The approval is an important show of support for the continued safe and cost effective operation of Australia’s gas transmission pipeline network, as well as provide the foundation for the next generation of pipelines.

The announcement by Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Kim Carr has been welcomed by the Australian Pipeline Industry Association (APIA), which described it as a great vote of confidence in the essential role that gas pipelines play in the Australian economy and a ‘vital’ first step toward a new era of low emission power generation.

“This is a key step towards a new era of energy efficiency and responsibility – both in supporting the shift toward natural gas in the medium term, and in the longer term development of a globally significant carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry,” APIA Chief Executive Cheryl Cartwright said.

The Energy Pipelines Co-operative Research Centre (EPCRC) is one of ten new centres to be allocated funding in the latest round of the Government’s CRC Program.

The Centre is expected to officially commence operations on 1 January 2010.

The $17.5 million research centre will initially focus on four areas of pipeline development, covering construction and maintenance, corrosion control, and public safety, through four distinct projects:

• More efficient use of materials for energy pipelines;
• Extension of the safe operating life of new and existing energy pipelines;
• Advanced design and construction of energy pipelines; and,
• Public safety and the security of supply of energy pipelines.

As well as researchers from APIA’s Research and Standards Committee (RSC), the Centre will include academics and researchers from the Australian National University, Monash University, the University of Adelaide, and the University of Wollongong.

Former APIA President and APIA Life Member Jim McDonald has been appointed as Chair-Elect for the Centre. A Centre board is to be appointed by participants in the CRC, and an establishment committee consisting of participant representatives has met to work out details including participant agreement.

Once the EPCRC has been established, a Commonwealth Funding Agreement can be signed.

Ms Cartwright said Commonwealth support of a growing pipeline infrastructure is seen as a critical part of the country’s battle to bring down carbon emissions – not only by increasing the use and security of supply of natural gas, which has greenhouse gas emissions over 50 per cent less than coal, but by supporting the development of world-class CCS technologies.

“Safe and reliable transportation of carbon dioxide has emerged as one area in which Australia can lend global leadership to the greenhouse gas mitigation effort,” Ms Cartwright said.

“With most of the sites of major carbon dioxide generation being significant distances from identified storage sites, efficient and secure transportation will clearly be critical to the success of this emerging technology,” she said.

With many of Australia’s older pipelines nearing the end of their initial ‘design life’, the use of advanced materials technologies and innovative corrosion control techniques to permit safe and cost effective life extension for these pipelines will also be a key challenge of the EPCRC.

Chairman of APIA RSC Leigh Fletcher said “An important objective will be to advance corrosion prevention of pipelines to such a level that their design life will increase from around 40 years to 100 or more years – for existing as well as new energy pipelines.

“The new Centre will ensure that the required infrastructure needs can be met by providing technical solutions to critical issues, including fracture control of carbon dioxide pipelines and the prevention of hydrogen embrittlement,” said Mr Fletcher.

“Advanced sociological research will also be undertaken with the goal of ensuring the continued safeguarding of the Australian public from any risk of pipeline failure, with the related public safety and loss of supply issues,” he said.

Mr Fletcher and APIA Research Manager Ankie Larsson are currently working with the CRC establishment committee to set up the governance framework and administrative team for the Centre, including looking a Chief Executive Officer.

Led by Mr Fletcher, the APIA RSC has put a lot of effort and time into completing a submission for the EPCRC. The team’s hard work is greatly appreciated by all in the industry, and has ended in a remarkable result. Congratulations and thanks go to Mr Fletcher and the APIA RSC team.