Presenting the award today at the Australian Pipeline Industry Association conference and exhibition in Melbourne, APIA’s immediate past President, Mr Kevin Lester, said Stephen Ohl is one of the founding fathers of the high pressure pipeline industry in Australia having been involved in it for over 36 years ago.
“He entered the Australian pipeline industry in 1984 with a degree in mechanical engineering and ten years’ experience in the petrochemical industry with Dow Chemical Company, including international projects in Indonesia, US and South Korea,” Mr Lester said.
For the next 25 years, Mr Ohl held senior roles with Moonie Oil Company, AGL and APA Group, directing the commercial development, construction, expansion, operations and/or maintenance of many of Australia’s most significant gas pipelines and related infrastructure projects.
In his most recent group executive role with APA Group before retiring, he was responsible for all strategic capital works projects, including the very significant Mondarra Gas Storage Facility expansion and the $600 million Diamantina Power Station.
Mr Lester said that throughout his career, Stephen has made a major, and continues to make a sustained contribution, to the wider Australian pipeline industry. This has been evidenced by official roles he has held, including:
- Chairman of the Pipeline Operators Group 1989 -1991
- President of APIA 1995
- Director of APIA 1993 to 1997
- Past Director of the CRC for Welded Structures
- Immediate Past Chairman of APIA Research and Standards Committee
- Director Energy Pipelines Co-operative Research Centre 2011 to present
“This award is a fitting recognition for a man who has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian pipeline industry over a significant period of time. Congratulations and thank you Stephen.”