On August 8th, 9th and 10th, TBG was present at the 13th edition of the Rio Pipeline 2023 event as an exhibitor and, for the first time, as a platinum sponsor. We participated in debates, workshops, presentations and the CEO Talks with our CEO, Erik Breyer. We brought to the event, promoted by the Brazilian Institute of Petroleum and Gas (IBP), an enriching program presented at our event booth. There were seven presentations made by TBG professionals and a virtual tour of our facilities through augmented reality glasses, inside a visual reality space set up in our event booth.

Since 2011 we have not had a captive stand at this event and we took advantage of the 2023 edition to launch our new slogan at the Rio Pipeline - “Gas that transports the future”. We recorded an average of 550 visitors, who interacted directly in our space, either by participating in the lectures or the virtual tour of our facilities. In this reality experience, it was possible to make a 360° visit of TBG installations through augmented reality glasses, including the Compression Station at Paulínia (SP), our pipeline right-of-way, a blocking valve, rectifier and delivery point.

The Rio Pipeline Conference is part of the international calendar of meetings on the gas pipeline market in Brazil and worldwide. Under the banner - “Knowledge and Energy for a New Market”, this year's edition expanded understanding of the opening-up of the natural gas market in Brazil, including the expansion of the sector with the entry of new agents, while also addressing aspects such as reliability and competitiveness in the industry.

Over the three days, the event registered record numbers receiving some 8,200 visitors including representatives from 29 countries. An average of 2,700 people per day, in a space of 5,000 m² of exhibition area resulted in a 40% increase in the number of exhibitors, compared to 2019, from 49 to 70 companies.
 

TBG on the 1st day of the Rio Pipeline Conference

The company debut at the event was celebrated with the presentation of a technical paper - MT 11, entitled, “GIS Mapping and Geotechnical Analyzes - Pipeline Right-of-Way Inspection Using Drones and Artificial Intelligence”, by consultant Gilberto Hernandes and by Marcelo Moya, the Coordinator Third Party Action Prevention and Nature; the room was crowded, filled with an attentive audience. Following, the TBG Commercial Director, Jorge Hijjar, participated in a special session focusing on the theme, “Regional Energy Integration: a necessary reality or utopia?”. It is important to mention that TBG was born with the integration spirit and is fully prepared for the challenges of the future.

The first day of presentations at the TBG booth began with the Information Technology and Telecommunications Manager, Alberto Teixeira Neto, who presented the theme, “Digital Platforms and the Brazilian Conceptual Model”. He explained the perspective of platforms as one of the enabling elements for the opening of the natural gas market in Brazil. Afterwards, TBG Manager of Legal Affairs and Governance, Denise Sayão, spoke on, “Legal and Regulatory Challenges in the context of opening the market”. She talked about the assumptions that characterize the process of opening a market, the role of gas transport services in the process, the evolution of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to gas transport, and the future of the market.
 

TBG on the 2nd day - Rio Pipeline event

The second day was a busy one for TBG. In the morning, the company was present in four different moments. The first - a presentation of the technical paper - MT 21 – “Risk & Reliability, Use of POF Targets to Determine Mitigation Measures in Pipelines with Class Location Change”, made by consultant, Marcos Bartelotti. In the next room, Pipeline Integrity engineer, Fábio Matsuo, and the consultant, Cesar Augusto, presented MT 23 – “GIS Mapping and Geotechnical Analyzes Risk-based Geotechnical Occurrence Database Management”. Then, it was the turn of Operation Engineer, Bárbara Carlos Bassane, Operation and Programming Coordinator, Sérgio Lacerda, Operation Engineer, José Schuwa, Operation Engineer, Luiz Guilherme Figueiredo and Information Technology analyst, Joceli Oliveira Meirelles, that presented MT 26 – “Logistics and Operation Digital Platform for Managing Gas Transport Operations”. The marathon closed with presentations of the technical paper MT 26 – “Logistic and Operations Meeting the Challenges of Gas Transmission and Distribution Systems with Advanced Technologies”, presented by consultant Flávio Souto Henrique. In the afternoon, the Asset Integrity Manager, Vicente Thiago, participated in a Risks in Pipelines Workshop.

And at the TBG booth, Commercial Manager, Cecília Mendes, was responsible for starting the second day of lectures with the theme: “How to Operate the Transport Service”. During the presentation, Cecília discussed the Entry and Exit system, contracting transport with an overview of the Capacity Offer Portal (POC) and the Gas Transport Portal, the commercial journey, the nomination and scheduling flow and balancing in the transportation network. Afterwards, Safety, Environment, Energy Efficiency and Health Manager, Sergio Binensztok, spoke on “Safety, Environment and Health Management in the Gas Transport Industry”, in which he discussed the main success factors for building a SMS management system. The second day ended at the booth with the TBG Planning, Strategy and Tariff Manager, Tatiane Perrone, and the New Business Development and Regulation Coordinator, Robson Coelho, who presented the theme, “Tariff Cycles in Transport – International Experience”. The pair presented topics including; tariff cycles; concept and regulatory cycle; attraction of new customers and reasonable tariffs; international benchmarking and TBG commercial actions; commercial result and the TBG experience, with achievements and challenges starting  from the definition of the 1st Regulatory Cycle up to the 2nd Cycle.
 

TBG on the 3rd day of the Rio Pipeline Conference

The third and last day of TBG’s presence at the Rio Pipeline 2023 began with the participation of consultant Nicolau Branco, in the workshop on “Control Room and Cybernetics”. Simultaneously, TBG professionals participated in three technical presentations. Consultant César Augusto Costa, Pipeline Integrity Engineer, Fábio Matsuo and Pipeline Integrity Engineer, Fernanda Hadad de Melo, presented MT 40 – “GIS Mapping and Geotechnical Analyzes TBG Pipeline Monitoring and Depth of Cover Management in Large Submerged Crossings”. Analyst Rosana Aparecida Paduan and Gas Pipeline technician Marcos Moreno presented MT 44 – “GIS Mapping and Geotechnical Analyzes Third Party Damage: Integrated Prevention Database”.

During day number three, programming at the TBG booth included the New Business Development and Regulation Coordinator, Robson Coelho, and consultant Flávio Souto Henrique, making a presentation entitled, “Southern Pipeline Segment Expansion”. The duo spoke about the technical challenges and commercial-regulatory solutions created to meet the expansion project. visitors at the booth saw the TBG System and the expansion of gas transport capacity for the southern section, the parameters for increasing capacity, solutions, models, the northern section, challenges and simulations. Consultant Rafael Zonis and New Business and Regulatory Affairs Analyst, Vitor Falcão Soares, concluded the presentations with the theme, “Biomethane Injection in Transport”. They spoke about the elaboration and operationalization from a technical point of view, with the construction of a new Entry Point in the Gas Pipeline's trunk line or in an advanced pipeline to be built. The energy transition, new sources of supply and privileged position were the points addressed as motivation themes.

Finally, TBG ended its participation in the Rio Pipeline 2023 Conference, as a Platinum Sponsor, with CEO Talks from the company CEO, Erik Breyer, during the Rio Pipeline 2023 Plenary session.  Erik stressed that TBG has the willingness and the financial and technical capacity to expand, either in the South or in the North. President Breyer also highlighted the importance of opening TBG's public selection process to renew and improve the composition of the carrier's current team. The Executive Director of Natural Gas at IBP, Sylvie D'Apote, moderated the panel.