Recommendation – Education – Networking
Oldenburg Pipe Forum
The “Institut für Rohrleitungsbau an der Fachhochschule Oldenburg e. V. (IRO)” was founded in 1988 and is run as a non-profit association with currently over 250 members from the fields of research, industry, Authorities and Professional Associations. The IRO sees itself as an interface between teaching and practice, with its main focus on the further training of engineers in the entire piping sector, practice-oriented research and development and the promotion of students.
There is close cooperation with the Zentrum für Weiterbildung der Jade Hochschule, Fachhochschule Wilhelmshaven/Oldenburg/Elsfleth („ZfW“) as well as with the cooperations with numerous other associations and federations such as the DCA, which has supported the work of the IRO for more than 20 years.
Every year, the IRO organises the Oldenburg Pipe Forum as an advanced training event at which speakers give lectures in numerous lecture blocks on interesting current topics relating to the pipeline construction industry. In lecture block 2 “Trenchless installation techniques”, the DCA reports in six lectures on current interesting projects around the HDD industry.
Likewise, the Oldenburg Pipe Forum with its exhibition area is a popular industry get-together that has established itself as a fixed event in the annual calendar of many companies. The DCA is represented at the event with its ever-popular “Drilling Saloon”. There, the HDD industry and interested parties from the sector get together to exchange ideas with delicious snacks and cold beer. In addition, the DCA’s annual raffle in the saloon attract attention.
Further information can be found in the Members’ area
The 38th Oldenburg Pipeline Forum will take place from 5 to 6 February 2026 at the Weser-Ems-Hallen in Oldenburg. This year’s theme is ‘Alt und Neu – Strategien für Netze von morgen’.
Venue: Weser-Ems-Hallen Oldenburg, Europaplatz 12, 26123 Oldenburg
The DCA will again be represented with its ‘Drilling Saloon’ and 2 lecture blocks on current HDD projects.
The two lecture blocks, which will be chaired by DCA President Jorn Stoelinga and DCA Board Member Ronald Siebel, will once again include high-calibre topics in 2025 that will present current aspects of the HDD industry in interesting projects.
HDD Lecture Block 1, Moderator: Jorn Stoelinga, B.Sc., LMR Drilling GmbH, Oldenburg
Lecture 1: Baltrumquerung 2025 – HDD als Schlüssel zur Energiewende im Wattenmeer
Jan-Henrik Kupfernagel, M.Eng., Tennet TSO GmbH, Hannover
Lecture 2: Why not HDD? Albach case study
Szymon Paszkiewicz, Krafteam GmbH, Nordhorn
Panel of experts
Marc Schnau, x-plan schnau engineering GmbH & Co. KG, Aurich
Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Himmerich, Dr.-Ing. Veenker Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Hannover
HDD Lecture Block 2, Moderator: Ing. Ronald SiebelTSO GmbH, Lehrte
Lecture 1: Verhinderung von Ausbläsern
Dipl.-Ing. Ernst Fengler, LMR Drilling GmbH, Oldenburg
Lecture 2: Erschütterungsprognose für eine HDD-Baustelle, Messung und numerische Simulationen
Dr.-Ing. Eyad Aldoghaim, OBERMEYER Infrastruktur GmbH & Co. KG, München
Lecture 3: Herausforderung – Einsatz von Kleinbohrtechnik beim Bau von HGÜ-Netzen
Dipl.-Ing. Bernd Alvermann, Kuhlmann Leitungsbau GmbH & Co. KG, Lüneburg
Jens Schnakenbeck, Kuhlmann Leitungsbau GmbH & Co. KG, Lüneburg
The 37th Oldenburg Pipe Forum took place from 6 to 8 February 2025 under the motto ‘Städte der Zukunft– Transformation unterirdischer Infrastruktur’ in Oldenburg at the Weser-Ems-Hallen. In five parallel series of lectures, around 120 experts spoke on current topics relating to underground pipeline construction, while 440 exhibitors presented their products and services inside and outside the halls.
In the field of trenchless laying techniques, the DCA offered, as always, two blocks of presentations with a total of six lectures on specialist HDD topics, which once again attracted many visitors.
