World Pipelines Podcast

This year’s winners of the John Tiratsoo Award for Young Achievement show two sides of the industry’s future: innovation and stewardship. One is pushing the technical frontier with drone-based magnetometry; the other is strengthening how major transmission systems are designed, delivered, and passed on to the next generation. Together, they reflect an industry that is both evolving and protecting what already works.

Mehdi Laichoubi, Skipper NDT, and Ian Kornfeld, National Grid, chat to Elizabeth Corner about advancing inspection technology, delivering major infrastructure, and what the next generation of pipeline professionals is focused on.

In this episode, Elizabeth Corner is joined by Brittany Bacon, Partner and Co-Head of the Technology Industry Group at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, to explore the evolving cyber threat landscape for pipeline and oil and gas operators.

From the regulatory aftermath of the Colonial Pipeline attack to SEC disclosure rules, fiduciary duties, vendor risk, cyber insurance disputes, and evidence preservation during incident response: this conversation dives into what ‘reasonable’ really means in the eyes of regulators and courts.

As digitalisation accelerates and operational technology remains vulnerable, cybersecurity is a board-level responsibility. Brittany outlines the practical questions that directors should be asking.

The CCS Forum offers an unmissable opportunity to join your peers and represent your organisation at the heart of the UK CCS discussion as we discuss the projects, technologies, and policies shaping this emerging sector. Find out more here: https://www.worldpipelines.com/ccsforum2026 

In the latest episode of the World Pipelines Podcast, Dr Samuel Stutz, Greene Tweed, talks to Elizabeth Corner about:

• Why hydrogen compression is different from natural gas compression.
• How composite technology supports hydrogen power applications.
• How we make hydrogen networks more economically viable.
• Advanced materials testing, and designing hydrogen infrastructure for the long term.

Sponsoring this episode of the World Pipelines Podcast is the World Pipelines CCS Forum 2026, taking place on 18 March, 2026 at the Park Plaza London Riverbank. This event will bring together pipeline experts and technology leaders to share their insights on the development of the UK’s CO2 pipeline infrastructure for carbon capture and storage initiatives.

The CCS Forum offers an unmissable opportunity to join your peers and represent your organisation at the heart of the UK CCS discussion as we discuss the projects, technologies, and policies shaping this emerging sector. Find out more here: https://www.worldpipelines.com/ccsforum2026 

Paolo Butti, Regional President, Global Industry, at Rockwell Automation Inc., talks to the podcast about:

• A world where decision-making is made in collaboration with intelligent technology. 
• How human-machine interfaces, augmented reality, and AI-driven analytics are helping teams in 2025.
• What skills are most in demand for the next-generation industrial workforce.
• How companies can support their existing teams through this transition.
• The future of industrial work.

Sponsoring this episode of the World Pipelines Podcast is the World Pipelines CCS Forum 2026, taking place on 18 March, 2026 at the Park Plaza London Riverbank. This event will bring together pipeline experts and technology leaders to share their insights on the development of the UK’s CO2 pipeline infrastructure for carbon capture and storage initiatives.

The CCS Forum offers an unmissable opportunity to join your peers and represent your organisation at the heart of the UK CCS discussion as we discuss the projects, technologies, and policies shaping this emerging sector. Find out more here: https://www.worldpipelines.com/ccsforum2026

Hector Perez, Head of Strategy for Black & Veatch’s Industrial Cybersecurity practice, talks to Elizabeth Corner about digital twins, predictive analytics, and emerging AI tools, highlighting how siloed data, legacy systems, and unmanaged digital risk can undermine operational gains if security is treated as an afterthought.

Sponsoring this episode of the World Pipelines Podcast is the World Pipelines CCS Forum 2026, taking place on 18 March, 2026 at the Park Plaza London Riverbank. This event will bring together pipeline experts and technology leaders to share their insights on the development of the UK’s CO2 pipeline infrastructure for carbon capture and storage initiatives.

The CCS Forum offers an unmissable opportunity to join your peers and represent your organisation at the heart of the UK CCS discussion as we discuss the projects, technologies, and policies shaping this emerging sector. Find out more here: https://www.worldpipelines.com/ccsforum2026

Bernard Montel, Tenable, talks to Elizabeth Corner about how AI, cloud complexity, identity sprawl, and IT/OT convergence are creating a completely new attack surface for critical infrastructure. 

Bernard offers a clear-eyed look at why detection-only security models are failing, why exposure management is the new frontline, and what pipeline leaders must prioritise to stay resilient in a post-AI threat landscape.

We cover:

• How AI is reshaping the cyber threat landscape.
• Why cloud and hybrid environments introduce major blind spots.
• The limits of detection-only security.
• The growing skills and awareness gap.
• The role of business-critical risk prioritisation.

Ross Brewer, Graylog, talks to Elizabeth Corner about how shifting geopolitical pressures, the energy transition, and increasingly digital infrastructure are combining to raise the industry’s risk profile, and why preparedness and proportion are the guiding principles for defence. 

From cloud reliance and supply-chain exposure, to the need for regular incident-response rehearsals, Ross shares practical insight on what it takes to “fight while wounded” and keep operations running through disruption and uncertainty. A pragmatic, thoughtful conversation about risk, readiness, and the realities of cybersecurity for critical infrastructure.

Alexandra Kostereva, Operations Manager at GERG (European Gas Research Group), talks to Elizabeth Corner about:

• The most pressing technical challenges currently facing gas pipelines in Europe.
• What kind of innovations or adaptations are being explored for existing pipeline infrastructure.
• How GERG ensures that pipeline-related research translates into real-world safety, sustainability, and efficiency improvements across the continent.
• Energy resilience in Europe.

Please support the podcast by subscribing, rating and reviewing!

Sponsoring this episode of the World Pipelines Podcast is the TDW SmartPlug® Isolation System — The safest inline isolation system on the market. Learn more here.  

A conversation about the research, collaboration, and science behind safer, cleaner, and more efficient pipeline operations. Featuring Gary Choquette, Executive Director of Research at the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI).

Gary Choquette, Executive Director of Research at PRCI, talks to Elizabeth Corner about:

• What PRCI does, and how it decides what to focus on.
• The Technology Development Centre in Houston – and why it’s a game changer.
• The industry's readiness for hydrogen, CO₂ and future fuels.
• Why collaborative research beats solo efforts every time.
• How PRCI supports transparency, safety and trust in the public eye.

Please support the show by subscribing, rating and reviewing!

Sponsoring this episode of the World Pipelines Podcast is the TDW SmartPlug® Isolation System — The safest inline isolation system on the market. Learn more here. 

Juan Caballero, Chair of the AMPP Board of Directors, talks to Elizabeth Corner about:

• The merger of NACE with SSPC to form AMPP.
• Materials protection challenges in 2025.
• AMPP’s training programmes, including a sneak peek into the newest offerings.
• Industry trends and how AMPP views sustainability.
• Which certifications are currently in demand. 
• Digital learning for pipelines.
• Regulations that we need to pay attention to now. 

Please support the show by subscribing, rating and reviewing!

Sponsoring this episode of the World Pipelines Podcast is the TDW SmartPlug® Isolation System — The safest inline isolation system on the market. Learn more here.