The Australian Pipeliner March 2022

ISSUE 190 | MARCH 2022

Lifting standards ESSENTIAL STEPS WHEN CHOOSING A VACUUM LIFTER – page 36

The pipeline pioneers that cover all bases

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Pro Pipe Services powers on through pandemic

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Choosing the right large-diameter HDD 52

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CONTENTS

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COVER STORY

Five reasons to choose Pipeline Plant Hire for VacLift solutions There are plenty of grounds for choosing Pipeline Plant Hire (PPH) for VacLift solutions.

PPH director Gerard O’Brien discusses five good reasons to turn to the experts for your specialist equipment needs.

Image courtesy of Pipeline Plant Hire.

HOT TAPPING & ISOLATION

EXECUTIVE REPORTS CEO message

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Pro Pipe Services powers on through pandemic

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PIGGING & ILI

POLICY Gas and energy policy

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TRAINING Innovative net-zero carbon future fuels projects in Australia

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Reducing conservatism in fatigue crack growth assessments through testing

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Pipe Tek: Successful start to 2022

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FUTURE FUELS

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

Water, gas and electricity are interconnecting in a whole

A cost-effective investment to safeguard assets

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Trusted by the best

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new way

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MY

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CMY

PIPELINES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

HDD

The future looks green for South Australia

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Powerful pumps – the heard of HDD maxi-rigs spreads

K

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Choosing the right large-diameter HDD for your next

WATER PIPELINES Pipelines making headway in 2022

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project

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Pipeline pioneers cover all bases

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Experience the difference

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Robust steel pipeline solution provides solutions for life

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COMPANY NEWS

The key to long-lasting plastic pipes and fittings

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Moddex workplace ranked 'A Great Place to Work' Casing spacers with rollers save time and money during

Future-proofing Australia’s water infrastructure with GRP Pipeline Solutions

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installation

LEAK DETECTION

PEOPLE IN INDUSTRY

Identifying super emitters leads to greater methane

A jolly good fellow

emissions reductions

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WELDING Looking back at 25 years of the TracStar

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Five reasons to choose Pipeline Plant Hire for your VacLift solutions

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APGA NEWS & EVENTS APGA 2022 Convention & Exhibition

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APGA event calendar

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REGULARS

VACUUM LIFTERS Aussie made, and proud

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36

Members & memos

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APGA members

64

Advertiser’s index

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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PUBLISHER

CEO John Murphy PUBLISHER Christine Clancy christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au EDITORIAL Molly Hancock molly.hancock@primecreative.com.au Isla Sutherland isla.sutherland@primecreative.com.au BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Nick Lovering nick.lovering@primecreative.com.au DESIGN PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Weston michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au ART DIRECTOR Blake Storey blake.storey@primecreative.com.au DESIGNERS Kerry Pert, Aisling McComiskey COPYRIGHT The Australian Pipeliner is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy.

All material in The Australian Pipeliner is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in The Australian Pipeliner are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated. © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2021

ARTICLES All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher.

The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format.

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The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association’s (APGA) vision is to lead the sustainable growth in pipeline infrastructure for Australasia’s energy. APGA is a non-profit organisation formed to represent the interests of its members involved in: the ownership, operation, maintenance, design, engineering, supply and construction of pipelines, platforms and all other structures used in or in connection with the drilling for, extraction and transmission of hydrocarbons, solids, slurries and similar substances both onshore and offshore. As a single voice representing the collective interests of its members, APGA is dedicated to encouraging the extension and development of the industry.

The Australian Pipeliner is the official journal of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) and is distributed to members without charge and circulated to interested organisations throughout Australia and overseas. It is also available on subscription. The publishers welcome editorial contributions from interested parties.

However, neither the publishers nor APGA accept responsibility for the content of these contributions and the views contained therein are not necessarily the views of the publishers or APGA. Neither the publishers nor APGA accept responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. All communications should be directed to the publishers.

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EXECUTIVE REPORTS

Chief Executive Officer’s report

W

elcome to the March edition of The Australian Pipeliner. I hope your year has begun well. I’ve been talking with APGA members around the country and it sounds like 2022 has a lot to offer the pipeline and gas industries. With several major pipeline projects in the west, a range of projects in eastern States and a big focus on hydrogen everywhere, our industry is the most active it has been in quite a while.

It’s an excellent demonstration of the strength of gaseous energy and its potential to continue contributing a big portion of energy supply for a long time to come. The activity and investment are clear signals that the economy, both Australia’s and the world’s, needs gas. Something the industry needs to turn its mind to is how to communicate this effectively to the broader public. Over the past couple of years we have all seen increasing antigas sentiment in public discourse, social media and even traditional media.

