The energy sector has been around for centuries, but project management of pipelines as we know it today is facing another need that requires new thinking and responses from new skills and tools.

In the past, projects were managed by engineers or technical experts who had little to no formal training in project management. Often a project team came together to define a pipeline in engineering terms, did a bit of external consulting to understand a few factors and issues to be considered. As the complexity of projects increased over the years, project management techniques evolved to become more sophisticated and comprehensive.

In a new article for World Pipelines Magazine, John Downer, Senior Project Manager at Penspen, expands on the merits of the changing landscape of Pipeline Project Management. Tracing the history of Pipeline Project Management, the article explores the shift from a closed method of management to modern methods such as Operational Research and Multi-Factor Decision-Making, discussing how these methods can benefit the future management of pipeline projects.