Lyttelton to Woolston Pipeline

Fuelling the mainland

PROJECT: Lyttelton to Woolston Pipeline CONTRACTOR: McConnell Dowell Constructors CLIENT: Exxon Mobil New Zealand VALUE: $4m

Exxon Mobil selected McConnell Dowell to undertake the replacement of a 1.2-kilometre section of the Lyttelton to Woolston Pipeline, ensuring continuation of fuel supply to the South Island.

The contract was awarded in January 2020, (with a short delay due to the Level 4 lockdown) with project work starting in May 2020. Practical Completion was in November 2020.

Consultants Inovo completed the pipeline design, while Coffey undertook the retaining wall design.

A critical piece of infrastructure in the Port Hills around Christchurch, the project saw McConnell Dowell’s South Island-based team working collaboratively with the client, consultants and subcontractors to provide surety of future fuel supply to the region, while actively working to avoid disruption to multiple and varied stakeholders including Heathcote Valley School, Gondola tourists and Bridle Path walkers. Other complexities involved working alongside the KiwiRail corridor, archaeological heritage and tight project deadlines.