Fri, 19 February, 2021
The Non-metallic Innovation Centre (NIC) was delighted to welcome around 70 delegates to its third Technical Advisory Board (TAB) meeting recently. Held on an annual basis to share experiences and knowledge, with the aim of developing a fully comprehensive understanding of the technical, marketing and industrial trends related to the use of non-metallic solutions in the global oil and gas industry, this TAB meeting was the first to be held virtually by the NIC.
The meeting, hosted by the NIC’s founding partners Saudi Aramco Technologies Company (SATC), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and TWI Ltd, was attended by representatives from around 30 companies operating in oil and gas as well as from universities with an interest in the industry.
The use of non-metallic solutions has become an area of increasing importance and innovation in the oil and gas industry. Due to their diverse, reliable and cost effective applications, these materials are reshaping the maintenance and replacement practices in oil and gas operations.
The Agenda for the full day of dialogue, which was introduced by Mihalis Kazilas, NIC Programme Director, comprised presentations on novel manufacturing of non-metallic pipes, new monitoring technologies and digitalisation options for assets operation assessment.
Delegates had the opportunity to attend one of three technical workshops: Composite pipes with multiple layers; Microwave non-destructive testing (NDT); and Digital twin for oil and gas.
The interactive sessions enabled participants to pool their complementary backgrounds in order to explore possible applications and benefits for use of non-metallic pipes in oil and gas. Peer networking resulted in fruitful and insightful discussions.
Mihalis Kazilas, NIC Programme Director said “The annual TAB meeting is an essential event in the NIC calendar as it provides a unique platform for the oil and gas supply chain to come together and discuss the future operating potential of composite pipes in the sector. The input by different companies and organisations helps the NIC to ensure that it continues to instigate new projects and developments that meet industry needs, now and in the future. Fostering an international dialogue by bringing diverse experts to the same table and encouraging a greater discussion is the right start to pave the way for future innovations in this field.”
Khalid Kuleib, ADNOC’s Research & Development Senior Vice President commented “This TAB meeting marks another important milestone towards unlocking the full potential of non-metallics in oil and gas industrial applications. Embarking on ADNOC, Saudi Aramco, TWI and the collective non-metallic manufacturers’ experience, we aim to get together annually to collaborate towards resolving the most challenging non-metallic issues and also exploring opportunities for the future of this industry.”
Ihsan Taie, NIC Board Member representing Saudi Aramco Technologies Company commented “Despite the current pandemic and travel restrictions, the 2021 TAB meeting has been a successful event, with a growing number of selected attendees from around the globe. This demonstrates the pioneering position of the NIC in non-metallic materials R&D, and the outcomes from the TAB meeting will help the Centre to fine-tune its alignment to market needs and technology trends, and further expand its collaborative network.“