As Vice President, Performance at CEPA, Patrick leads a team working to enhance industry performance and reputation in Canada’s transmission pipeline industry.
Previously, Patrick held executive leadership roles with Canada’s National Energy Board and the province of British Columbia, working with the Ministry of Energy and Mines and Oil and Gas Commission.
Patrick has his red seal endorsement and certifications in welding inspection, non-destructive examination and coatings inspection. He holds a Diploma of Technology from the British Columbia Institute of Technology, a BComm and MBA from Royal Roads University, and a Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from the University of New Brunswick.
He holds a Canadian Registered Safety Professional designation and is deeply interested in advancing safety culture.
Carlos Chaves was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He became a Naval Engineer, graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP) in 1990. He obtained a MSc degree from University of São Paulo in 1994 and a PhD degree from The University of Tokyo in 1998.
He joined Embraer in 1999. Since then, he has been working with structures in various programs (Embraer 190, Phenom 100 and Legacy 500). Presently, he is working at Embraer Chief Engineering Office, as a structures specialist with main focus on fatigue and damage tolerance.
He was a part-time professor of Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics at ITA (Technological Institute of Aeronautics) from 2000 to 2011 and is an ANAC designated engineering representative (DER) for certification of aircraft structures since 2011.
He is a member of ABCM Fatigue Fatigue, Fracture and Structural Integrity Committee. Besides, he is the brazilian representative (national delegate) in the ICAF, the International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue and Structural Integrity, since 2017.
Edmar Almeida is Associated Professor at the Economics Institute of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and member of the IE-UFRJ Energy Economics Group. Prof. Edmar Almeida holds a Bachelor degree in Economic Sciences from the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Master in Industrial Economics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. PhD in Applied Economics, University of Grenoble, France (1999).
Since 1993, he has been teaching and researching the main areas of interest: Industrial Organization and Dynamics of Energy Industries, Regulation and Energy Policies, and Innovation of Energy Market Development. Prof. Edmar is the author and co-author of several books, book chapters, academic and professional articles, and often lectures at national and international seminars and conferences.
In addition to academic activities, Prof. Edmar studied and advised various government institutions, private and public companies, international investors and multilateral organizations on the following topics: energy policy and planning, tax regulation and regimes, energy market development, projections of energy supply and demand and regional energy integration.
Jose Vera holds a Chemical Engineering degree from University of Zulia, Venezuela, and a PhD degree in Chemistry from Rice University, Texas. Dr. Vera is currently a senior principal engineer in the Materials and Corrosion Technology Center at DNV GL, based in the Houston office, and holds the position of senior program manager, responsible for developing technology and programs to address corrosion needs in the oil and gas industry. He has over 30 years of experience in corrosion control, materials selection and applied electrochemistry, primarily related to the oil and gas industry. He has authored or co-authored over 90 technical publications and has been granted five US and Europe patents. He is the recipient of 2009 Fellow Award for long-time distinguished contributions in the fields of corrosion and its prevention.
Wong Loon is the chief operating officer of NTS since 2017. Wong joined Petrobras in 1976 as a pipeline engineer, and subsequently was appointed supervisor, regional manager, and General Operations Manager of the Transportation Department. In 2000, Wong was appointed Director for Pipelines and Terminals in Petrobras Transporte SA – Transpetro, a recently created company, focused in competitiveness and profitability. Wong lead Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados OCP Ecuador as CEO from 2007 to 2010, responsible for a new strategic planning and cost reduction program. In 2011 he joined Logum, responsible for the construction and operation of Brazil’s first ethanol pipeline, as COO. Wong holds a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering, specialization in pipelines and terminals, and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in FGV and Columbia University.
Heinz Watzka studied mechanical engineering at Technical University of Vienna, Austria
From 1981 – 1990, he worked as Project engineer and manager for oil & water pipeline projects in Nigeria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Libya at Ingenieurgemeinschaft Lässer-Feizlmayr (ILF).
From 1991 – 2002 he served as project engineer for hydraulic optimization of the Transalpine Pipeline System (TAL).
From 1994 – 2002, Mr. Watzka was technical Manager of Deutsche Transalpine Oelleitung GmbH as well as Consultant for the shareholders in surveys for TransAlaska and PARCO Pipeline System (Pakistan). As Senior Vice President responsible for the Maintenance of Ruhrgas AG he was active from 2002 – 2010. After that and until 2013, he was Managing director of Open Grid Europe GmbH responsible for Germany’s largest gas transmission system.
Graduated in Civil Engineering at São Paulo State University (UNESP, 2002), Exchange at Blaise Pascal University (1999) in France, M. Sc. in Civil Engineering at COPPE/UFRJ (2004), MBA in Project Management at UFF, PMP Certification. He has been working over 17 years on Oil and Gas SURF market working on Conceptual Engineering, FEED and Detailed Engineering Design of rigid flowline and riser, subsea equipment and subsea installation engineering in Brazil and England, being involved in several subsea engineering projects under EPCI and PLSVs long-term contracts. Currently working as Project Engineering Manager at MCDERMOTT been responsible for SURF projects and engineering development team in Brazil region.
Civil Engineer, graduated from PUC-RJ in 1989. MBA in commercial and sales management from PUC-RJ. Partner and commercial director of IEC-Instalações e Engenharia de Corrosão LTDA. Director of Abraco-Associação Brasileira de Corrosão in the biennium 2017/2018. Current deputy Coordinator of the Pipeline Transport Commission of IBP.
Responsible for the IEC representations with operations in cathodic protection activities, corrosion monitoring and pipeline integrity. Courses in: corrosion, cathodic protection and internal corrosion monitoring of industrial equipment. Representative of IEC with NACE/USA, with participation in the international corrosion congresses of that association in the last 22 years.
He has worked at PETROBRAS for over 35 years, 25 at the Paraná Refinery in Safety Management, Industrial Safety Manager and Safety, Environment and Health (SMS) Coordinator of the expansion projects of operational units. He was Corporate Security Manager and Coordinator of the implementation of PETROBRAS Corporate SMS Guidelines. He is currently a Risk Management Consultant and Coordinator of the Process Safety Experiences Research Centers in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador. It also coordinates an SST Benchmark Group in Curitiba and brings together the Pipeline Risk Community in partnership with IBP, ANP, Petrobras and Transpetro.
Mechanical engineer Doctor in Science from University of São Paulo. At Petrobras became Petroleum Engineer specialized in offshore wells, working as Drilling Program Engineer at International Business Area and Santos Basin Operations. Later, Borella was Drilling Consultant for pre-salt wells (2011-2012), R&D Manager for Well Construction (2013-2016) and the Technical Competencies Manager for Wells and Rigs (2016-2018). Additionally, he was professor (2009-2010) and course coordinator (2011-2012) of Petroleum Engineer Course at Santos Catholic University. He holds now the position of General Manager for Digital Transformation in Petrobras.