Utilities and operators in South Australia have shown a strong sense of community, not only using their expertise to ensure the success and development of key projects across the state but also to protect infrastructure assets from the impacts of flooding.
Supporting local communities
In December 2022, SA Water’s River Murray working barge, the MV Maratala, made the journey from Berri down to Murray Bridge in efforts to protect the utility’s underwater recycled water pipeline from potential flood impacts in late December of 2022.
Together with contractor McConnell Dowell Diona joint venture, the barge vessel helped to reinforce the structural integrity of the underwater pipe using innovative concrete covers.
Stretching along the floor of the River Murray from Murray Bridge to the eastern side of the river, the pipeline delivered cleaned and highly treated recycled water to two large customers from SA Water’s recently constructed wastewater treatment facility in Brinkley.
SA Water’s General Manager of Operations Chris Young said the important work was completed ahead of the anticipated rise in flows.
“We identified this recycled water pipeline as one of our priority sites that could be impacted by floods and have spent recent weeks undertaking comprehensive assessments and bathymetry surveys to investigate how we can best maintain the pipe’s operation for our customers,” Young said.
“Harnessing its brand new 30-tonne crane, our MV Maratala has carefully placed a series of large concrete mats across sections of the re-use pipeline, protecting its structural integrity from an increase in debris and water velocity expected over the coming weeks.”
Each concrete support was laid atop the pipeline thanks to the assistance of commercial divers who were well-versed in working in low visibility environments like the River Murray.
In executing the works successfully, SA Water has helped preserve the pipeline and protect the infrastructure during an already difficult time for the region.
Developing gas infrastructure
The Vali gas field is being connected to the South Australian Cooper Basin to bring a new source of gas to Australia.
The project involves the installation of metering facilities at the Vali facility, including the installation of flowlines connecting the field’s three completed wells to the metering facility and twin export gas pipelines from the field to tie-in to the Moomba gas gathering network at the Beckler gas field.
The installation and pressure testing of the export flowlines was completed successfully in December 2022.
Mechanical handover of the facilities at Vali-1 took place on Saturday 11 February 2023, with control passing to Upstream Production Solutions (UPS), the contractor engaged to commission, operate, and maintain the infrastructure.
Commissioning has since commenced at Vali-1, beginning with the purging of the system with nitrogen to expel air and various checks prior to the introduction of gas. This will then be followed by commissioning of the metering facility, Beckler tie-in and export lines. Subject to the progress of commissioning, it is projected first gas from the field is likely in 7-12 days.
Managing Director, Neil Gibbins said Vali is now one step away from first gas and with that the commencement of revenue generation.
“Our focus is firmly on executing commissioning safely and efficiently so Vali gas can start flowing to eastern Australia as soon as possible,” he said.
Construction and installation work is ongoing at the Vali-2 and Vali-3 sites.
Internationally recognised innovation
Earlier in the 2022-year, Hydrogen Park South Australia (HyP SA) received the Hydrogen Project of the Year Award at the Connecting Green Hydrogen MENA 2022 Hydrogen Future Awards in Dubai.
Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) chief executive officer Craig de Laine was honoured to accept the award via virtual attendance at the presentation evening.
“HyP SA has been integral in our vision to reach volumes of 10 per cent renewable gas by 2030 and to fully decarbonise all our distribution networks by 2040 as a stretch target,” de Laine said.
“We strive for this target with the confidence that our customers also support our goal (87 per cent of customers surveyed in South Australia told us it’s ‘very important’ or ‘extremely important’ we consider ways to lower carbon emissions).
Since May 2021, HyP SA has been servicing approximately 700 residential homes on our network providing Australia’s first delivery of a 5 per cent blended renewable hydrogen gas.
Supported by the South Australian Government with grant funding of $4.9 million, the $14.5m HyP SA project is aligned with the State’s vision to leverage its wind, sun, land, infrastructure, and skills to be a world-class renewable hydrogen supplier and to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
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This article is featured in the March edition of The Australian Pipeliner.