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OUR CONTRIBUTORS               WELCOME TO THE MARCH EDITION


                              SELINA
                              HINCHLIFFE is a
                              non-contentious      EDITOR’S LETTER
                              intellectual property
                              transactional                           NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT? We would never
                   lawyer advising on all rights                      normally admit this, but we have had a bit of work done.
                   across transactional and advisory                  The new look Gi has had a nip here, a tuck there – but all
                   intellectual property (IP) matters                 your favourite content is still in one place. We’re still us,
                   with a specialist focus on the                     just better. Let us know what you think of the changes.
                   energy sector. Selina is ranked as                   The end of this month brings with it the Brexit
                   a recommended lawyer in IAM                        deadline. Will Theresa go for an extension? Will the
                   Patent 1000, where she is noted as                 EU give in to the Brexiteers’ demands over the Irish
                   being great at explaining intricate                backstop? Will we crash out without a deal? Have I
                   legal issues to laypeople.                         stockpiled enough tinned goods? Are you bored of
                                                  talking about this yet? Have you fallen out with all your family over the dinner
                                                  table? Yeah, me too. Whatever the result, we’ve got you covered with our handy
                              AS HEAD OF          will-they-won’t-they Brexit guide for the gas industry.
                              ENGINEERING and       In addition, we’re entering a virtual ‘house of horrors’ to test our gas emergency
                              Asset Management    skills, the gas transmission network is gearing up for hydrogen and the helpful
                              at National Grid,   folk at Fastflow Energy Services are explaining why welding apprentices are a good
                              Antony Green has    investment for the gas industry.
                   responsibility for asset strategy,   All this is accompanied by the usual round-up of news and events from around
                   investment and engineering for   the industry, plus a rundown of some great IGEM opportunities for students,
                   the UK gas transmission network.   EngTechs and apprentices.
                   Antony has worked in the utilities   We hope you enjoy the March edition,
                   and infrastructure sectors for over
                   25 years. He is a Chartered Engineer
                   and a Fellow of both CIWEM and
                   IGEM. Antony will become IGEM
                   President later this year.
                                                  SHARON BAKER-HALLAM
                                                  EDITOR
                              PHIL JENKINS is     BA (HONS) AIGEM
                              one of two directors   INSTITUTION OF GAS ENGINEERS AND MANAGERS (IGEM)
                              of GATC Ltd, the
                              other being John
                              Forrest. Phil has    YOUR LETTERS
                   worked in the gas industry for 41
                   years, starting as an apprentice gas   COULD BREXIT LEAVE OUR SUPPLIES AT RISK?
                   engineer in 1977. He is based just
                   north of Cardiff, in Wales, and also
                   in Ferndown, Dorset. Between both   IF WE LEAVE the EU what could   If Russian gas was cut off, the battle
                   centres, GATC trains and assessed   possibly go wrong? We have five days of   for LNG supplies would intensify.
                   around 2,300 engineers per year,   gas reserves, while the EU has 28 weeks.   There is an engineering edict, which
                   mainly in downstream gas, but also   We get 47 per cent of our pipeline gas   states, “If things can go wrong, sooner
                   domestic oil and renewables.     from the EU, 44 per cent from the North   or later they will go wrong.” In the
                                                   Sea and nine per cent is LNG.   worst case scenario, we could lose
                                                     How secure are these supplies?   some 50 per cent of our gas.
                                                   Incidents can and do happen; our LNG   Maybe the UK should very quickly
                                                   from Qatar passes through the Strait of   review its earthquake magnitude
                 TELL US WHAT YOU THINK            Hormuz, which is a potential flashpoint.  limits for fracking?
                                                                                   Peter Marsden
                                                     Gas from Russia to the EU is likely to
                                                   increase to 67 per cent on completion   BSc CEng FIGasE MIChemE
                 GOT SOMETHING you want to get off   of the Nord Stream 2, despite American
                 your chest? We’re always happy to hear   protests. What if there was a spat and   Editor’s response: While it may not be
                 any comments you might have about   Putin turned off the gas?     time to start panic buying barbecue
                 Gi. If you have an opinion you want to   The EU legislates to conserve gas   canisters just yet, your letter asks some
                 share with us, email editor@igem.org.  supplies, but would our supplies be   very pertinent questions about the long-
                 uk or write to Editor Sharon Baker-  affected? Would our chief supplier   term security of our gas supplies. For
                 Hallam at IGEM House, 26 & 28 High   Norway (which is subject to EU   more on how Brexit will affect the gas
                 Street, Kegworth, Derby DE74 2DA. The   legislation in the energy field) also   industry, we invite our readers to turn to
                 best letters and emails we receive will be   be affected?         pages 20-22 of this edition of Gi.
                 featured on this page.



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