NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2007 – ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) will conduct its first conference aimed at addressing issues and trends in India’s oil and gas pipeline industry.  The ASME Oil and Gas Pipeline Conference, to be held in New Delhi, Oct. 15-18, will convene international industry leaders, engineering professionals and policymakers to discuss and learn more about the state-of-the-art of this vital global industry.       

According to India’s Finance Ministry, India’s economy is growing at a rate of more than eight percent per year.  In order to keep pace with its nation’s growing economy and subsequent energy demands, the Indian government has announced the creation of a national grid for gas pipelines, including efforts to construct a transnational pipeline system. 

The four-day conference, sponsored by the ASME International Petroleum Technology Institute and ASME Codes and Standards, will provide a forum for Indian and global industry leaders to launch a new cooperation in networking and the sharing of best practices among oil and gas pipeline practitioners, and corporate providers of onshore and offshore pipeline technology.     

Conferences speakers include Secretary M.S. Srinivasan, of India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas;  Mukesh Rohatgi, chairman of Engineers India Limited; Sayan Chatterjee, director general of the Bureau of Indian Standards and Eric Anthony Jones, first secretary, Commercial Section of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.

The ASME Oil and Pipeline Conference will feature a series of tutorial sessions presented by leading engineers and industry professionals from around the world.  Topics will include: Global Overview of Innovation Maintenance Technology, Learning from Pipeline Failures, Liquid Product Pipelines, and a panel discussion on India’s Emerging Regulatory Environment.

Additional tutorials will present discussion on pipeline risk management, welding and pipeline repair, coatings for long term performance, new oil and gas pipeline construction and other issues, trends and technologies affecting today’s pipeline industry in India and the world.  The conference will be held at the Le Meridien, New Delhi.

Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization promoting the art, science and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences.  ASME develops codes and standards that enhance public safety, and provides lifelong learning and technical exchange opportunities benefiting the engineering and technology community.

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