Energy minister to patronise pipeline conference

Manama, Mar. 19 (BNA): Under the Patronage of Minister of Energy Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, the Pipeline Operations and Management Middle East (POMME) Conference and Exhibition will be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain from April 11 to 14. A conference programme featuring 75 papers from 17 countries has been announced for the region’s premier pipeline industry event. Established as a definitive congress on pipeline technology and management in the Gulf, the conference has simultaneous tracks of technical programme, which include: *Planning, design, construction and materials; *Operations and maintenance best practices, repair and rehabilitation; *Asset integrity management, inspection and cathodic protection; and, *Automation and control, leak detection. Dr. Mirza said an engineering, procurement and construction contract for the project would be awarded in August. "We expect to have the new network opened in the first quarter of 2018, and dismantling of the existing pipelines is expected to begin in the second half of 2018, which will depend on contractors selected," he said while updating the Parliament of the Kingdom of Bahrain. With this development in context, the pipeline conference is being held in Bahrain from April 11 to 14, 2016, bringing experts together from within and outside the region to discuss the latest technologies and concepts for maintaining and operating oil and gas pipelines in the most efficient, cost-effective, and professional manner, while taking account of environmental and other concerns of the communities through which they pass. Dr. Mirza will formally open the event at a Plenary Session on April 12. The conference will begin on April 11 with six topical workshops requiring separate registration. The main conference programme will begin on April 12. An associated technical exhibition will feature leading service and solutions providers, who will showcase and promote best practices in pipeline operations and management. The exhibition will open at 10 a.m. on April 12 and will be held until 1.30 p.m. on April 14, and will host the latest developments in the oil and gas sector. The three-and-a-half-day conference, held at Bahrain’s Gulf Convention Centre, has previously drawn more than 1,100 industry professionals from 33 countries. Saudi Aramco Pipelines Department’s general manager Mohammad Sultan Al-Qahtani said the event provided a great opportunity for pipeliners to gather and share knowledge, who should overcome the many challenges collaboratively. POMME Conference and Exhibition is organised by Tiratsoo Technical (a division of Great Southern Press) and Clarion Technical Conferences, in association with Global Webb Energy Consultants. The event is supported by Platinum Elite Sponsor Saudi Aramco, and Silver Sponsors Rosen, ClockSpring, Bapco and Al-Qaryan Group.