The conference theme was Advances and Experiences with Pipelines and Trenchless Technology for Water, Sewer, Gas, and Oil Applications. ICPTT was a success with more than 350 participants from the US, Canada, Germany, Korea, India, Iran and China, and over $US7 million in business transactions at this inaugural event.

ICPTT was cosponsored by the China-US Joint Centre for Trenchless Research and Development (CTRD), ASCE Pipeline Division, China Society for Trenchless Technology and the Centre for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education (CUIRE).

Technical talk

A highlight of the Plenary Session was a presentation by Professor Shi Xingquan, former Vice President of China Petroleum Company and general director of the 4,000 kilometre West-East Natural Gas Transmission Project that was completed in 2008. Professor Shi talked about the difficulties, challenges, achievements, and experiences from the first and second unique West-East Natural Gas Transmission Projects.

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Dr Iseley’s presentation on “Trenchless Technology: Tools for Achieving Underground Infrastructure Management Excellence” was also noteworthy. Plenary participants gained valuable information in gas transmission pipelines and municipal pipeline applications from the two keynote presentations. The technical program was a balance of pipeline oil and gas and water/sewer related scientific and practice presentations focusing on:

  • Asset management
  • Geographic information systems
  • Corrosion analysis, planning, design, and construction
  • Hazard inspection
  • Inspection
  • Risk management.

“The evolution of trenchless products, processes, and projects and critical infrastructure issues were a highlight of the many speakers,” said Dr Mohammed Najafi.

Forward planning

With the success of this first ICPTT, planning has already begun for a second conference to be held in two years in either Beijing or Shanghai.

The ASCE Pipeline Division’s vision to “become the organisation that is the world leader for excellence in water, wastewater, oil, gas, and solid pipeline engineering” is on its website www.pipelinedivision.org