Buisleiding Industrie Gilde (BIG) is the pipeline industry association for Belgium and the Netherlands. The Association was founded in December 1990 to represent companies, institutions and individuals involved in the design, construction or operation of pipelines, and aims to offer a forum for establishing contacts, a knowledge platform, and a means of gathering information and finding employment. Where appropriate, BIG is also involved as an impartial discussion partner to both governmental bodies and the pipeline industry.

Today, BIG has approximately
250 members, including 60 companies. Among the members are large pipeline network operators such as Gasunie in the Netherlands and Fluxys in Belgium, as well as engineers, contractors and representatives of government and research institutes. Membership is also open to interested students. Each year, BIG organises two full-day and two half-day meetings, including lectures, seminars and a visit to a major pipeline project. The Association also offers a website with separate portals for BIG members, for other interested parties in the pipeline field and for students.

BIG is administered by a Board, currently chaired by Gert Dijkstra who is also a principal consultant at engineering firm Tebodin BV and a member of the Dutch National Pipelines Committee. The BIG organisation also includes a range of working groups, which include:

  • A Public Relations Committee, which promotes the image and objectives of BIG, issues the BIG magazine and BIG newsletter, and is responsible for the BIG website;
  • An activities working group, which recently completed an outline of the mission, vision and objectives of BIG;
  • A working group focused on the possibilities for underground unit transport via pipelines;
  • A working group focused on sustainability issues in relation to underground pipelines;
  • A working group centred around the societal and economical importance of transportation via pipelines;
  • A new working group dealing with asset management issues; and,
  • A risk management infrastructure group, responsible for identifying hazards associated with pipeline infrastructure, and recommending appropriate measures to reduce or eliminate these risks.

An important initiative of BIG is the Pipeliner Foundation, which was established in 2002 to provide education and training to pipeline professionals. BIG Honorary Member Gerard Kruisman recalls that this Foundation developed from discussions regarding the status of the pipeline engineer profession. “It became apparent that the profession of ‘pipeline engineer’ did not even formally exist, as there was no formal education to become one. As a result, one could not become recognised as such,” he said.

In response to these discussions, BIG set out to create an educational structure for pipeliners, which would facilitate the transferral of knowledge from older, experienced engineers to newer members of the industry. It was also hoped that this would promote company leadership from within the pipeline industry, replacing a reliance on management professionals with little technical expertise.

With the assistance of the Avans+, part of the Avans University of Applied Sciences, the Pipeliner Foundation developed a three-year, multidisciplinary Masters degree in Pipeline Technology. Three councils were established to develop the programme – a Supervisory Council of Sponsors, a Council of Recommendation, and a Council of Experts from the pipeline industry.

The course was formally accredited by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie (NVAO) and began accepting students in 2003. Since then, around 12 to 18 students have been accepted into the programme each year. The curriculum is designed for individuals with a Bachelor degree and previous experience in the pipeline industry, who are hoping to develop their skills and expertise. Aside from technical subjects dealing with pipeline design, construction, operation and maintenance, the students also study management, safety regulations and environmental requirements.

Recently BIG issued a comprehensive study entitled ‘Knowledge of pipelines’, which identifies the educational needs of the pipeline industry (on all levels), as well as all available courses on the market in Belgium and the Netherlands. This document helps both employers and employees follow the right study or course to improve their knowledge and skills.

BIG aims to encourage students working on a Bachelor or Master thesis to select a pipeline related subject for their dissertation, through the biannual BIG Prize initiative. The BIG Prize was first awarded in June 2009 to John Driessen, a graduate from the aforementioned Pipeliner course, for his thesis on performance indicators for pipeline operating companies. The call for papers for the next round has already started.

Another recent initiative of BIG included a detailed case study and sensitivity analyses, performed by the University of Antwerp. The study compares the environmental impact of road container transport with an underground container movement system within Atwerp’s harbour area. The results are very encouraging and have resulted in an additional study, detailing the financial and economical aspects.

BIG strives to continuously improve its function as a platform for gaining contacts, improving knowledge and education, and identifying changes and possibilities for new applications in the pipeline industry.