Eric Jas, general manager of Perth-based offshore pipeline engineering firm Atteris, took on the initiative in 2012 by expanding offshore the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association's already decade-long project to draw up competencies for the onshore sector.

While it is understood that representatives from Woodside Petroleum, Chevron Corporation and Inpex all participated in the formation of the offshore competencies, it is unclear whether they will take the on those competencies to help train their own staff.

Inpex, which completed a monster 890km pipeline connecting the central processing facility in the Browse Basin to onshore facilities in Darwin using JP Kenny, would not comment to Energy News on whether it was interested in the competencies for its own staff.

Energy News is also awaiting comment from Woodside and Chevron.

Jas accepted the Subsea Energy Australia award last Friday for best industry collaboration, ahead of the UWILD Class Survey (an initiative of Geo Oceans, Woodside and Lloyds Register) and the Wood Group-led SURF Integrity Management joint industry project.

The competencies cover general engineering; flow assurance and process engineering; materials, welding and corrosion; safety management and risk assessment; environmental heritage; design of offshore pipeline systems, pipeline-related structures and risers.

They also cover construction engineering and management, offshore pipeline project management; pre-commissioning and commissioning; asset management and pipeline operations.

The offshore competencies were based on the system developed by APGA for onshore pipeline engineering, with the detailed development work for the offshore competencies undertaken by Jas and the reference group he chairs along with the drafting group, both based in Perth.

It was this collaboration that the award recognised.

The 57 offshore competencies were launched in Perth in April.

Oil and Gas Pipeline Engineering is already a special area of practice recognised by Engineers Australia and the BPEQ, and eligible engineers can become registered in that area via an assessment process based on the APGA competency standards.

At the moment, the assessment process does not include a pathway for pipeline engineers with offshore competencies, but plans for introducing the second classification within the special area of practice and the offshore pathway are well under way.

The offshore pathway will also be based on the APGA pipeline engineering competencies - but those in the offshore sector rather than the onshore sector.

Energy News has learned APGA is in talks with a number of organisations in Australia and overseas about the possibility of licensing its competency system.

Jas, a 30-year industry veteran, said the pipeline scene globally was suffering a monumental generation and knowledge gap where the previously proven traditional mentor-apprentice model is no longer a "healthy" approach due to the sheer number of engineers retiring.

Despite the best intentions of graduates coming up through the ranks, there are still sizable knowledge gaps, and Jas believes the new competencies - which cover everything from pipeline construction to getting the best out of contractors - will help them hit the ground running rather than learn as they go, as he did.

Jas has implemented the competencies at Atteris, not mandated but as a development tool, to know where his staff sit on the scale of the competencies.

"That allows me and my management team to how we need to develop our people, in which areas we're weak as a business; we don't need everyone to tick all the boxes, we just need to ensure we have all the competencies to offer our clients, with contingencies," he said.

"There is sometimes a tendency for businesses to focus on production and the bottom line rather than developing the people. I'm a big believer in developing the people as one of the first priorities."

He said the new competencies were the foundation of many facets of industry.

"If people are not competent they are likely to cause health and safety risks or hazards or will miss them, and the same with environmental issues," he said.

"So you could argue that many of the incidents that have occurred in the last few years, particularly some massive incidents in the north of Australia and the Gulf of Mexico, the underlying issue is always people not being competent.

"It's either that or they cut corners on purpose, but I don't necessarily believe that happens very often, and if it does then it's due to the competency level and culture of the managers."

The industry professionals from a range of competencies that Jas gathered to draw them up did so voluntarily, to create "well-rounded engineers".

"The ‘nerdy' engineer who just sits behind a computer doesn't have a place here. You need to be able to write, present, communicate and interface. We're dealing with humans with emotions, so you need to capture that in the best way," Jas said.

The next step is to get companies to embrace the system and implement it.

Jas wants to take the competencies overseas. However, that will be challenging because there's no overarching pipeline organisation like the International Maritime Organisation.

Instead, he will target industry groups.

Whether it's the US Pipeline Research Council International or the European Pipeline Research Group, the key is to find individuals or groups of people within those organisations that are as passionate as he is, he said.