The NT YPF organised a tour of the Bonaparte Gas Pipeline construction for Friday 27 June. The mostly young group of ten included three interstate pipeliners. The YPFers left Darwin before dawn, meeting Richard Cherney, APA Group’s Construction Manager for the Bonaparte Gas Pipeline Project at Camp 2, approximately two and a half hours from Darwin.

Following a safety induction, Gerard Peret, AJ Lucas’ Construction Manager, provided the YPF group with an insight into construction contracts. Mr Peret explained how both APA Group and AJ Lucas had agreed on a contract price based on the evaluation and on sharing the risks for the construction. He also suggested that the toughest component of this project was the logistics required to ensure the 300 pipeline construction crew members were well looked after and construction camps were appropriately sized for the transient workforce.

From Camp 2, Richard took the group on a guided tour – in a cloud of dust – of the construction process. The YPF group were lucky to get out and see – when the dust settled – most aspects of pipeline construction in action including stringing, pipe bending, trenching, welding, coating, coating testing and repairs, pipe lowering and back filling. Richard was very informative at each stop and fielded all the YPFers’ questions.

The NT YPF would like to thank APIA for providing all the food and drinks, Sargent for providing flashing lights for the vehicles, NT Gas for the use of their 4WD vehicles and all those who attended for making it a great twelve hour day. We would also like to thank APA Group and AJ Lucas for their generous time and patience, as well all the companies that supported the attendees and continue to support the YPF charter.