1. Training the Next Generation of Pipeline
Engineers via the Web
Nigel Curson
Director
Penspen Ltd., UK
November, 2013

2. Objective of Presentation
• Explain the need for
education and training
our staff in the pipeline
business
• Highlight the difficulties
in providing education
and training courses
• Show a ‘way forward’

3. Unfortunately pipelines fail
• We are experiencing many, some with tragic
consequences*:
San Bruno, USA, 2010.
Gas pipeline failure: many
fatalities and casualties.
*http://www.ntsb.gov/Dockets/PipeLine/DCA10MP008/458194.pdf

4. Why?
•
But how can this be happening,
when we have regulations and
standards that show us how to
manage integrity, and
technologies that can check the
pipeline’s integrity?
Image from Rosen.
Smart pig for
inspecting a pipeline.

5. Over reliance on technology ?
•
A reason is… our pipelines are
ageing… and we are not managing
our pipelines’ integrity effectively.
•
We are relying too much on
technology (machines, software,
etc.), and not enough on people.
Welders
(~1943), on a
pipeline in Texas
Top image from: www.crc-evans.com/75th/75th-body.htm.

6. The relationship between age and
failure probability
Failure probability
• An ageing structure is likely to fail more often*:
Early life
failures
‘Wear-out’
phase
Steady failure
rate
Age
*http://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ageing/information.htm

7. Influence of staff and culture
Integrity
•
But integrity management is not only about maintenance
- we must also ensure we have the correct skills and
management; i.e., do not rely solely on technology.
Graph from
ISO/PDTS 12747*.
Note importance of
staff and ‘culture’.
‘Wear-out’
phase
starts
*’Pipeline transportation systems — Recommended practice for pipeline life extension’. 2010

8. We can build a wall to protect us
Policies &
Objectives
Management &
Organisation
Design
Control
Procurement
Control
Inspection &
Maintenance
Construction
Control
Emergency
Response
Change
Control
Quality
Assurance
Codes &
Standards
Document
Control & MIS
Risk
Assessment
Commissioning
& Handover
Normal
Operations
Accident
Investigation
Repairs &
Modifications
Legal
Compliance
Review and Audit
But need the knowledge

9. How do we define knowledge?
■ Education and training gives you ‘knowledge’
■ Knowledge is ‘information in action’
■ It includes data, information, skills, experience,
lessons learnt, etc.
Value to company
Knowledge
Information
Data
More human interpretation, awareness, etc..

10. It’s valuable, but how do we get it?
■ The path to engineering competence has four steps:
Educate
Relevant academic/trade
qualifications
Train
Industry-specific
training
Knowledge
Management
Field experience
& mentoring
Continuous professional
development
Mentor
Ready

11. Ageing Staff
20
percent
• The age profile for
a modern
technology
company is:
25
high-tech companies,
consultancies
15
10
5
0
20
• The age profile for
an oil and gas
company is:
We need to rapidly train
our existing workforce to
replace the gap
45
65

12. Nationalisation
•This age profile is international.
•Many NOCs require rapid training due to the replacement of foreign
workers with nationals:
Expatriates
Number of Staff
Nationals
21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63
Age

13. The need for rapid development
•
We now have and increasing dependence
on: knowledge, young engineers and
knowledgeable staff to train them;
•
In addition to this, there is an increasing
demand from society to demonstrate
‘competence’ in engineers;
•
Therefore there is an increasing need to
transfer knowledge rapidly;
•
The only way we can show –
demonstrably competence, is by an
accredited, examined courses which
imparts specific knowledge. Nothing less.
•
This has led to a global demand for
training

14. Global Demand for different methods
of training/teaching
•
We are in the training business. Our
experience is:
 Our trainers are spread too thin.
Unlimited demand with finite
resources;
 Staff/companies do not want long
residential courses or even short
ones;
 Staff want to learn at their own
pace, and at work/home;
 Companies want courses to be
accredited;
 The new generations in work today
want to be educated in the same
way as they communicate with
their friends, book a hotel, and buy
a pizza – via the internet

15. What could the future look like?
■ What will our workplace look like in 10
year’s time?
■ How will we be ‘learning’ in the future?
■ Will we still be...
■ attending residential classes...?

16. Today’s Learners
■ Today’s learners want easy, flexible, access:
Classroom... the past?
The web... the future?

17. Time to change
■ Existing residential university courses, and residential
industry training courses are both important and essential.
■ But these will not supply our needs in the short or long
term, nor appeal to many of our younger, newer staff.
■ Time to change...

18. The art of the possible
■ Why not use the internet, social networks,
iPads, etc.?
■ As everybody under the age of 35 already
does...?!
■ Education and training needs to fit in with
today’s modern worker.

19. Flexible delivery to suite lifestyle
■ The future for learning is...
■ Your mobile device will
become your office, classroom
and organiser.
■ Social media literacy will be a
job requirement.
■ The corporate curriculum will
use video games, simulations,
etc., as delivery modes.
■ Your training and education
will be based around your
timetable, lifestyle and job.

20. Online distance learning
■
In this environment, online
distance learning is the preferred
form of delivery to allow flexible
learning.
■ The complete course
materials are presented as a
series of topics available
through different e-learning
tools, which are accessible
online.
■ This online delivery fits in
with today’s
workers/students and busy
workers:

21. Penspen and Northumbria University
■ Penspen have been developing material for 20 years
including an Msc Course and have trained thousands of
engineers. Penspen, and a UK University now provide
these on line materials for pipeline engineers:

22. Certified postgraduate Pipeline
Integrity Management from anywhere
•
All materials are on line, ‘24/7’.
•
You can now study and achieve a Postgraduate
Certificate in Pipeline Integrity Management from
anywhere in the world.
•
Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tasco are also working
with Penspen to deliver distance learning and classroom
accredit postgraduate courses to PEMEX

23. Thank you for your attention