The Australian Pipeliner

January 2009

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President’s Message

Ashley Kellett, President

What a fantastic convention to top off our 40th birthday celebrations! It was a special time, with record numbers in attendance. In addition, we were treated to an exciting DVD covering the rich history of our industry and we all received a beautifully presented book covering our first 40 years, which will without doubt become a collector’s item.

Chief Executive’s Report

Cheryl Cartwright, Chief Executive

The 40th anniversary party is coming to an end – and what a great party it’s been. Thanks to Scott Pearce and his team at Pipeline Publications for the excellent commemorative book and thanks also to Shane Eastman and Arrow Films for the fabulous DVD. The hardcopy versions of the book have been sent to all members and copies of the DVD can be ordered from the APIA Secretariat.

Vale Peter Anderson

Mark Twycross has written this special tribute to Peter Anderson.

New pipeline horizons as JTM meets in Europe

Key technology developments in the worldwide pipeline industry will be showcased at the 2009 International Research Joint Technical Meeting (JTM), to be held in Milan, Italy, from 11 – 15 May.

Focusing on slurry in the west

Slurry pipelines were the focus of the WA Chapter lunch held on 17 September 2008, with OSD Pipelines’ JP Fortin providing an insightful perspective on the topic.

Merry pipeline functions

December 2008 saw Pipeliners get into the Christmas spirit with functions occurring around Australia. The events provided a great opportunity for members to unwind and talk about the year in pipelines.

QLD YPF continues with winning formula

The Queensland contingent of the Young Pipeliners Forum (YPF) held a presentation and drinks night in September that proved so successful it was decided to repeat the format of the event in November.

Pipelines pick Perth

APIA celebrated its 40th Anniversary in style last October at the 2008 Annual APIA Convention and Exhibition, with over 450 delegates and partners convening in Perth for the landmark event.

Pipes for life: 2008 APIA awards

Noteworthy contributions to the pipeline industry were once again recognised at the APIA Convention. The 2008 awards were well earned, with three very commendable Pipeliners acknowledged by APIA.

Pipeliners tee off in WA

The Burswood Resort Golf Course provided a great day for a bunch of golf-mad Pipeliners to participate in the 2008 APIA Convention Golf Challenge, sponsored by Vermeer.

YPF pipes up at Convention

Young Pipeliners Forum (YPF) members gathered on Sunday 12 October to catch up and network before the APIA Convention before the Welcome Dinner.

Pipeline Convention 2008 – A wealth of experience and opportunity

Dan Morgan, McConnell Dowell

The recent APIA 40th Anniversary Convention held in Western Australia was one of the most interesting and rewarding experiences I have had within the industry, with the exception of my project experiences and skills development. The opportunity for younger Pipeliners to learn and develop skills and make relevant industry contacts, through engaging with the extensive level of experienced industry acknowledged leaders was unmatched by any one pipeline project.

LNG and pipelines: friends or foes?

By Lyndsie Mewett

The LNG industry in Australia has boomed over the last year, with several new projects on the drawing board. Interestingly not all of these projects have significant pipelines included in their initial development plans. Why is this the case and what does it mean for the pipeline industry? Is LNG the pipeline industry’s friend or foe?

WA Energy Minister sees opportunities in the pipeline

The newly elected Western Australian Government has highlighted the importance of developing gas infrastructure to support the state’s domestic supply. The Australian Pipeliner caught up with the Minister for Energy Peter Collier to talk about the Liberal Government’s plans to shore up the state’s gas industry.

Dave Langley – a man of steel

Dave Langley’s wealth of technical knowledge has put him in good stead to take on the role of Industry Manager – Water, Oil & Gas at BlueScope Steel. The Australian Pipeliner caught up with Dave to talk about the evolution of steel during his time in the industry.

Gas Speak: a stage for young industry representatives

The 2008 Australian Gas Industry Trust (AGIT) Gas Speak Colloquium was a great success, drawing many young industry representatives from diverse industry sectors out of the office or field and onto the stage. Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) Chief Executive Officer John Williams reports.

