we come up with a structure around a list of competencies?’

“We came up with a template for documenting the competency including its key elements and how to describe the competency in a statement, including things like assessments, knowledge elements, skill, expertise, and experience.”

Mr Harvey says that the team started to test drive possible frameworks by writing up seven competencies and tweaking the format before settling on descriptions one and a half to two and a half pages in length each.

The right model

Mr Harvey says that the competency document reference group identified around 20 areas for a training program framework. Each competency area has been organised into streams that will cover pipeline design, construction and operation. Within each competency area, there are a number of competencies that are tied to those streams, including core and elective subjects.

Workers undergoing training will be able to choose from the list of topics covering competency areas such as:

  • Pipeline industry background
  • Safety management and risk assessment
  • Easement management
  • Design of onshore pipelines
  • Welding
  • Construction engineering
  • Asset management
  • Pipeline operations.

Mr Harvey notes that there would be up to 22 competencies in each area. One competency area includes introductory subjects, pipeline engineering fundamentals and bridging competencies, which are designed to allow engineers to learn the basics about subjects not previously studied in the engineer’s original field.

“We’ve got three levels of competency. We’ve got what we’re calling core, electives, and then specialist, so that we’re recognising levels of specialisation or levels of competence and knowledge. Our focus during the first stage has been basically on the core and more important elective competencies,” Mr Harvey says.

Guide to AS2885 – a standard background

A guide to explaining AS2885 is to be part of the training program.

“We have a structure of documents that’s got a lot of content about how the Australian Standard came to be the way it is or why it’s different from international standards,” Mr Harvey says.

“We’re doing some high level description of what it is to design a pipeline or construct a pipeline, which is important background for somebody new to the industry. It’s supposed to be a helpful document to people needing to use the Standard, and hopefully will encourage them to go and read it,” Mr Harvey says.

“And one of the important appendices will be the issues papers, which the ME38 committee, which puts together AS2885, used to develop the design and construction part. We will be including those issues papers, so they provide a lot of the background for the rationale regarding why the Standard is the way it is,” Mr Harvey says.

Future support

Stage one of the project is expected to be completed in late March, with Mr Harvey’s recommendations going before the APIA Board to determine the next stage.

It is expected that the Energy Pipelines Co-operative Research Centre (EPCRC) could become more involved in the further development of the competencies.

“Depending on the Board’s decision, we could expect the EPCRC to complete a total number of competencies and develop that, and possibly the structure as well. They could then possibly work with training providers in developing courses for those competencies that are more urgently needed,” Mr Harvey says.

Mr Harvey believes that APIA should also continue to play an active part in developing the program, including the explanatory and background documents from the approximately 90 competencies completed by March 2010, as well as continuing an industry-wide review process.

“We will have a foundation [or platform] that can be built on, so that [APIA can start] to work with members and help them apply what’s been done,” he says. “It is important that the industry owns the program in a similar way that it owns the AS2885, a Standard of which the industry is rightly proud.”