TPT March 2007

Industry News

Scotland to host international pipeline protection conference

Barloworld sells steel tube division to consortium Barloworld Ltd, South Africa, has sold its steel tube division to a consortium representing the division’s existing management, staff, a black economic empowerment group and private equity interests. Barloworld Robor Pty, a wholly owned subsidiary of Barloworld, will sell its underlying assets and businesses to Robor Pty Ltd. According to the deal, Barloworld Robor’s CEO Mr Mike Coward will hold 44 per cent of shares, private equity business RMB Ventures will own 28 per cent, black economic empowerment company RBR Investments will have 18 per cent, and the staff of Robor will own 10 per cent of the business. The takeover is estimated to cost in the region of US$6.5mn (480 million Rand) which is equivalent to the net asset value of

The 17 th international conference on pipeline protection will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 17-19 October 2007. Organisers the BHR Group have signalled a call for papers to gather the latest information on research, development and application in this critical area. The event presents an ideal platform for those involved in the commissioning, operation and maintenance of pipelines. New legislation and growing pressure from the public and special interest groups is forcing pipeline operators to refocus attention on pipeline integrity. The media is often quick to report news concerning polluting leaks from hydrocarbon pipelines or unacceptable losses from water mains. Problems can arise in a number of areas. Poor practices during installation or upkeep are often a primary cause. Ageing infrastructures create new problems in terms of maintenance and replacement. Sometimes the cause is progressive and unforeseen deterioration, while on occasion

there can be complete failure of the pipeline assembly and/or corrosion protection systems. Safety and security are paramount and in some countries certification is already demanded as proof of standard. The oil and gas industry has always sought the latest methodologies for protecting its pipelines. The water and waste industry is also now demanding higher performance to extend the useful life of their pipelines. A unique forum for debating the future direction of the pipeline industry, the conference programme will offer a range of papers. Likely topics will include integrity, internal drag-reducing coating, monitoring and mitigation, stress corrosion cracking, external and internal coatings, upheaval buckling, and inline/online monitoring. BHR Group Ltd – UK Fax : +44 1234 750074 Email : conforg5@bhrgroup.com Website : www.bhrgroup.com/confsite/index.html

Barloworld’s steel tube division. Barloworld Ltd – South Africa Fax : +27 11 444 3643 Website : www.barloworld.com

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M arch /A pril 2007