The Australian Pipeliner

July 2009

President’s Message

Ashley Kellett, President

The activity we saw in 2008 seems to be continuing, with a number of projects becoming operational, being constructed, being approved and certainly being rigorously examined. Your Association has not exactly been standing still either, undertaking a strategic plan, budget planning, enhancing the development of the pipelines Co-operative Research Council, and assessing regulatory issues.

Chief Executive’s Report

Cheryl Cartwright, Chief Executive

Some APIA members might be tired of hearing about climate change – but they’d better get used to it! Other members have quickly adapted and are looking to the possible opportunities that will arise as the nation – and the world – begins to focus on curbing carbon emissions. Even if the sceptics are right and human influence is not leading to climate change, we should be curbing pollution.

POG: planning for successful pipeline operation

The Pipeline Operators Group met for the eighth annual POG Seminar on 16 April at Sydney’s Novotel Brighton Beach. Sponsored by Rosen and Energy Solutions International, approximately 50 attendees spent the day immersed in pipeline knowledge.

Environment, safety and IR take the stage at Brisbane Seminar

The pipeline industry discussed the crucial issues of environment, safety and industrial relations at the APIA Brisbane Seminar held on 7 May. Guests at a dinner following the seminar heard about the new QSN Link project.

YPF meets in QLD

On Friday 27 March, 30 young pipeliners attended a networking event held at the Regatta Pub, Coronation Drive, Queensland, sponsored by Savcor.

Environmental code launched at the Melbourne dinner

Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, launched APIA’s revised Code of Environmental Practice: Onshore Pipelines at the Melbourne dinner, with approximately 130 pipeliners in attendance.

Perth focus on 4WD safety

The second APIA 4WD Safety Day for 2009 was successfully held in and around Perth on Thursday 30 April. The day was designed to focus on 4WD safety and driver behaviour in both sealed and off-road locations.

Welding for the future: WTIA/APIA Symposium

By Steve Dobbie, Business Manager, APIA

The Welding Technology Institute of Australia and APIA teamed up once again to hold a Welded Pipeline Symposium on 3 April at the Novotel Hotel, Sydney Olympic Park.

Packed with Pipeliners at Adelaide

A full house turned up to the APIA Adelaide dinner, held on 18 March at the Adelaide Hilton.

Winners and grinners at the WA Chapter lunch

Sponsored by Bredero Shaw and Maloney Field Services, the APIA WA Chapter had its second lunch for the year on 29 April 2009.

Pipelines – a dynamic approach to Australia’s energy needs

Australia’s pipeline industry is dynamic; it is proactive and always considering how to best provide for the future. So it is only natural that the title of the 2009 Annual Convention should embrace this dynamism!

Pipe perfection: YPF gets educated on Gang at the ’Gong

By Lyndsie Mewett, Associate Editor, The Australian Pipeliner

Approximately 40 young pipeliners headed to Wollongong to attend the Gang at the ’Gong tour – a crash course in the pipe manufacturing process.

Operation DBNGP

By Bianca Colman, Enerflex and Liam Hatchell, WestNet Energy.

On 5 March 2009, representatives from the APIA Young Pipeliners Forum in Western Australia conducted a site visit to the Loop 10 construction site of the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline, where work is currently being undertaken as part of the Stage 5B Expansion.

Nixon communicating across Australia

Nixon Communications has been providing communications services for Australian pipeline projects for 20 years. John Nixon, founder of Nixon Communications, speaks to The Australian Pipeliner about the challenges involved with servicing remote pipeline projects and his time in the industry.

An epic journey: QSN links the eastern Australian gas transmission network

The initiatives of AGL Energy and Epic Energy have seen the culmination of a development that opens up the eastern Australian gas industry by providing a link between Queensland’s coal seam gas fields and the transmission pipelines in New South Wales, South Australia and eventually, if required, Victoria.

Pipelines paving the way to lower carbon emissions

By Michael Dinon, Principal Materials Engineer, WorleyParsons

Many have emphasised the possible negative impact on industries affected by the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, but the outlook is far brighter for those who are versatile enough to embrace the opportunity. With promising developments in sequestration, a whole new class of infrastructure is emerging and pipeliners are leading the way.

Building the Queensland State Gas Pipeline

By Barry Wood

The Queensland State Gas Pipeline, running from Wallumbilla to Gladstone, was first proposed in 1987 to take gas from the Denison Trough to Gladstone. As plans progressed, the project grew to include a 562 km pipeline network traversing Queensland.

