Young talent sparking conversation
The brightest young talent from across the gas and energy industry gathered for the annual YPPC final, where nine section winners competed for the prestigious title and the opportunity to attend a major international energy conference.
Held at IGEM House, the event brought together finalists, judges and industry professionals for a day of innovation, engineering excellence and inspiring presentations showcasing the future of the sector. Opening proceedings, IGEM CEO Oliver Lancaster welcomed attendees and highlighted the significance of the competition.
He said: “This is my favourite day of the year. We all get to pause what we’re doing in our busy working lives and listen to what our younger members are involved in. It’s always so interesting to hear what’s going on, and I know I’m going to leave here today, as I do every year, confident in the future of the industry.”
YPN Chair Shalom Amakhabi then introduced the judging panel, led by IGEM President Darren Elsom, alongside Harriet Guiry of National Gas, Sikander Mahmood of Cadent Gas, and 2025 YPPC winner William Starling of Cadent.
The competition featured a diverse range of technical and operational topics, reflecting the breadth of work being undertaken by young professionals across the industry.
Representing the Far East District Section, Matthew Hoi of The Hong Kong & China Gas Company opened the presentations with a project exploring helium recovery from LNG boil-off gas streams. His innovative proposal featuring AI characters examined how existing LNG infrastructure could be used to recover valuable helium, improving energy security and creating additional value from natural gas processing.
Ellen Kindlon, of Fingleton White, representing the Irish Section, presented a strategic horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installation used to cross critical infrastructure. Her project outlined the challenges of designing and delivering a gas connection beneath a river, railway and motorway while meeting strict regulatory requirements.
The audience also heard from finalists covering hydrogen, future energy networks, emissions reduction, gas system design and other innovative solutions that are helping shape the future of the industry.
Following the final presentations, the judges faced the challenging task of selecting a winner from what many described as one of the strongest fields in recent years. While deliberations were taking place the audience heard from keynote speaker Antony Green of SGN who delivered an enthusiastic speech on how he developed his career, innovating across different industries, meeting new people and what his time as a former IGEM President was like during COVID 19.
His message to the audience was clear he said: "You get out what you put in. Get involved, collaborate, really contribute to the institution."
The judges noted that several competitors finished with extremely close scores, reflecting both the technical quality of the projects and the high standard of presentation skills on display throughout the day.
However, it was Jack Carpenter of Wales & West Utilities, representing the Welsh Section, whose presentation ultimately captured the attention of the judges and secured him the overall title.
Jack’s presentation, ‘Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Awareness in the New Clustering World’, focused on a topic that stood out from many of the day’s highly technical presentations. Jack demonstrated how customer engagement and public safety can play a vital role in the success of major gas replacement programmes.
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
YPPC Final 2026
The judges praised not only the impact of the project but also the personal accountability and leadership Jack demonstrated in driving the initiative forward.
Drawing on more than a decade of experience within Wales & West Utilities, Jack explained how the industry’s approach to mains replacement is evolving. As large-scale replacement programmes move towards cluster-based delivery, teams are spending longer periods working within individual communities.
Recognising the challenges this can create for residents, Jack developed an approach that transforms essential engineering works into opportunities for community engagement and education.
Working closely with Wales & West Utilities’ social impact team, Jack has helped deliver gas safety and carbon monoxide awareness sessions in schools, community centres and local organisations across his cluster area in Pontypool, South Wales.
One highlight of the project included visits to local schools using the company’s Gas Safety Ambassador programme. Through interactive demonstrations, educational resources and hands-on activities, children learned about gas safety, recognising carbon monoxide risks and what to do in an emergency.
Jack also discussed his appearance on ITV Wales, where he shared practical advice about identifying signs of carbon monoxide exposure and the importance of maintaining gas appliances.
His efforts have already delivered tangible benefits. During a visit to a Primary School, more than 250 pupils and staff were engaged in gas safety education activities. The relationship developed through the project also resulted in additional support and funding for the school.
Elsewhere, Jack described how community engagement helped address challenges created by roadworks and mains replacement activities. By proactively engaging with residents and vulnerable customers, he was able to improve understanding of the works while promoting safety initiatives such as the Priority Services Register.
Throughout his presentation, Jack emphasised the importance of turning potentially disruptive engineering projects into positive experiences for local communities.
Clearly delighted by the result, Jack said: “I’m very surprised. I can’t believe it, to be honest. I’m really proud. It’s been a lot of hard work and I’ve had great support from my manager, my family and my wife.
“I’m really excited for the trip, wherever it is. I have no idea where I’m going, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
Reflecting on the experience of competing, he added: “It’s been stressful! I’ve never really done this before and never presented in front of this many people before. But I’m really glad I took part.”
Second prize went to George Wells from DNV, representing the North West section for his presentation on ‘Mains deterioration prediction and replacement scenario analysis’. The presentation focused on the future safety of the UK’s gas distribution network and the impact of ageing infrastructure. George used data and developed models to predict how different types of gas main will deteriorate, his findings helped inform industry policy and supported successful funding bids for future network investment.
Kishara Puvanendiran of AFAA, representing the Midlands Section, took third place with a highly technical presentation focused on managing pipeline integrity in areas affected by peat settlement. Through advanced modelling, stress analysis and monitoring strategies, she demonstrated how complex engineering challenges can be addressed through a structured integrity management approach.
IGEM congratulates Jack Carpenter on his achievement and extends its thanks to all finalists, judges, sponsors and attendees who helped make this year’s YPPC final another outstanding success. The event once again demonstrated the innovation, passion and leadership emerging across the next generation of energy professionals.
You can view each finalists' presentations on IGEMtv.
