The morning saw two streamed sessions, with experienced pipeliners being treated to a session focusing on developments in innovation and technology. This session provided new information on a range of developments of interest to the industry. Peter Cox from WorleyParsons provided a thought-provoking insight into the challenges of transporting CO2 in pipelines. The presentation generated a number of questions, highlighting the importance of transportation in the carbon capture and storage debate.
Harry Katsanevas and Matt Thomas from ABC Laser outlined new GPS technology and machine guidance techniques that are now available, a presentation that generated considerable interest by the APIA contractor members in attendance.
To round out the session before morning tea, Geoff Rogers from McConnell Dowell gave an interesting presentation on the automatic welding and ultrasonic procedures used on the Kupe project in New Zealand. Again, judging by the number of questions from the floor, this topic created a great deal of interest.
The mid-morning session kicked off with James Povey providing interesting insights about the new technologies surrounding the ploughing-in of pipelines on the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline project. APIA was fortunate to have Gary L Stephen attend from TransCanada and Gary certainly ensured the attention of delegates when he presented on new gas storage technologies being utilised by TransCanada. The final presentation in this stream was made by Stephen Loneragan from AJ Lucas who brought the attendees up to speed with the technological advancements and innovations in horizontal, directional and coal seam gas drilling. This was certainly an interesting presentation to end what was a highly informative morning session.
The second stream comprised an introductory seminar for new, younger members. The program for this session was based on the original Young People’s Forum, held in May 2006 because of the seminar’s success in introducing the younger members to the depth and breadth of the industry.
In this session, the YPF group learned about the history of APIA from industry stalwart Charles Rottier in addition to the opportunities provided by the Australian Gas Industry Trust. There were also presentations from young pipeliners covering the range of expertise within the industry: environment, project management, design, construction, regulatory challenges and operations. The session concluded with a talk on “˜managing your career’, which attendees found very informative.
One of the achievements of the two streams that should not pass unnoticed was the Herculean effort of APIA’s President Ashley Kellett. After making an opening speech to the YPF session, he had barely a minute to get to the other side of the building to chair the technical session. This is yet another reminder of the commitment of the current President!
In the afternoon, both groups joined to discuss the future of both the industry and the nation. With the YPF group now well-established and broadly informed about the range of opportunities within the industry, this session brought the YPF group and the experienced pipeliners together to discuss and debate the transfer of knowledge and the development of skills in an environment of change – moving from the baby-boomer generation, through
Generation X and onto Generation Y. The “˜four-minute messages’ from the experienced pipeliners and the younger generation certainly provoked discussion and the debate about skills and management was led by human resources strategist Avril Henry.
It was a challenge to provide a seminar that met the needs both of the YPF group (and their desire to hold a second national YPF seminar) as well as the general membership of APIA and the secretariat will continue to develop new ideas for future seminars.