The Australian Pipeliner

July 2004

President’s Message

Mark Twycross, APIA President

I read with considerable interest recent press reports indicating that the long planned $3.5 billion gas pipeline from the highlands of Papua New Guinea to Australia (the Highlands Gas Project) may be set to move ahead with a decision expected shortly on a $100 million budget and plan for front end design and engineering.

CEO’s Report

Allen Beasley, Chief Executive Officer

On 15 June I attended the launch of the long-awaited National Energy Policy by the Prime Minister. The 193-page report titled “Securing Australia’s Energy Future” represents the outcome of a comprehensive review of national energy policies and approaches by the Commonwealth Government. The report aims to set the long term framework the Howard Government believes to be appropriate to ensure that Australia’s energy advantage is used for the benefit of all Australians.

Pipeline Operations Seminar

Sixty APIA members attended the third Annual Forum developed through the APIA Pipeline Operators Group (POG) and chaired by Craig Bonar, POG Chairman and Pipelines Manager, GasNet Australia (Operations). APIA gratefully acknowledges the support provided by Rosen Australia as sponsor of the seminar.

APIA & Farmers Launch – Victorian Easement Guidelines

On 20 May the Australian Pipeline Industry Association and the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) jointly released the APIA/VFF Pipeline Easement Guideline. The guideline is designed to provide information for pipeline companies and land owners about their rights and obligations in easement negotiation activities.

Innovative, glare-free lighting turns night into day

The Innovative Lunar Lighting Tower is now available to hire from Coates Hire. These towers are unique because they provide glare-free and uniform lighting whilst duplicating daylight colour temperature, that is, they replicate natural daylight.

New ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code arrives

This July, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) will be releasing a revised version of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel (BPV) Code.

RTD Group takes over Steeltest Australia Pty Ltd

On 3 June 2004, the RTD Group acquired Steeltest Australia Pty Ltd. The established presence of Steeltest on the Southeast Asian and Australian markets will strengthen the position of RTD Project Services as market leader in NDT and weld examination of newly constructed pipelines.

75 Years of Denso - an ongoing success story

Paul Winn & Co. commenced business in 1883 as a Merchant, Importer and Exporter.

GE paints the most vivid picture of pipeline integrity

This month, GE Energy unveiled what Marketing Manager José Larios calls the “latest installment in our commitment to continually improving pipeline integrity.”

MOX secures Brisbane City Council contract

Leading Australian-based automation and communications provider, MOX Products, has secured a contract to supply Fibre Optic Cable to Brisbane City Works (BCW), a business unit of Brisbane City Council.

Savcor Products announces new agencies and products

The year to date has been extremely busy for Savcor Products, with recent announcements regarding new exclusive agency arrangements with three principals and the launch of new products.

Easy and effective corridor mapping

The next generation in Aerial video mapping systems is proving its time and value in managing environmental and infrastructure assets in Australia.

McConnell Dowell does seven crossings on 42 inch Azerbaijan pipeline

Two major pipeline projects are underway in Europe that will soon result in main export lines for gas and oil being constructed from Azerbaijan, through Georgia and Turkey. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline and the South Caucasas (SCP) gas pipeline projects are of such importance to the economy of Azerbaijan that the Republic has created a separate tax regime specifically for these projects.

A world-first in directional drilling brings relief to Wollongong

When the final 400 mm reaming of the 1.74 kilometre pilot hole connecting Stanwell Park to Otford was completed on May 24, it marked a world–first as the longest bore achieved for this size of rig anywhere in the world.

Herrenknecht HDD Drill Rigs in operation worldwide

After market entry in 2001, Herrenknecht HDD equipment is now in worldwide operation. As a market leader in the manufacture of tunnel boring machines and microtunnelling equipment, Herrenknecht has extended its product range for small diameters with horizontal directional drill rigs. With pull forces reaching from 600 to 6,000 kN (60 to 600 tonne), Herrenknecht covers the wide range of Maxi and Mega Rigs.

BTB Australia

BTB Australia continues to build on its HDD Pipeline installation experience and success.

DrillTec Australia awarded HDD shore approach for Otway Gas Project

DrillTec Australia has recently been awarded the HDD shore crossing for Woodside’s Otway Gas Project that will see it combine its experience in Australia with expertise from projects around the world.

D150x300 HDD performed for the first time on Mainland China

Vermeer’s D150x300 HDD performed for the first time on Mainland China, delivering a perfect job at Tian-Hua-Dang river crossing (the YHN-THD Crossing) – part of YHN Project conducted at Hongyang Town, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province of China.

Intelligent Pigging Project - Carpentaria Gas Pipeline

Intelligent pigging technology is a smart tool for use in pipeline maintenance, but its effectiveness also depends on smart business operators.

APC do it again…more happy campers

Following on from their success on the SEA Gas Pipeline Project last year, Australian Portable Camps secured the competitive contract for the North Queensland Gas Pipeline Alliance (an Alliance between Enertrade, GHD and the Thiess Nacap Joint Venture).

Permanent Pohangina River crossing completed

Following floods which damaged NGC’s Hawke’s Bay Pipeline in New Zealand and led to the construction of a temporary aerial crossing, a new permanent river crossing has been established.

Bringing the TTM project home

Early next year, as gas begins to flow through the Trans Thai Malaysia Pipeline, a major milestone will have been achieved. The long-awaited, much debated Trans Thai Malaysia, or TTM, Pipeline Project, will be up and running. There were times when the project looked in danger of never getting off the ground. Protests by local residents, several rounds of environmental impact assessments, further compounded by weighty bureaucracy, all appeared to be conspiring against the project.

MISU screening unit handles the toughest conditions - wet or dry

Victorian company MISU is providing a flexible padding and screening solution with its Mobile Integrated Screening Unit (MISU) - including the ability to process wet material.

East Coast buys CRC-Evans Centurion PBS-20 Bender

East Coast Pipeline and Welding’s Barry Waldron decided to increase the scope of his bending operations by adding the Centurion Model PBS 6 inch to 20.86 inch machine to his existing fleet.

CRC-Evans pipeline equipment awarded contracts in India and Russia

Tulsa-based CRC-Evans Pipeline Equipment has recently commissioned equipment contracts in India and Russia.

CRC-Evans’ welding technology puts final touch on majors’ field test of X-120 and X-100 pipe

A Canadian field test using welding technology supplied by CRC-Evans has officially removed the “experimental” tag from X-100 and X-120 pipe.

HM2300 making an impact across Australia

The Atlas Copco Krupp HM2300 hammer is fast making an impact across Australia, there are now hammers operating in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. The latest company to experience its capabilities is Excavators Australia.

Essential equipment for pipeline protection

Boddingtons Australia manufactures and distributes plastic warning tapes and extruded meshes for both detection and protection of underground cable and pipelines for gas, electricity, water and optic fibre communication lines. These products play a vital safety role in preventing third-party damage to pipelines.

Globalstar launches dual mode CDMA and Satellite service

At last! A cost effective, convenient, go anywhere mobile solution for those operating or maintaining a vast network of national resources in regional and remote locations all over Australia.