Rob Vesak – Special Sessions Chair
Rob Vesak, 1st Class Power Engineer/API 510/IBPV, Certified Energy Manager/Auditor. Rob started his career as a Corliss Steam Engine Operator, received firing time, and worked from 1977 to 2006 in Pulp and Paper as an Operator, Shift Engineer, Chief Engineer and Chief Inspector, Continuous Improvement Advisor and Assistant Production Manager. Moving to Oil & Gas in 2006, Rob worked as a Chief Inspector, and Reliability Manager. Rob shifted roles in 2014 to start up his own company, Trust Integrity Management Inc, working to support companies set up Integrity Management Programs, Completing RBI, Hands on Inspections, Commissioning, Project Management, Thermography and Energy Management. During Rob’s career he has both commissioned both small and large facilities, supporting through the start up to successful operation. Early in his career he was involved in one facility shutdown. His preference is the start-up or renewal. Rob enjoys working hands on with teams in the field and sharing his knowledge and learnings from the past 40 + years, believing that no problem is too great, and if you do things right the production will follow!
Ali Abari – Special Sessions Vice Chair
Ali Abari, PhD, P.Eng, API 510/571, CWB 2, is a senior engineer with Chevron Canada. Ali has over 12 years of experience as a materials and welding engineer working for the oil and gas industry. Ali’s experience and expertise include materials selection and design for corrosion control, damage mechanisms, failure analysis, and welding specifications. Ali has been attending and presenting at IPEIA conference since 2014.
Shane Caume – Special Sessions Past Chair
With an engineering technology diploma I began working in the integrity field testing and developing boiler and brine system corrosion management programs. After that I started my career with Northern Materials Engineering as an inspector. Working for various oil and gas companies as contract inspector worked up to chief inspector. For over 20 years working on various pressure equipment, boilers, pipelines, failure analysis, and developing management programs. Having the opportunity to chair the CCIA, and work with clients of various sizes and experience has opened many doors and opportunities. Development and implementation of regulatory compliance programs in BC, AB, and SK jurisdictions has been another challenge. Always keep the basic principle of safety in mind and you won’t stray far from the objective.
Doug Morrison – Special Sessions Committee Member & Minutes
Doug Morrison, P.Eng., MBA former Reliability Supervisor at CNOOC and former Engineering & Maintenance Manager and Steam Plant Superintendent at Peace River Pulp has extensive operating experience leading Engineers, Quality and NDE inspectors in the safe, compliant, reliable operation and maintenance of pressure equipment. He has worked extensively with Chief Inspectors respecting their knowledge and guidance for the implementation of pressure equipment integrity programs.
Jim Yukes – Special Sessions Committee Member & ICF Task Force #4 Lead
Jim Yukes, AVH Engineering Inc, has over 25 years business development experience including Non-Destructive Examination, facilities and pipeline integrity services in Western Canada and internationally. Jim has been committed for over 5 years to IPEIA including Program, PR and Steering Committees.
Ana Benz – Special Sessions Committee Member & Webinars Co-Lead
Ana Benz, the IRISNDT Chief Engineer, has worked for IRISNDT for 22 years as a Corrosion, Failure and Inspection Specialist. She performs inspections and organizes plant inspection projects using mainstream and advanced inspection technologies. Ana has worked extensively for the Chemical Process Industry, Petrochemical Plants, Fertilizer Plants, Oil and Gas and nickel refineries around the world. She graduated as a Materials Engineer in the University Simon Bolivar in Venezuela and then obtained a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering at the University of British Columbia many years ago. She has several CGSB NDT certificates and CWB Level 3 and API 510 certifications. Ana was a member of the NACE Edmonton Executive for 15 years and before that participated in various capacities for the Edmonton Chapter of the Canadian Welding Institute. She is very happy and proud to have had the opportunity of attending many IPEIA conferences since 1998.
Jennifer Dowdle – Special Sessions Committee Member & Webinars Co-Lead
Jennifer Dowdle, P.Eng. API 510/570/653, IBPV, TSask, NBIC IS Acuren Group Inc. In her 18 years at Acuren, Jennifer has worked in various laboratories understanding how material properties are influenced by their environments; then as a failure analyst looking at how/why equipment failures occur; and finally as a chief inspector/is-service inspector to detect damage and ultimately prevent failures from occurring through inspections and preventative programs in the pressure equipment industry. She specializes in setting up training programs and asset integrity management programs.
Ayralee Martin – Special Sessions Committee Member
Ayralee has been in and out of the oil and gas industry for last 12 years or so, main focus was NDE and pre-fabrication of pressure equipment and woking in the engineered steel production industry. I am new this year 2023 to the IPEIA program.
Ruth Barraez – Special Sessions Committee Member
Robin Antoniuk – Special Sessions Committee Member
Robin (Robin Antoniuk, ABSA, second year of service to IPEIA ) – Robin has been with ABSA since 1999, mostly within the Inspections Department. He currently serves as ABSA’s Assistant Chief Inspector. Robin is on multiple committees including the Steering Committee, Finance Committee and Program Committee.
Doug Brett – Special Sessions – Committee Member
Doug Brett, CET, ABSA IBPVI, TSASK Class 1, API 510/570/653. Doug has over 20 years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry, from the wellhead, through the processing (conventional and SAGD), pipeline systems (gathering and transmission), right through to petrochemicals, including R&D activities and inspections/integrity management. Currently, he is the Asset Integrity Manager for SECURE Energy, overseeing both SECURE’s Pipeline and Static Equipment (Tanks/pressure equipment) integrity management programs, and is a member of the industry group, UCIA.