The global pipeline industry is gathering in Calgary this week as renewed discussions around pipeline development and energy exports puts infrastructure back in the spotlight. More than 8,000 people are expected at the International Pipeline Conference & Expo (IPCE), running Sept. 21 to 25 at the BMO Centre. The event includes more than 1,300 conference delegates and more than 300 exhibiting companies from across the pipeline sector. The conference is taking place at a significant time for Alberta’s energy industry, with governments and industry discussing new ways to expands Canada’s access to international markets. In July, Alberta’s government submitted a proposal for a new West Coast oil pipeline that would transport more than one million barrels of oil per day to the B.C. coast and provide access to Asian markets. The proposed project, estimated to cost up to $43.7 billion, is being developed with Trans-Mountain Corporation and Pembina Pipeline. The province says the goal is to have the pipeline designated as a project of natural interest by the major projects office by Oct. 1. The proposal is part of a broader push to diversify Canadian energy exports beyond the United States. There has also been renewed public discussion about the possibility of reviving a pipeline connection between Alberta and the U.S. based on the former Keystone XL project. The original Keystone XL project was terminated by TC Energy in 2021 after the U.S. presidential permit for the border crossing was revoked. The project was to carry up to 830,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta to Nebraska. Against that backdrop, organizers of IPCE say this year’s event will focus on both existing pipeline infrastructure and the technologies needed to develop future systems. The five-day technical conference includes more than 400 presentations, tutorials, panels and discussions covering pipeline safety, integrity, inspection, maintenance and operations. The three-day exhibitions, which begins Tuesday, will feature more than 300 companies showcasing technology and services related to pipeline monitoring, leak detection, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, digitalization and pipeline repair. Organizers say the exhibition is 40 per cent larger than it was at the previous conference. “IPCE has spent the last 30 years bringing the global pipeline community together to tackle the industry’s toughest engineering and infrastructure challenges, and 2026 marks an important milestone for the event,” said Nick Samain, senior vice-president, North America, DMG Events, in a release. The conference is hosted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in collaboration with the Pipeline Research Council International. The conference runs through Friday at the BMO Centre.
