The Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) Project involves the development of APLNG’s gas fields in the Surat and Bowen basins in southwest and central Queensland. Gas will be transported via a 520 km gas transmission pipeline from the gas fields to an new LNG facility on Curtis Island, off the coast of Gladstone, which will initially process up to 9 MMt/a of gas via two production trains. From the LNG facility, Australia Pacific LNG’s cargoes will be shipped to the energy markets of Asia. The project’s first cargo is expected to be exported in 2015.
APLNG is a joint venture between Origin (37.5 per cent), ConocoPhillips (37.5 per cent) and Sinopec (25 per cent), with Origin responsible for construction and operation of the project’s gas fields and main gas transmission pipeline, and ConocoPhillips responsible for the construction and operation of the project’s LNG facility.
APLNG will produce CSG for commercial markets – both locally and overseas – and already supplies gas to power stations in Queensland, major industrial customers and homes and businesses in South East Queensland.
WDS was awarded a $280 million contract with APLNG in September 2012 for an initial period of three years with two, two-year extension options. The scope of the project is to construct the gas gathering system and related infrastructure to 345 CSG wells over the three-year period.
The project work site is located at APLNG’s Reedy Creek and Combabula fields – which are approximately 100 km northeast of Roma and 120 km northwest of Miles by road – and at the time of writing, a permanent camp was being established at Reedy Creek.
Over the initial three-year program, WDS will be responsible for:
- Installation of 345 wellhead facilities and installation of kiosk transformers;
- Construction of approximately 900 km of gas gathering and water drainage systems;
- Installation of approximately 700 km of high voltage cables and fibre optic cables; and,
- Installation of associated civil works.
WDS is also responsible for managing and operating a 400-man accommodation camp, laydown areas and stock management systems.
“There will be approximately 300 WDS staff and personnel onsite at any one time, which translates to approximately 30,000 meals and 800 flights per month,” says WDS Chief Operations Officer Brent Jones.
Prior to commencing construction of the core scope the project team has been engaged in undertaking early works.
“Some of these early works have resulted from landowner consultation prior to commencement of the gas gathering infrastructure and some of it is to provide access routes and temporary accommodation facilities while the permanent camp and laydown areas are being completed,” says Mr Jones.
Permanent materials are being delivered to laydown yards adjacent to the permanent Reedy Creek Camp and a dedicated crew has been managing the deliveries and stockpiling activities. The laydown yards currently hold approximately one year
of stock.
Clearing of right-of-ways and track construction has commenced in the first work pack in the Combabula Field, with extensive environmental protection measures in place. At the time of writing, construction of the first gathering system pipelines was scheduled to commence in late February 2013 to early March 2013. WDS has completed the preliminary scouting and plans required for the second work pack at Combabula so that construction can roll from one work pack to next.
WDS has also secured some further contract work near Miles and Condamine, with a small team mobilised to undertake manifold installation activity.
“Our works with APLNG complement our existing works for our other major customers,” says Mr Jones. “WDS has a proud history of delivering outstanding customer-based energy solutions in some of Australia’s toughest geographic and geological conditions. The company is equally proud of its many employees that deliver year-on-year successes with industry leading health, safety and environment results.”
For more information visit www.wdslimited.com.au