IPLOCA – a pipeline odyssey

The 42nd Annual International Pipeline and Offshore Contractor’s Association (IPLOCA) Convention attracted 613 delegates from 35 countries, from 29 September to 3 October 2008, in Athens, Greece. Georgina Day from McConnell Dowell reports.

Ten lessons from the last recession

As the current economic climate seems to worsen from day-to-day, smartcompany.com.au has come up with ten strategies used by companies that actually managed to grow during the last recession.

Building the Moomba to Stony Point Liquids Pipeline

By Barry Wood

The Moomba to Stony Point liquids pipeline commenced construction in 1982, with Saipem setting a cracking construction pace of up to 5 km per day in order to hurry the delivery of liquids to Stony Point for export.

Peter Rees

By Barry Wood

Peter Rees will be remembered by the Australian pipeline industry for his very successful foray into hydrostatic testing with his company Hydrostatic Testing Services. Here is Peter’s story.

Dressta uplifted over the SB-60 BP Pipelayer

Dressta’s new SB-60 BP is based upon the standard SB-60 pipelayer with the added benefit of a hydraulically operated supporting boom prop, providing contractors specialising in pipe maintenance, repair and rehabilitation the ability to safely support the required sections of pipe.

Flying high with GTI

On 17 May 1928, the very first Flying Doctor flight took off from Cloncurry, Queensland to answer a call for help from the remote town of Julia Creek. Eighty years on, The Royal Flying Doctor Service is still providing much needed assistance to people who live, work and travel in regional and remote Australia.

McConnell Dowell makes the move

On 23 June 2008, McConnell Dowell finalised a project of a different nature, with the company completing its relocation from Burwood East to a brand new, more expansive complex, located in Melbourne’s inner suburbs at 109 Burwood Road, Hawthorn.

Caterpillar PL61: a product of metamorphosis

PipeLine Machinery International’s Caterpillar PL61 Pipelayer has emerged to meet the needs of pipeline construction contractors around the globe.

Richmond Wheel & Castors celebrates golden anniversary

2008 marked the 50th anniversary of the Richmond Engineering Co, which is currently trading as Richmond Wheel & Castors.

The Vermeer T455 perfects the art of tight trenching

All Track Trenching has recently added the compact Vermeer T455 tracked trencher to its ground works fleet in order to better tackle tight situations. More easily manoeuvrable than its larger counterparts, the T455 can compete with mini excavators, backhoes and even larger excavators.

CRC-Evans celebrates 75th year

Pipeline equipment and services company CRC-Evans is celebrating its 75th anniversary, while also honouring the innovation and spirit of the pipeline industry.

Need a little extra help when it comes to shoring?

Halve the effort and hire everything you need for trench shoring with SBH to stay safe and on top of the job.

Sargent recruits the Hino 714 Hybrid

Sargent has added the Hino Hybrid light truck to its fleet, taking the offensive in the battle against climate change.

PPI: covering Australia’s PE pipe needs

Australian-owned PPI Corporation has been manufacturing polyethylene (PE) pipe for nearly 30 years, and its presence in the mining and industrial sectors continues to grow.

Vast Resource servicing the pipeline industry

In an environment where risk management is paramount, quality is the ultimate arbiter and a company’s reputation often rests on the performance of the last job, never accept anything but the best. When selecting an equipment supply partner, the decision should be easy. Experience, experience, experience.

Tracking Vermeer’s trenching progress

With over 55 years of industry experience, Vermeer understands that every project is unique and this is reflected in their diverse product range. The power of the T1155 Commander 3 cuts through the most stubborn rock while the RTX1250 ride-on trencher with a quad-track design can hold its ground in all conditions.

Fyfe JMA takes off in the Northern Territory

Fyfe JMA has experienced rapid growth establishing a strong presence in the Northern Territory following work on the Blacktip gas development.

Australian Portable Camps looks to a landmark year

The coming year is set to be a landmark year for Australian Portable Camps (APC), which will see the introduction of its Aussie 1 accommodation and pipe lay barge into service.

Boom time: when the pipeline industry wants a lift

As the pipeline industry powers on with bigger and bigger projects, the support of strong sub-contractors becomes more important. In the ‘lift and shift’ sector, Australia’s largest crane hire company, Boom Logistics, is reporting a strong position, giving contractors calling for lift and shift services a good level of security.

