The changing competitive environment for the pipeline industry presents a broad spectrum of new challenges and opportunities: international cooperation; globalization of opportunities, organizations and competition; an integrated systems approach to system configuration, financing, contracting strategy, materials sourcing, and operations; “cutting edge” and emerging technologies; adherence to high standards of environmental protection; an emphasis on safety; innovative approaches to project financing; and advances in technology and programs to maintain the long term, cost effective integrity of operating pipeline systems.
These challenges and opportunities are partially a result of the increasingly competitive nature of pipeline development and the public’s intolerance to incidents of pipeline failure. A creative systems approach to these challenges is often the key to the project moving ahead. This usually encompasses collaboration among users of the pipeline, pipeline owners and operators, international engineering and construction companies, equipment and materials suppliers, in-country engineers and constructors, international lending agencies and financial institutions.
