Venture aims for safer, more efficient pipelines

Alberta Innovate Technology Futures (AI-TF) has teamed with the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) and others to launch the Canadian Pipeline Technology Collaborative to streamline research aimed at improving the safety of the nation's pipelines. The initiatives bring together the federal, Alberta and British Columbia governments and will invite universities, aboriginal and environmental groups to join later this fall. The idea for the collaborative originated with AI-TF and discussions have already been held with several universities and other potential stakeholders. In parallel, AI-TF and CEPA are jointly funding a survey of pipeline research globally to determine which research gaps need to be filled, resulting in a roadmap of research priorities. Natural Resources Canada is currently assessing what role it may play in the collaboration. The collaborative plans to use public and private sector funding to support targeted research in academia and other institutions. Other entities expressing interest are the Saskatchewan government and the Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada. Although still in the early stages, the venture is being accelerated in response to the controversies surround several proposed pipelines including the XL Keystone and Northern Gateway initiatives....