October 2017, Vol. 244, No. 10

Features

Pipeline Conference Speakers’ List Growing

The agenda is rapidly filling for the 14th Annual Pipeline Opportunities Conference on April 3, 2018 at the Omni Galleria in Houston.

The one-day conference is focused on new construction opportunities in North America as well as expert analyses of the drivers moving the industry forward. The conference is sponsored by Pipeline & Gas Journal, a Gulf Publishing Company publication. Co-sponsors include the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), the Association of Oil Pipelines, and the McGuire Energy Institute, a part of Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.

Jeff Share, Editor of P&GJ and organizer of the conference, said last year’s presidential election may have been good news for the pipeline industry, at least for the short term. He said the meeting is especially relevant today as pipeline projects have become news events followed closely by social media outlets.

“Donald Trump’s election represents a 180-degree reversal from Barack Obama who was preoccupied with legacy issues. Some of them were certainly valid, but in the process he was creating significant problems for the industry as we witnessed with his unwarranted and politically motivated actions on the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL extension, to a lesser extent.

“Trump has promised to ease the overbearing regulatory burden on infrastructure developers and the recent filling of the vacancies at FERC are moving things ahead, but companies have learned the hard way that you always have to be aware of change, and plan your strategy accordingly. That’s the purpose of our conference.”

Share, who founded the conference in 2005, said the event will follow the successful format of past meetings, mixing information and networking opportunities.

Once again, the conference will lead off with a panel discussion comprised of presentations from the McGuire Energy Institute, including Executive Director Bruce Bullock, Associate Director Bud Weinstein, board member and independent producer Gary Evans, and Prof. Joe Dancy. The summation of their reports provides a balanced view of the key issues facing the oil and gas industry, including economical, political and environmental aspects.

Other confirmed speakers include Paul Moran, an energy consultant with Navigant, who will offer a perspective on new construction; Don Santa, president (INGAA), who will present his annual Washington Report, detailing how political and legislative developments in the nation’s capital will affect the industry. Gretchen Gagel, president of Continuum Advisory Group, will moderate a session entitled “Building Utility/Contractor Relationships that Excel.” This panel, involving gas utility and contractor executives, will explore the key ingredients of the most effective utility/contractor relationships in our industry. Participants will share their experiences related to creating long-term relationships that achieve outstanding results related to safety, budget, schedule and quality.

The conference will also include a panel comprised of midstream executives who will discuss the challenges and opportunities they and their contractors are facing.

A keynote speaker will be named shortly.

Sponsorships are available now. Many levels include a furnished booth and tickets to the popular Speakers Dinner, the night before the event. Sponsors to date are: ALLU Group Inc., John Deere Construction & Forestry Division, CASE Construction Equipment, Midwestern, Pipeline Machinery International, Vacuworx and Illinois Truck & Equipment. To join this esteemed list, contact convention director Karen Francis at kfrancis@oildom.com or visit the conference website, pipelineopportunities.com.