In late 2003 Delco was awarded a contract to design, procure, fabricate and install the Coonarah gas gathering system, involving design of well head facilities, pipelines and gas delivery system to the new Wilga Park power station in the outskirts of Narrabri. In June this year the system was fully commissioned and the power station is now generating
12 MW from natural gas delivered from 4 producing wells 16 km upstream.
Design was developed from concept during early work-shopping that involved ESG and Delco engineers. From there Delco completed detailed design at its Brisbane facilities with fabrication of all well head facilities, filtration and control skids carried out by Delco at its Lytton workshop.
Completed skids were pre-commissioned at Brisbane and delivered for simple installation at prepared bases at the site where the field construction crew had completed installation of the gas gathering pipelines during April and May.
Linepipe was collected from an existing stockpile at Kilcoy, Queensland where a careful selection process occurred to be sure that the project received the best quality pipe available from the stock. Close quality supervision was required while maintaining complete traceability on the linepipe joints used in production.
Hydrostatic testing was successfully completed and the complete system tied in and commissioned in time for commissioning of the 12 GE Energy Rental gas engine generator sets at the power station. Delco also fabricated and installed the low pressure gas delivery system for GE Energy Rentals downstream of the main gas gathering system.
The gas gathering pipelines traverse mainly grazing pastures with several sections also passing through the sensitive Brigalow belt and medium sized water courses. The project was completed without safety or environmental incident. Delco’s crew consisted of both long-term Delco employees and local employees.
Several of the crew of 15 were employed through Delco’s continuing Indigenous Participation Policy – Structured Training and Employment Programme (STEP) arrangement with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Delco continues to be a front runner in the area of indigenous employment and currently also employs indigenous workers at its Spring Gully operation in southwest Queensland.
The project scope was undertaken in-house by Delco with all the functions of Project Management, Engineering Design, Drafting, Procurement, Expediting, Fabrication, Construction, Testing and Commissioning done entirely by Delco. Delco has continued to expand its business as a turnkey solution provider and currently is developing a similar sized project in Western Australia.
Delco has recently been EPC contractor on the following gas infrastructure projects:
Thunderbox Lateral Gas Pipeline – LionOre Australia (Wildara) NL (Ongoing)
Coonarah Gas Gathering System – Eastern Star Gas (Complete)
Kambalda to Esperance Gas Pipeline – Esperance Pipeline Company (Complete)