Diversified utilised its strong record in the pipeline industry in taking a fresh site through to commissioning within a tight deadline which was one of the main challenges facing Diversified when they kicked off the pipeline project.
The project certainly had its share of challenges as personnel new to the industry had to be employed and two camps acquired and set up in a short timeframe – one at Injune and one at Wallumbilla – with modern, new units for staff accommodation, offices and waste management facilities.
“The excellent accommodation, layout and facilities were important in maintaining high staff morale levels during periods of intense work,” said Noel Kerr, Chief Executive Officer of Diversified Construction.
Diversified has a strong relationship with Santos and was included in the design process to ensure that construction practicalities were incorporated into the design, mitigating unnecessary costs on the project. Early planning of the facilities was a critical step in the successful completion of the pipeline on time.
Diversified is committed to ensuring that safety is paramount in its operations and with the high number of new personnel this was a further challenge. There was an intense period of inductions, safety training and training in Diversified procedures at the beginning of the project which, with the assistance of Santos, went very smoothly. Such thorough preparation was rewarded with a project which had a zero Lost Time Incident Ratio.
Diversified pulled in a diverse range of skills and resources from as far as the USA. Diversified’s Perth based associated company, Diversified Engineering Corporation, provided specialist welding skills and minimised downtime. New equipment was purchased for the project and its reliability was a major factor in ensuring that high productivity levels were achieved. This included importation of a Superior 250 padding machine to produce pipe surround material.
There was close cooperation with Santos personnel at every stage of the project and this meant that problems were resolved as the pipeline progressed. This can be illustrated by the fact that whilst in progress the planned route was varied significantly to avoid a steep escarpment as an alternative route had been identified which resulted in a significant cost saving for the client.
Hydrostatic testing of the pipeline proved to be another challenge due to high elevation change influences but this was mitigated with open and joint planning.
Particular pride was taken in the reinstatement of the land on the right-of-way. A recent visit to the area revealed the excellent job done on the restoration and “all those who were involved should be commended” said Mr Kerr.
Diversified acknowledged the contribution of Santos personnel, all Diversified personnel, contractors and caterers involved in the project. The cooperation and assistance of the local community deserves a special mention as without their help the project would have proved far more difficult than it actually was.
In line with their mission statement; Diversified’s leadership delivered positive outcomes for all project stakeholders.