We are still in the first year of APGA’s 2021 to 2024 Strategic Plan and we have a new level of ambition in the objective for the Advocacy Pillar: To be a respected and effective influencer in the Australasian community.

Community engagement and advocacy will be increasingly important for everyone in our industry in the years ahead. A strong future depends on investment, emissions reduction and development of the future fuels industry. All of these things are necessary. Equally necessary, perhaps of paramount importance, is the support of the community. You have all seen the increasingly ideological public discourse about energy. Gas and its potential will benefit from being better understood by everyone. The APGA Board held its annual planning day in February and the need to increase communication and engagement activity across the industry was the biggest topic of discussion.

I can’t tell you what APGA will be doing in this space yet, we are very much at the early stages of planning. We are getting external experts to look at our communication activity and objectives and identify what the options are. In

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the meantime, we are engaging more widely with stakeholders and representative organisations that we see participating in the same government consultation processes that we do. The better this group understands our issues, the more likely they are to be supportive of our position.

Most recently, we have been engaging them on APGA’s latest report, produced by GPA Engineering, looking at the transmission and storage infrastructure costs of the hydrogen industry. Green hydrogen, requiring electricity as its primary input, will have options to transport and store electricity before hydrogen production or to transport and store hydrogen molecules after production. The short summary is, pipelines are much cheaper! Jordan McCollum’s article in this edition explores the report in detail.

Also in this edition you will find an article written by Karen Polglaze detailing a recent competition at University of Melbourne aided by the Future Fuels CRC that involved students developing and pitching future fuels projects to industry executives. What is most surprising about the project is the enthusiasm for the energy industry this generated among the students. There is real potential to use this kind of activity to get more university students aware and excited about our industry and this is something we will be looking at building on this year.

There is so much going on around us it is hard to keep track of everything. I am pleased to say we are resuming a relatively normal, and flexible, event schedule so there will be more and more opportunities to catch up with colleagues and peers at AGPA events. I know for myself this is one of best ways I find out what is going on. Check out the APGA event schedule and hopefully we will see you soon.

All the best.

STEVE DAVIES CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

ABN: 29 098 754 324 APGA Secretariat Registered Office: 7 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 (PO Box 5416, Kingston ACT 2604) T: +61 2 6273 0577 E: apga@apga.org.au W: www.apga.org.au Chief Executive Officer Steve Davies Corporate Services Manager Peter Heffernan National Policy Manager Jordan McCollum Communications Manager Karen Polglaze Engagement Manager Dean Bennett Membership Officer Katy Spence Secretariat Coordinator Charmaine Rees

2021-2022 APGA Board President Donna McDowall Vice President John Stuart-Robertson Treasurer Wendy Oldham Immediate Past President Tony O’Sullivan Director Lou Guevara Director Ray Keable Director Kevin Lester Director Dave Maloney Director Leon Richards Director Sean Ward

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MEMBERS & MEMOS

Iplex Australia appoints new general manager

Paul Lavelle, new Iplex general manager. Image: Iplex.

Fletcher Building Australia has appointed Paul Lavelle as the new general manager of its pipeline solutions business Iplex Australia, effective January 2022.

Dean Fradgley, Fletcher Building chief executive, said Lavelle is perfectly placed to lead the Iplex business into the next phase of growth.

“Paul has delivered success for Fletcher Building since 2013 in his leadership roles with Laminex

and Fletcher Insulation,” said Fradgley.

“His strong customer focus, drive for continuous improvement, and ability to influence positive outcomes will ensure the strong momentum already achieved by the team at Iplex will continue to accelerate.”

Lavelle said he was excited to be joining Iplex at this stage of the business's journey and looked forward to working with the team and its customers.

New guide for public safety in pipelines The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) has joined with the Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre to produce a safety practice guide.

Public Safety in the Pipeline Industry: An Engineering Practice Guide applies to engineers who work in the design and operation of high-pressure energy pipelines and associated facilities, and the organisations that employ such

engineers. The document forms part of the pipeline engineering body of resources and aims to support excellence in engineering practices.

The resource addresses decision-making, actions and behaviours that impact public safety. It seeks to support pipeline engineers’ ability to identify situations that can impact public safety and how to address this effectively.

Australian, Japan signs clean hydrogen trade partnership The Morrison Government is growing Australia’s clean hydrogen export industry through a new initiative aimed at attracting overseas investment into hydrogen supply chains originating in Australia.

