The bulk of the Stage 5B expansion work involves laying an additional 11 sections of pipeline looping totalling 440 km, which, when completed, will result in the DBNGP system being more than 75 per cent duplicated. The expansion will add approximately 112 TJ/d to the existing full haul capacity of the DBNGP.
Pipe laying activities are expected to commence in January 2009 on the two loops on the outskirts of Perth. Then work will commence south of Karratha, taking advantage of weather windows. Construction activities are being managed to ensure the availability of a significant portion of the new transmission capacity before the peak summer months of 2009/10.
WestNet will provide project management services for the Stage 5B expansion, while WorleyParsons will provide engineering and procurement associated with the project. Additional agreements have been executed with OSD Pty Ltd and other consultants for specific engineering services.
Metal One Corporation will supply all line pipe required for the project to be manufactured by JFE Steel Corporation in Japan. These two companies were responsible for the supply of pipe for the recent Stages 4 and 5A Expansion Projects. Once manufactured, the pipe will be shipped to Malaysia for coating by PPSC and the coated line pipe will then be shipped to various locations within Western Australia in time to enable construction activities to commence.
In addition, DBP said that commitments have been made for the bulk of requirements associated with the necessary enhancement works at each of the compressor stations and the expectation is that all will be in place by the end of 2008.
The looping of the DBNGP pipeline commenced with Stages 4 and 5A Expansion Projects, under which 787 km of the DBNGP has already been looped. The combined length of the new loops for Stage 5B will be approximately 440 kilometres and at the end of this project the pipeline will be duplicated more than 90 per cent to Perth.
The DBNGP connects the Carvarvon Basin on Western Australia’s North West Shelf with industrial, commercial and residential customers in Perth and the surrounding region. The pipeline runs from the Burrup Peninsula – near Dampier – to Bunbury in the southwest of the state. The pipeline supplies 90 per cent of the southwest’s gas needs.