The Australian Energy Market Operator – a challenge for Pipeliners

By Steve Davies, APIA Policy Advisor

In April 2007, the Council of Australian Governments agreed to establish a single, industry funded national energy market operator for both electricity and gas in order to improve energy market governance.

Sunshine and pipelines: a bright future

By Lyndsie Mewett

Queensland’s vast coal seam gas (CSG) reserves are fast establishing the state as an east coast gas hub with exciting development opportunities for the future. This has also spurred the proposal of several LNG projects and research regarding the uses of by-product CSG water.

Enthusiasm pays off for remote project manager

Geoff Pike of General Trade Industries was successful at the recent Australian Institute of Management – Queensland Management Excellence Awards, held in Brisbane.

Nacap constructs Darling Downs Pipeline

As part of the coal seam gas market’s rapid expansion throughout Queensland, Nacap Australia has been awarded the construction of a natural gas pipeline set to run from Wallumbilla to Origin Energy’s Darling Downs Power Station.

Diverse challenges overcome in central Australia

Diversified Construction Corporation brought its considerable expertise and resources together for the completion of the 273 km Jackson to Moomba Oil Pipeline, which serves to link Santos’ Jackson Oil Fields to its Moomba processing facility.

Young Pipeliners pipe up for the future

Training and recruitment is integral to the perpetuation and development of an employment base for any sector. The Australian Pipeliner caught up with a group of young Pipeliners to chat about their perspective on the training and recruitment process within the pipeline industry.

The fast and the philanthropic

Last year proved fruitful for OSD Pipelines with the company receiving its fourth consecutive Business Review Weekly Fast 100 award. The rapidly growing business has not only extended into international markets but has continued to improve pipeline education with its PIPEd initiative.

APIA pipeline engineer training program

After spending much time considering the needs for pipeline engineer training and how this can be achieved in the context of the Australian pipeline industry, the APIA Board has approved the first steps in developing a program to develop and recognise pipeline engineers who can act as ‘competent persons’ as required by AS2885, the Australian Standard for petroleum pipeline design, construction and operation.

‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going!’

By Peter Norman, Peter Norman Personnel

With change comes uncertainty but also many opportunities. With the winding down of 2008, as well as the economy, gas is said to be the fastest growing fuel in Australia and hopefully will be the catalyst for significant wealth generation for the country.

The upside of a downturn: effective leadership strategies

Current market fluctuations have had a strong ripple-effect in Australia and a financial downturn is becoming more of a reality. Recruitment agency Bayside Personnel explains the sort of impact that this is likely to have on employees.

Water pipelines: quenching Australia’s thirst

By Lyndsie Mewett

In the great dry, Australians will be looking more to pipelines to deliver one of the country’s most valuable resources, water. Water pipeline projects are becoming an increasingly important part of Australian infrastructure development in order to ensure water supply to the nation’s growing population.

SRWPA: drought proofing South East Queensland

The Southern Regional Water Pipeline Alliance has designed and constructed 150 km of water pipeline across three projects, helping to secure a reliable water future for South East Queensland (SEQ).

Water quality: testing in the pipeline

AS/NZS 4020 has been developed to assess the suitability of products and materials that are used in contact with drinking water with regard to their effect on water quality. The Australian Water Quality Centre reports.

Western Corridor Recycled Water Project nears completion

The largest water project in the Southern Hemisphere – the $2.5 billion Western Corridor Recycled Water Project – is due to deliver 357 ML/d of water to South East Queensland in order to shore up the region’s water supply.

Savcor flows with water pipeline future

Fast growing populations and escalating water requirements make water transport and distribution infrastructure an increasingly vital part of Australia’s future. The requirement for increased asset life and integrity has provided a stronger focus on condition monitoring, maintenance and rehabilitation.

Nacap provides breakthrough ploughing innovation

Nacap recently constructed Stage 2 of Wimmera Mallee Pipeline Project’s Supply System 5 using an innovative vibrating plough technique, which proved to be a safe method while also reducing the project’s impact on the environment.

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The Australian Pipeliner

January 2009

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