The “Pipeline Technology Conference”, ptc is known and recognized worldwide despite its young age of 14 years. It is the most international and balanced Pipeline Technology Conference in the world. Participants and exhibitors come from over 55 countries. They are roughly from the following sectors:

• Operator/Authority/Research (30%)
• planning/building industry (20%)
• Plant and equipment manufacturers (20%)
• Service provider (30%)

More than 120 speakers and participants in discussion rounds also come from roughly the same sectors. More and more operators come from Asia, Africa and Latin America, because at the ptc in Berlin both the latest technology and the most profound experiences of European operators are presented. As a rule, many more presentations are offered which have already successfully passed the quality check by the international Advisory Committee but which could not be included in the programme. These great papers are among the articles published in the “Pipeline Technology Journal”,  ptj. The “Pipeline Technology Conference” offers primarily a platform for the exchange of the best technical solutions for Safety, Reliability and Profitability of pipelines.
The close proximity to operators and the entire pipeline industry, which is particularly evident in the strong Advisory Committee, led us to the realization that it is not enough to focus solely on optimizing the technology. Therefore, the ptc deals with trends and issues that are brought to the fore from outside. These topics are dealt with through keynotes, panel presentations, panel discussions and side conferences. A number of outstanding topics over the past 13 years have been discussed:

• Availability of oil and natural gas/peak-oil
• Pipeline vs. LNG
• Energy Turnaround
• Public Perception
• Qualification and Recruitment
• Facets for maximum Safety
• Cyber security
• Hot tapping
• New markets for pipelines/Eurasia etc

Topics of particular interest - such as pipeline safety in Germany - had been examined from various angles in compact sessions during the conference and, after further revision, published as a special edition of ptj. This system will be implemented more frequently in the future - e.g. for the side conference of the 14th ptc. I believe that this will provide our pipeline sector with compendiums that meet the same requirements as the ptc seminars - namely in their function as a reference book.
We have developed this system of ptc-ptj-seminars in close cooperation with the operators and the pipeline industry. Thanks are due to all those who have contributed - and the invitation to continue to do so in the future.
Kindly find additional information on our websites:

• www.eitep.de
• www.pipeline-journal.net
• www.pipeline-conference.com

Yours,

Dr. Klaus Ritter,
President EITEP Institut
Chairman ptc
Editior in Chef ptj