The $150 million Australian Clean Hydrogen Trade Program (ACHTP) will support Australian-based hydrogen supply chain projects that secure overseas public or private sector investment.

The first round of the program will focus on the export of clean

hydrogen to Japan under the Japan-Australia Partnership on Decarbonisation through Technology.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the $150 million program would help to deliver on Australia’s commitment to reducing emissions by working with other countries to get the cost of clean energy technologies down. “It is critical that we work closely with our international partners such as Japan to deliver on Australia’s low emissions objectives,” Morrison said.

Fortescue Future Industries to build electrolyser Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) has achieved another ambitious target, making hydrogen using an electrolyser designed and built by the FFI team.

A small team from FFI’s manufacturing arm developed the innovative electrolyser in the Western Australia facility, producing industrial grade hydrogen for the first time in December.

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FFI has developed several new electrolyser technologies that will form part of their electrolyser patent family.

The outcomes of these projects will inform FFI’s electrolyser technology selection going forward, as FFI works towards its target to produce 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

MEMBERS & MEMOS

Saipem to deliver trunkline for Scarborough Italian gas company Saipem has been awarded an offshore contract

by Woodside to operate on behalf of the Scarborough joint venture (JV).

Saipem has received the notice to proceed from the company to complete the export trunkline coating and installation of the pipeline that will connect the Scarborough gas field with the onshore plant.

The Scarborough gas resource is located in the Carnarvon Basin,

offshore Western Australia, and will be developed through new offshore facilities connected by a 430 km export trunkline.

The pipe will connect to a second LNG train (Pluto Train 2) at the existing Pluto LNG onshore facility. According to Saipem, the development will be among the lowest carbon intensity sources of LNG globally.

The first cargo from Scarborough is expected to be delivered in 2026.

Suiso Frontier departs for Japan The world’s first liquified hydrogen (LH2) carrier officially departed for Japan on Friday, 28 January, marking a significant milestone for the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) pilot project.

The Suiso Frontier docked in the Victorian port of Hastings on 20 January, on what Energy Minister Angus Taylor described as an “historic day for Japan, Australia and the global industry”.

The hydrogen tanker was then loaded with a cargo of liquid hydrogen, and within a week of arrival, set off on its inaugural mission back to Japan.

The tanker has a capacity of 1250 m3 equating to about 75 mt of liquid hydrogen.

For the purpose of the pilot, 99.9 per cent pure hydrogen has been produced from Latrobe Valley coal and biomass via gasification where it was then trucked to Hastings, cooled to -253 degrees and subsequently liquified to less than 800 times its gaseous volume to create LH2.

Australian gas supplier Coregas was contracted to provide onsite support and equipment for the gasification plant.

Coregas filling team assisting with the world’s first LH2 shipment. Image: Coregas.

Kurri Kurri gas plant receives approval The Hunter Power Project has been granted environmental approval for the Kurri Kurri gas plant, making way for the construction phase to commence. The Kurri Kurri gas plant is a 660 MW gas-fired power plant that will provide energy for the Hunter Valley region.

The project will be delivered by integrated energy business Snowy

Sydney I Melbourne I Brisbane I Perth Townsville I Auckland I New Plymouth

Hydro, and according to the company, the power station will comprise two heavy-duty, open cycle gas turbines (OCGT) and the latest, most efficient turbines. Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said the project was approved after rigorous assessment, and was found to meet the conditions set by the New South Wales Government.

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POLICY

Gas and energy policy

By Jordan McCollum, National Policy Manager, APGA

A new study commissioned by APGA confirms that gas infrastructure, both now and in the future, is more affordable than electricity infrastructure for energy transport and storage.

T

he Australian energy industry has long known that gas pipeline infrastructure provides lower cost energy transport and storage than electricity infrastructure and now a study from GPA Engineering has confirmed this remains the case for natural gas and hydrogen pipelines alike.

Determining that natural gas and hydrogen pipelines cost less than electrical infrastructure indicates a bright future for the Australian pipeline industry. As Australia progresses along its pathway to net-zero, investment in new methane and hydrogen pipelines will represent the least costly pathway to market for supplying renewable and decarbonised gases to Australian energy customers.

Energy cost and reliability will remain key issues for energy customers in Australia. While the net-zero transition is well under way for electricity customers, the transition to net-zero gas use has only just begun.

