Jemena’s planned upgrades to its Jemena Gas Network (JGN) are aimed at improving existing supply, and cater for projected growth in demand for gas from homes and businesses in the network’s supply area.

Wakehurst Parkway

In the northern region of Sydney, Jemena recently completed upgrading the existing gas main in Wakehurst Parkway between Frenchs Forest and North Narrabeen. This upgrade involved inserting a new 250 mm diameter polyethylene (PE) gas main into an 11 km section of existing steel gas main in the roadway and road reserve along Wakehurst Parkway.

While Jemena has used PE material on previous projects, the Wakehurst Parkway upgrade required the pipe to withstand operating pressures of 1,050 kPa, which was outside the norm. Significant engineering work was required to enable the PE 100 SDR 9 material to be used and to allow it to operate at this pressure.

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The method of pulling the new gas main through an existing gas main from as much as 750 m away was another innovation that reduced the amount of excavations and kept the project on track.

Construction work started in September 2010 and was completed before the end of March 2011 – on time, on budget and with no lost time injuries.

Lane Cove

Jemena is also building a new primary regulating station (PRS) in the Sydney suburb of Lane Cove West. Once built, the new PRS – together with the existing North Ryde PRS and Willoughby PRS – will supply the secondary gas distribution network in the north district area of Sydney.

The PRS will reduce the pressure of gas received from the high-pressure Sydney Primary Main to a secondary gas pressure level, which can be distributed throughout the district to supply households and businesses.

Construction work started in May 2011 and the PRS is due to be commissioned in August. Significant work has gone into the selection of the site involving community consultation and debate with council and the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA).

Emu Plains

In the Blue Mountains region of Sydney, Jemena is constructing a new 3 km long, 200 mm diameter primary gas main from Penrith to Emu Plains. This project includes a PRS at Emu Plains, construction of which was completed in March 2011.

The project team faces a number of challenges including horizontal directional drilling under the Nepean River and an under-rail bored crossing at Emu Plains.

Construction started in December 2010 and will be completed in March 2012.

Riverwood

Jemena is building a new PRS in the southern Sydney region, which will be connected to the Sydney Primary Loop gas main and to existing gas distribution mains in the area to boost supply. The work started in December 2010 and at the time of writing was to be completed by July 2011.

As community consultation is a key part of any project, Jemena ensures all stakeholders are kept well-informed before, during and after construction.

Jemena General Manager Gas Peter Bowden said “As is our standard practice with projects, Jemena consults with the RTA, the NSW Police, the NSW Fire Brigade and with local councils.

“With every major project we carry out pre-construction surveys in the community, place advertisements about the project in local newspapers, set up a 1800 freecall number that residents of the area can contact us on if they have queries about a project and we provide residents with information – by mail – before, during and after the project.”