While it is easy – and even somewhat dismissive – to speak of ‘traditionalists’, ‘baby boomers’, and ‘generations X and Y’, it is clear that there is growing concern that the engineering skills that have both created and maintain the high levels of integrity of the world’s pipelines may not be transferred to successive generations of engineers. This is by no means to demean the clear enthusiasm for many of the generations X and Y who enter this interesting industry. It is rather that there is an increasing age gap (the phrase ‘silver tsunami’ was heard) between those who have the experience and those who need it, and up to now the industry itself has not managed to set up a process through which this experience can be handed on.

Writing in 2008, Professor Phil Hopkins of the United Kingdom’s Newcastle University (and Penspen Integrity), pointed out some salient facts on this issue, including:

• UK Government figures show that the number of school leavers will decline by 16 per cent by 2018, so all industries will be short of local employee ‘feedstock’.
• 29 per cent of all engineering graduates in the UK leave university to join the finance/commercial sector, not engineering.
• The number of registered engineers [in the UK] has fallen by 21,500 in the past decade.

As Prof Hopkins says, a shortage of good engineers will create an unsafe environment in the oil and gas business, and this means that lives will be lost. “It is worth noting,” he continues, “that engineers cannot make mistakes: the cost is too high. Can you imagine if engineers had made the same naïve, short-sighted mistakes that our bankers and financial ‘experts’ made leading up to this [2008] year’s ‘credit crunch’? If we engineers had made mistakes on this scale in the oil and gas industry, we would all be in jail. The skills shortage crisis in the oil and gas business is real: it has now moved on from a ‘people’ issue in companies, to a strategic issue. A solution needs to be found today – we cannot wait.”

These comments are equally relevant three years later, and up to now, little has been achieved to address the problem, with the major and creditable exception of the Australian Pipeline Industry Association (APIA). APIA has worked hard to set up a clearly-defined competency-based process through which engineering skills can be systematically passed on to successive generations. While still being refined and developed, APIA’s initiative in this direction is of great significance to the global industry.

On this same theme, Pipelines International is very pleased to report two further initiatives that are being developed with the same intentions. Northumbria University in the UK, in partnership with Penspen, is to commence a Postgraduate Certificate in Pipeline Integrity Management in September this year. The Certificate will be made up of four modules and, when awarded, will be accredited by the University; the credits thus gained will equal one-third of those required to obtain a Master’s degree in the subject.

A unique feature of the Certificate course is in how it will be presented. Classes will be delivered by a combination of distance learning (via the University’s website), through residential classes, and through public training courses delivered by Penspen. Students will be able to select which of these options, singly or in combination, they wish to follow. The first module to be delivered will be on pipeline integrity assessment, followed by a further three modules covering onshore pipeline engineering, risk management of pipelines, and materials and corrosion.

This scheme will clearly provide a great opportunity for learning, and for those involved to obtain a serious, realistic, and recognised qualification in this industry. The scheme is not a substitute for the hands-on experience that all engineers necessarily need, but will complement such experience gained through the job site. Many of the lecturers involved are senior pipeline engineers with a range of core disciplines and experience.

In a further initiative, Pipelines International understands that the ASME is discussing setting-up a ‘road map’ for pipeline engineering certifications in order to support long-term skills’ development in the industry. ASME’s Pipeline Systems Division is looking at the establishment of a formal, competency-based testing and experienced-based certification for pipeline engineering and pipeline integrity engineering in order to assist operators, regulators and individuals in effective knowledge transfer. This subject was discussed in general terms at the Banff workshop mentioned above, and we hope to be able to report upon it in more detail in due course.