Many renewable energy advocates champion an 'electrify everything' approach to decarbonisation, betting heavily on the ability of electricity infrastructure to absorb the large intraday and intersessional demand variations currently born by gas infrastructure. Even those who see the value of hydrogen tend to count on electricity infrastructure to transport energy to electrolysers close to the customer.

These views are understandable where pipeline infrastructure is not well understood. If people aren’t aware of a lower cost option, it would be easy to advocate for electricity infrastructure.

APGA commissioned GPA Engineering to produce the Pipelines vs Powerlines technoeconomic report to address this knowledge gap.

Levelised cost of storage.

To address this gap, GPA Engineering undertook a like-for-like technoeconomic analysis of new natural gas pipelines, hydrogen pipelines, high voltage alternating current (HVAC) powerlines and high voltage direct current (HVDC) powerlines. As pipelines can both transport and store energy, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) were also compared to a technoeconomic analysis of energy storage in natural gas and hydrogen pipelines.

Analysis was undertaken across a range of distance, throughput and storage volume scenarios. The study set the boundary of its analysis to include only the energy transport and storage infrastructure itself to avoid working in the relative costs and efficiencies of specific energy supply and demand scenarios. This was a key point of the study to ensure that the data produced could be used by anyone seeking to analyse energy transport pathways in the Australian context.

The results of the GPA Engineering analysis

Levelised cost of transport.

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

were clear. As seen in the associated diagrams, energy transport and storage by pipeline was found to be lower cost compared to energy transport by HVAC or HVDC powerlines and energy storage via BESS and PHES. While the associated diagrams display scenarios central to the analyse case map, the order of affordability remained for all cases with the exception of one case where HVDC transport was found to be lower cost than HVAC transport.

As demonstrated in a worked example within the study, lower cost energy transport and storage are only part of the story. When supplying hydrogen customers, hydrogen pipelines enable electrolysis to be collocated with the energy source, rather than with the energy customer.

This provides access to low cost behind-themeter renewable electricity and means less energy needs to be transported via the hydrogen infrastructure, ultimately resulting in a lower cost of hydrogen for customers. This is because energy consumed through electrolysis no longer needs to be transported as would be the case if electrical infrastructure were to be used.

The results of this study should be a point of celebration for the pipeline industry and renewable energy industry alike. Identification of a lower cost form of energy transport and storage brings the least cost pathway to net-zero energy in Australia one step closer to reality.

This may take some time as it will require a substantial change from the electrify everything approach to include gas use decarbonisation. At the end of the day, the economics will speak for themselves, with an integrated renewable gas and electricity future becoming the more progressive approach towards whole of energy system decarbonisation in Australia.

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TRAINING

Innovative net-zero carbon future fuels projects in Australia In 2021, the Future Fuels CRC proposed the topic for the University of Melbourne’s annual Case Competition.

The results exceeded all expectations.

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ngineering students and information technology students from the university formed multidisciplinary teams to take part in the case competition. In 2021, the task was to pitch for an innovative net-zero carbon future fuels project in Australia.

The pitch had to include a conceptual design of appropriate size that serviced at least one of these target end-user groups (industrial, commercial, residential or transport) and leveraged existing gas or electricity networks. The design aimed to deliver cost-effective, safe, reliable net-zero carbon energy. The entries had to include projections for future supply and demand, estimates of revenues, costs and funding contributions and any key assumptions made – for example, technological developments.

All this was to be presented in a competitive pitch to a judging panel made up of some of the most experienced executives in the energy industry.

Coordinating the Case Competition for the Future Fuels CRC was Benjy Lee who has considerable experience in making pitches to secure project funding from ARENA and similar bodies. He was amazed at the students’ achievement.

“The level of work they produced was industry standard and even better than industry standard,” Benjy says.

“It was beyond my expectations. It showed industry can learn from what the students were producing from a technical perspective, and around the use of communication, especially the visual communication.”

Student experience Mechanical engineering student Jacqui Zhu (Team JJ and CAL) entered because she wanted to challenge herself and because she was interested in the energy sector. The future fuels aspect of the case competition was a drawcard for her as it was for mechanical engineering student Shawn Ingle (Lime Engineering team) who liked the challenge as well as finding out about the fuels of the future.

“This has definitely been the most rewarding case competition I’ve been involved with,” Shawn says.

“I just learned such an incredible amount. I really enjoyed working with the team.”

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"It was beyond my expectations. It showed industry can learn from what the students were producing from a technical perspective, and around the use of communication, especially visual communication."

Both Jacqui and Shawn agreed that one of the best things about the case competition was the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds. While university students often work in groups as a part of course work and assessment, it is usually groups made up of people from the same unit or course. They almost never get to work with engineers from other disciplines.