Vin Pollock

By Barry Wood

Vin Pollock has been in the gas industry for over 50 years, first beginning his pipeline career on the Longford to Dandenong Pipeline in Victoria.

Get the right materials with PM Piping

Project Materials GmbH operates out of eighteen countries and specialises in the supply of steel related products to major projects around the world.

WDS: shaping up for CSG success

WDS has recently repositioned the company to meet the growing demand for infrastructure services in the Queensland coal seam gas sector.

Wildlife management with QFC

Snake safety and awareness is a significant part of the pipeline site induction process. Queensland Fauna Consultancy can help with the safe removal of wildlife from pipeline spreads, ensuring the safety of employees.

RBP: still going strong

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the completion of APA Group’s Roma to Brisbane Pipeline and the commencement of natural gas supply to Brisbane – the first capital city in which natural gas was made available.

Savcor completes corrosion survey for Carpentaria

Since the end of the wet season, Savcor has been busy undertaking new contract works on APA Group’s Carpentaria Gas Pipeline.

Valve education with Sealweld

By Dean Chisholm, President, Sealweld Corporation

Pipeline valves are integral to any pipeline project. It is important that proper valve installation is understood and proper precautions are taken to ensure successful valve installation.

PAD: project delivery on time

One of the worst outcomes of acquiring land for a pipeline project can be angry landowners pursuing legal battles, which can stifle the construction progress. This can cost millions of dollars in lost revenue and loss of valuable time required to meet construction timeframes.

OSD expands into slurry

OSD Pipelines has established a team of slurry pipeline specialists as part of a move to increase its market share in the global pipeline services industry.

Bayside: putting the front line of business first

With the ripple-effect of the global financial crisis still being felt across Australia, signs of a soft recession and a lacklustre economy are evoking a new attitude toward employees. As businesses shuffle their cards sideways, its time to rethink, reorganise and refocus.

CAD drafting reduces piping project costs

Specialised engineering and asset management contractor Bilfinger Berger Services (BBS) was recently awarded a contract to undertake the third phase of the Botany Port Terminal Expansion project with Vopak Terminals. For successful project design drafting, BBS relied on the CADWorx software suite.

Savcor on the mark with Metrotech’s 810 Dx

The 810 Dx Pipe and Cable Locating Instrument has taken the guesswork out of detecting buried utilities.

Changes ahead for gas transmission technical and safety regulation

By Steve Davies, Policy Adviser, APIA

The Ministerial Council on Energy has initiated a ‘harmonisation’ strategy which could see AS2885 referenced in national legislation, or could lead to reduced regulatory outcomes and new challenges for the industry and APIA.

Pipeline excitemeNT: possibilities in the Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is traversed by 2,350 km of transmission pipeline, with a main 1,500 km pipeline artery supplying Darwin with gas from central Australia. Here, The Australian Pipeliner looks at how pipelines have developed in the territory and the opportunities for the future.

Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline completed in record time

Due to the unified approach undertaken by all companies involved in the planning, construction and delivery of the Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline, WDS completed project construction in less than five months.

Fyfe surveys for BWP

Part of the Fyfe group of companies, MJ Hedges Geomeasure recently completed the survey of the Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline easement in record time.

NMT delivers for BWP

Neil Mansell Transport has been involved in the transportation and delivery of over 7,500 km of pipe throughout Australia, and recently completed work for AGL Energy’s Berwyndale to Wallumbilla Pipeline.

Fauna rediscovered at Walloons

Armed with spotlights, rakes, shovels and a variety of specialised trapping gear, a team of dedicated biologists unearthed some unusual animals while working with Nacap on the Walloons Development Pipeline Project.

Delivering the desalination pipeline across the bay

McConnell Dowell is working as part of the Water Delivery Alliance with Sydney Water to deliver the Sydney Desalination Project distribution network, creating a crucial link between the new desalination plant and Sydney’s existing water grid.

Trenchless technology proves its worth for Australian desal

Trenchless technology is commonly employed during pipeline installation in areas where minimal disruption to the environment or community is required. A number of Australia’s desalination projects are using trenchless technology.

HDD drives fuel line for BP

UEA was recently contracted by AJ Lucas on behalf of BP Australia to install 345 m of 16 inch diameter steel pipeline under the open channel and port access road at Elizabeth Street, Carrington near Newcastle in New South Wales.