Further information can be found in the members’ area.
The 36th Oldenburg Pipe Forum took place from February 8-9, 2024 under the motto ” Wasser, Abwasser, Strom, Gase – mit künstlicher Intelligenz in die Zukunft” in Oldenburg in the Weser-Ems-Hallen. The use of artificial intelligence continues to advance and is also very present in the piping sector. Around 460 exhibitors presented their latest innovations to a very interested audience in the exhibition halls.
Many visitors found their way not only to the trade fair, but also to the specialist lectures, which consisted of six DCA specialist lectures in the field of trenchless laying techniques, divided into two blocks.
Block 1, which was chaired by DCA President Jorn Stoelinga, kicked off with Michael Tusch from MOLL-prd, who explained the ” Planung und Ausführung geschlossener Querungen in nicht tragfähigen Böden “. Stefan Wittke from TDC International AG then dealt with the topic ” TDC pau wrap ermöglicht den effizienten und sicheren grabenlosen Einzug von Fernwärmeleitungen “, before the lecture ” Moselquerung bei Trier” was held. Boris Peirick was replaced by Guido Klein Hitpaß from Epping Rohrvortrieb GmbH & Co. KG due to illness
Block 2, chaired by board member Ronald Siebel from Tennet TSO GmbH, began with a presentation on ” HDD-Baustellen: Emission/Immission – Messung/Berechnung” by Vincent Wollinger and Klaus Goldemund of the Obermeyer Group.
Then Henning Kuchenbuch from Amprion gave a presentation on ” Horizontalbohrungen im Nationalpark Wattenmeer: Herausforderungen und Auswirkungen auf das empfindliche Ökosystem “. The block was concluded by Marine Gousset from HDI, who presented “HDD crossings for Green Gas supply in Denmark”.
As every year the DCA was also represented on the exhibition grounds with its ever-popular Drilling Saloon. In addition to delicious cool drinks and small snacks, the trade visitors were able to try their hand at the competition. A project plan was used to estimate how high the pulling force on the last drill rod (in KN) was. Many visitors gave it their best shot. The prize, a Makita construction site radio, went to Guichard Nicolas from Westnetz GmbH.
See you at the next IRO 2025!
The 35th Oldenburg Pipe Forum, Germany’s largest training event for the pipeline construction industry, was held in Oldenburg at the Weser-Ems-Hallen from March 30 to 31 under the motto “Pipelines and Cables – Critical Infrastructure and Security of Supply” and was, as always, well attended. After two years in which the event had to be cancelled due to the corona pandemic, many people interested in the industry found their way to the exhibition and the technical presentations. The significantly expanded range of lectures included many exciting presentations. In addition to climate-related topics, one of the main topics was the move away from Russian natural gas and its consequences.
In the course of the now six lecture series set up by the IRO, the DCA was again present with six interesting lectures in the lecture blocks I and II, which were very well received. Also in the exhibitor area of the fair, where more than 400 international exhibitors could be found, the obligatory Drilling Saloon of the DCA could not be missing this year.
! Unfortunately, the Oldenburg Piping Forum had to be cancelled in 2022 due to corona.
In the past, the Oldenburg Pipe Forum was held at the Jadehochschule in Oldenburg, which provided a special personal flair among the exhibitors with its narrow corridors. Unfortunately, due to Corona, the event had to be cancelled for 2021.
The 34th Oldenburg Pipe Forum “Pipes and Cables – Pipes for a Modern Infrastructure” took place on 13th and 14th February 2020.
About3500 visitors came to the Oldenburg Piping Forum, the largest further training event in the pipeline construction industry in Germany, which took place for the 34th time this year. This year, the motto of the major event was “Pipes and cables – Pipes for a modern infrastructure”.
The constantly growing importance of cable construction due to climate change, which is reflected in the expansion of power lines in Germany, was placed in relation to pipeline construction. Similarities as well as differences between the two fields were to be worked out and discussed on the basis of many presentations. The focus was also on lectures on hydrogen and other topics relevant to pipeline construction.