Marcelino Guedes Gomez joined PETROBRAS in 1987 where he worked in several different positions before he became Executive Manager, responsible for developing and applying solutions for illegal tapping in pipelines at PETROBRAS from 2015 to 2020. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RJ), gained his Masters in Civil Engineer from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (COPPE/UFRJ) and his MBA in strategic Knowledge Management from PUC Paraná. He attended a specialization course in terminals and pipeline engineering from PETROBRAS. Marcelino is member of the Pipeline Commission of the Brazilian Oil and Gas Institute (IBP), former Chair of the Pipeline System Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), an elected ASME fellow, former President of ABENDI - Brazilian Society for Non-Destructive Testing and Inspection, Member of Industry Advisory Board – IAB/ASME, former President of the Pipeline Technology Center – Brazil (CTDUT) and member of the Pipeline Technology Conference (ptc) Advisory Committee. After almost 34 years dedicated exclusively to PETROBRAS, he has recently retired and founded PIPELINEBRAZIL.

Marcelino, we hope that you and your family are doing well. The coronavirus has confused a lot of things. How does your everyday life in Brazil currently look like?

Everyday life in Brazil continues with people working from home and using masks outside the home. Brazil is a huge country and this disease appears to be under control in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo cities, but has now moved inland to the countryside. We have been learning how to use more digital tools and so we are catching up with more developed countries.

One of your main topics is the area of Illegal Tapping. For many years you have been campaigning for a more international exchange between the affected operators. Are we already on a good path here?

As you know, lIlegal Tapping has become one of the major threats to the Pipeline Industry. I have been working to try to bring the pipeline operators in the world to share their knowledge, experience and information. There has been some progress, but not enough. I believe that we must be more open, and have more events, conventions and round tables on this topic. We must invite specialists from R&D centers, Associations, Universities, Pipeline Service Companies and Operators.

You support the work of the Young Pipeline Professionals in Brazil. What should we do to attract more young people to a career in the pipeline industry?

I am excited when I have to talk with young pipeliners. I pass the message that we need more brilliant minds to design safer, more efficient pipelines that are acceptable to the society. They must buy into the dream of changing the face of the pipeline industry. We cannot sweep the problems under the carpet: we must find new solutions that satisfy everyone in this new era. Young pipeliners will be responsible for the challenge of changing the public perception of our industry, maybe including new boundary conditions such as: carbon credits for the pipeline industry, zero leakages, zero fatalities, the planting of trees along the ROW, engagement of the organized society and others.

After you recently retired, you started your own business. What are your plans with PIPELINEBRAZIL?

After 34 years dedicated exclusively to PETROBRAS, I have recently retired and wish to continue contributing to improve the pipeline industry. I have already established my own company – PIPELINEBRAZIL, a visionary, youthful and friendly team is ready to contribute to our industry. Together with selected experts from different parts of the world, PIPELINEBRAZIL is going to offer assistance and solutions, especially developing Studies, Technologies, Training, Events, Start-Ups and Networking Talents. PIPELINEBRAZIL will combine the energy from the young pipeliners with the experience of older heads. Using digital transformations, we will bring together pipeliners from Langfang, Houston, Bangalore, Brisbane, Rio de Janeiro, Palo Alto, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Trondheim, Calgary and others.

What do you prefer to do in your spare time when you are not dealing with pipelines?

In addition to my work, I like to spend time with my wife, my four children, and two granddaughters. Further, I have more than 100 orchids which I grow during the weekends. I have to confess that I am in doubt: Is it more difficult to deal with pipelines or orchids? I like to extend the lifetime of both.

Pipeline People is a new section in the Pipeline Technology Journal in which we would like to personally introduce important people from the pipeline industry on a regular basis. The ptj editorial team is happy to receive suggestions for further interviews. You can reach us at ptj@eitep.de.