QCLNG contractor Thiess has provided the first of four Central Processing Plants (CPP) which will deliver processed and compressed gas to the export pipeline for transmission to QGC’s liquefaction plant on Curtis Island.
The completed Ruby Jo CPP near Dalby on the Darling Downs, is a significant construction project in its own right, but it’s just one component in the vast network of upstream compression facilities in the Surat Basin.
Thiess has now mobilised on 21 sites for the four CPPs and 17 Field Compression Stations (FCS) which are spread over a distance of 200 kilometres from Dalby, north west to Wandoan.
Thiess QCLNG Project Director Joe Dujmovic says the major challenge of the project is undoubtedly logistics.
“If it was all in one location it would be challenging enough, but 21 locations spread over such a large area greatly increases the degree of difficulty,” Joe explains.
“We’re getting people to come from all over Australia and then sending them off to 21 sites, all the while keeping control of project supplies, delivery, quality, systems and most importantly ensuring this is done safely – that’s where the challenge lies.”
Thiess Regional Manager on the Ruby Jo CPP, Darryl Schultz says QCLNG is a great demonstration of the Thiess capability.
“We are now effectively a turnkey contractor in the gas industry delivering everything from bulk earthworks, detailed excavation, concrete civil works, structural work, piping and electrical and instrumentation works,” Darryl says.
Andrew Kinsey is in charge of delivering the Jordan CPP and is preparing to gear up for the process piping phase.
“It’s a very big job. We’ll be ramping up to a total crew size of close to 450 people on this site alone. This is very specialist work and Thiess is now a leader in the field,” Andrew says.
The scale of the pipework is obvious even to the layman, but not so obvious is the intricate electrical and instrumentation work.
Each of the four CPPs require more than 300 instruments and more than 100,000 metres of cable to connect and interface with QGC’s Upstream Control Room in Chinchilla.
Project Director Joe Dujmovic is quick to stress that delivery of the project is a team effort.
“We are a team consisting of Thiess, our key subcontractors and suppliers and importantly also QGC’s own people integrated within the team and bringing their gas expertise. No one company has the resources to deliver the whole project,” Joe says.
To complete the team, Thiess will also be engaging a number of local suppliers delivering a wide range of services including engineering, painting, transport and cleaning, all crucial to the project.