History

Mick McCormack

Mick is the first to describe his journey in the pipeline industry as a fairy tale ride, working his way from the ground up, quite literally, to become the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Australia's largest natural gas infrastructure company - APA Group.
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Pipeline legend: Ted Metcalfe

Ted Metcalfe arrived in Australia from Canada in 1982 and began working for Delhi Petroleum. His first major involvement in the Australian pipeline industry was as a pipeline engineer on the NT Gas Project in 1985 and he has been involved in the industry ever since. In this in-depth interview with The Australian Pipeliner, Ted shares anecdotes and observations from his journey in Australia's pipeline industry.
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David Curry

David's introduction to the Australian Pipeline Contractors Association occurred in 1976 just after he had been appointed Superintendent Engineering BHP Petroleum (Oil and Gas).
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Legends of the pipeline industry: Martin Wettenhall

A two-tone pink and grey Pontiac cruised to a halt outside the stables, its wide tyres seeming to emphasise the crunch on the freshly raked gravel. Wearing a blue sports coat, a weather-beaten faced man emerged, struggled with some papers in the wind and introduced himself as Howard Edgely Hulme. This was Martin Wettenhall's introduction to the pipeline industry in the late 1970s.
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Learning on the job: Murray Durham

Having been involved in the oil and gas industry for a total of 29 years, Canadian-born Murray Durham has been involved in the Australian pipeline industry for 17 years. He has worked across a host of projects in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia, with commercial responsibilities extending beyond Australia to gas projects in China and North America. Here, he shares with The Australian Pipeliner the lessons he has learnt from his diverse experience within the industry and discusses the exciting new framework which will educate future pipeliners.
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The Moomba to Sydney Pipeline: 1971 to 1976

The Moomba to Sydney Pipeline (MSP), now a little over thirty years old, supplies gas to Sydney and many other NSW towns and cities. It was a huge undertaking for a young pipeline industry and was planned and built under extremely trying circumstances.
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Fritz Boegel

Fritz Boegel was born in eastern Europe (prior to 1945, Germany's East Prussia) in 1938 with, as he put it, "a silver spoon in his mouth", his forefathers and father being respected and wealthy business people in their district until a move to the west in 1945 was forced by advancing Russian troops. He left West Germany with his parents and sister in 1956 to enter the sunny shores of Fremantle, WA.
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John Lott

John Lott has been involved in the pipeline industry for over thirty years and is one of the most colourful legends of the pipeline industry.
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The first year of The Pipeline Authority

The Pipeline Authority was the brainchild of the Minister for Mines and Energy in the Whitlam Government, the Hon Rex Connor, who formed the group to take over the building of the 34 inch Moomba to Sydney Pipeline much to the chagrin of William (later Sir William) Pettingell who, as head of AGL, was well advanced with plans for AGL to construct and own the pipeline. The Australian Pipeliner revisits an article printed in June 1974 and written by former Executive Manager of the Pipeline Authority James Donald for a look at the first year of the Authority's activities.
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Graham Witty

Graham Witty grew up in Wangaratta and Mildura, moving to Melbourne in 1956 to complete his engineering qualifications at Caulfield Technical Institute. Graham started his working career with GMH as a cadet automotive design engineer before going on to join Gas & Fuel Corporation in its distribution department in the early 1960s.
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Vale: Robert Fraser

Bob Fraser passed away on 13 December 2009 after a short illness. He was 79 years old. Vin Pollock provides this tribute to his friend and colleague.
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Vale: Ronald John Black

It is with regret that yet another "˜old Pipeliner' has passed away. Ron Black lost his battle with cancer on 23 January 2010. Joe Ashton provided this insight into the life of his mate.
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Pipeline Pedigree

While pipelining in Australia is still a comparatively young industry, it has since its inception had a strong "˜family involvement'. The Australian Pipeliner recently spoke to a number of first and second generation pipeliners to look at their experiences and how they had shaped each other's involvement and development within the pipeline industry. The responses were wide-ranging and covered pipeliners in all sectors of the industry, from engineering to construction to suppliers.
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Carter Johnson

Carter Johnson was a foundation member of APIA's predecessor, The Australian Pipe Line Contractors Association (APLCA). He also built some of Australia's earliest pipelines including the ethane pipeline across Port Phillip Bay. The Australian Pipeliner was pleased to have the chance to interview Carter when he was in Melbourne last March.
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Brooklyn to Corio Gas Pipeline: 1970 – 1971

The Victorian Minister for Fuel and Power, the Hon. J.C.M. Balfour MLA announced on 19 August 1970 that the Victorian Pipelines Commission (VPC) had accepted a tender by Australian Pipeline Construction (APC) for construction of a 32 mile natural gas pipeline to Geelong.
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Len Ballem

Len Ballem is not our usual "˜pipeliner legend' involved in the construction of oil and gas pipelines, however Len has spent a lifetime - 46 years - in the pipe manufacturing business. He is about to retire from his present position of Tyco's Market Manager Southern Region.
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The changing face of the Australian pipeline industry: 1998-2010

The Australian pipeline industry has gone through various changes over the past decade. In 1996, Max Kimber of Kimber Consultants wrote two papers that addressed the changes to the Australian gas pipeline industry from its beginnings in the late 1960s until that time. Here, he provides an update to today, highlighting historical lessons and new developments in research that the industry can learn from.
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The changing face of the Australian pipeline industry: 1998-2010

The Australian pipeline industry has gone through various changes over the past decade. In 1996, Max Kimber of Kimber Consultants wrote two papers that addressed the changes to the Australian gas pipeline industry from its beginnings in the late 1960s until that time. Here, he provides an update to today, highlighting historical lessons and new developments in research that the industry can learn from.
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Allan Newham

In our continuing series on the Legends of the Pipeline industry, The Australian Pipeliner spoke to Allan Newham.

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