PPH: saving money and the environment

Pipeline Plant Hire has come up with another innovative way of saving its clients money – with its patented vacuum lift carrying box.

Toowoomba Pipeline in the works

LinkWater Projects is managing construction of the 38 km Toowoomba Pipeline to transport water from Wivenhoe Dam, past the township of Esk, to Cressbrook Dam in Queensland. The $187 million pipeline is set to ease the pressure on the Toowoomba region of population growth and continuing drought.

Padding out pipelines with the ALLU D Series

The ALLU D Series screening bucket is about to be launched on the Australian market, designed with features specifically to suit Australian terrain.

Precision control with the PL61 Pipelayer

With 18,145 kg of lift-capacity, the Caterpillar PL61 Pipelayer has the capability to meet pipeline contractors’ requirements for precision control, transportability, operator comfort, visibility and durability.

Trenching in Paddington: the urban challenge

Codmah has recently overcome the challenge of construction in an urban environment, installing a high pressure gas line in Paddington, New South Wales using a Vermeer T755 trencher.

Vacuworx lifts the safety standard

The contractor of today is faced with many challenges and safety on the job has become a major global concern. With a decade of experience, Vacuworx’s newest release, the compact MC3 lifter, has combined safety with versatility.

Flip Screen sifts the trash from the treasure

Flip Screen Australia’s screening and recycling attachment, the E130 Flip Screen, can cope with almost any material to efficiently and inexpensively turn your trash into cash.

ELiTE vacuum pipe lifters go electric

Schoenbeck GmbH has introduced additional models into its vacuum pipe lifting program – the ELiTE 12 and ELiTE 16TE.

Coal seam gas: booming in the east

The development of coal seam gas, particularly in eastern Australia, has been phenomenal over the last year. The pipeline industry has been rising to the challenge of supporting the burgeoning coal seam gas sector by constructing, planning and proposing transmission infrastructure to bring the gas to markets.

NSW CSG in the pipeline for ESG

Eastern Star Gas (ESG) has had an impressive year so far, as the company works toward realising the potential of its Narrabri Coal Seam Gas (CSG) Project, located in northwest New South Wales, and the project’s need for the development of pipeline infrastructure.

Making the link between CSG and water

By Brendan Tobin, Senior Associate, McCullough Robertson

An integrated regulatory framework is needed when it comes to coal seam gas exploration, production and water extraction. Focusing on the current legislation in New South Wales and Queensland, Brendan Tobin explains why.

What lies below: subsea pipelines anchoring Australia

By Stephanie Mizzi

Subsea pipelines – while out of sight – are certainly not out of mind when it comes to tapping Australia’s offshore resources. With a buzz of exploration activity within these offshore acreages and ever improving technical development, subsea pipelines are reaching further than ever before.

Van Oord Offshore: expanding operations in Australia

Offshore engineering, procurement and construction contractor Van Oord Offshore – subsidiary of dredging and marine contractor Van Oord from the Netherlands – has opened an office in Perth to better service the Australian offshore pipeline industry. The Australian Pipeliner spoke to Van Oord Offshore Area Representative for the Asia Pacific Pitrik Van der Wal about the growing prospects of the industry.

Looking ahead at FutureGAS

The inaugural FutureGAS 2009 Conference & Exhibition offered a forum for different areas of the gas industry to learn about the latest gas technology and developments – including in the gas transmission industry.

Spy Jeepmeters sound the alarm

The Spy Jeepmeter range has been developed to take the mystery out of holiday detectors, ensuring accurate readings in an often unpredictable environment.

For whom the pipe Tolls

Toll Project Services has recently provided logistical support for a number of pipeline projects, including Delta’s Colongara Interconnector pipeline project and the Sydney desalination pipeline.

RISQUE method improves CSG development

Coal seam gas (CSG) development poses significant sustainability challenges for resource professionals seeking to conserve social, environmental and economic values while meeting energy demands. URS has developed the ‘RISQUE’ method to assess the impact of CSG water for industry and society.

APC Socotherm all over QSN Link

Epic Energy contracted APC Socotherm to apply the external coatings for the QSN Link project. Epic selected Socotherm’s Trikote™ coating for the mainline anti-corrosion coating to provide excellent corrosion resistance and flexibility.

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