In this case the teams were multidisciplinary, and that doesn’t happen often.

“That’s a very rare chance,” Jacqui says.

“The whole experience was valuable and eyeopening, especially learning how others solve problems. I never really realised that people approach things so differently.”

Like Jacqui, Shawn found this aspect one of the most rewarding as well.

“We seldom get a chance to work with students from other disciplines,” he says.

“This was quite unique in that regard.

Different types of engineers look at things from even more different types of perspectives.”

Having a previous interest in energy, Jacqui enjoyed exploring the new information that was available to students in the case competition.

“I wasn’t aware hydrogen was such a big thing in Australia,” she says.

“All of the people on our team were pretty new to the energy sector.”

The pitch The pitch was a real challenge, but the teams put in hours of research into future fuels, how to make a business case and especially what to include and what to exclude. And it was difficult: to propose a new project in two A4 pages with an additional two pages of information and persuade some of the most senior people in the industry to back it. In eight minutes.

“We just had to get to the point, be precise and be very structured as well,” Jacqui says.

“It really got us to think about what was important and what wasn’t important.”

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

Team JJ and CAL initially divided up the work with each team member taking on an aspect of the project where they had some knowledge.

Preparation involved researching how to make a business case and how to persuasively communicate, learning how to work effectively as a team as well as learning as much as possible about the subject matter of future fuels. It is a considerable amount of extra work that is not part of the regular course work. But Shawn said it was worth every moment, and he would encourage all other students to enter the competition.

“I’d definitely recommend it,” he says.

“I learned a huge amount from it and really had a great experience. I gained so much more out of it than I put into it.”

The case competition developed and honed skills for the teams which will be a significant benefit to them in their future, and coincidentally will be very much valued by their future employers. Top of Jacqui’s list were problem solving, teamwork, communication, presentation skills and leadership, while Shawn added to that list critical thinking and creativity.

Communication skills were particularly called upon in the development of the pitches. The multidisciplinary team members all came from different backgrounds and, although mostly engineers, they didn’t speak the same engineering language. Participants first had to learn how to communicate with each other and then perfect their pitches so that the judges would understand.

Shawn found the teamwork and other connections made during the competition to be very valuable.

“I most valued the connections and the relationships I was able to build,” he says.

“It was really interesting to engage with the judging panel and learn from their experiences.”

Shawn was a member of the wining team, Lime Engineering, which designed an advanced biofuels refinery for Townsville. Benjy said this project was

TRAINING

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Lime Engineering’s winning entry on Townsville future fuels initiative.

an excellent demonstration of how to scale a new future fuels market through taking a phased approach.

Jacqui, who is also the president of the University of Melbourne Chemical Engineering Society, said students relished the contact with industry and hoped that events like the case competition would lead to increasing ties of mutual benefits.

And they already have. The runner-up project from Team JJ and Cal was a Torrens Island Green Hydrogen Production site. This project had many intersections with work Australian Gas Infrastructure Group is planning in South Australia and with Troy Praag from AGIG as one of the judges, the company’s interest was piqued.

Since the competition, AGIG has had a roundtable with Jacqui’s team to explore some ideas further.

The Lime Engineering team is scheduled to meet with a group of Jemena representatives for a knowledge exchange session early this year. The teams have also enjoyed tailored mentoring sessions with senior leaders in the industry to learn more about the industry and seek career advice.

"I've been delighted to see everyone involved go above and beyond to rise to the future fuels case competition challenge. These students have shown us they are already have the capability to help industry tackle our biggest challenges. A big congratulations to everyone involved and, in particular, Professor Sandra Kentish from the University of Melbourne and FFCRC Board member Shaun Coffey for championing this initiative."

Benjy said the competition exposed the talent, creativity and determination of the current generation of engineering students, as well as the range of skills they would bring with them to future employers.

“It’s well worth the pipeline industry’s while to connect and collaborate more with students and to harness their smarts so we don’t lose them to other sectors,” he says.

Future Fuels CRC CEO David Norman agrees.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

“I've been delighted to see everyone involved go above and beyond to rise to the future fuels case competition challenge,” he says. “These students have shown us they are already have the capability to help industry tackle our biggest challenges. A big congratulations to everyone involved and, in particular, Professor Sandra Kentish from the University of Melbourne and FFCRC Board member Shaun Coffey for championing this initiative.”

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FUTURE FUELS CRC

Water, gas and electricity are interconnecting in a whole new way

By David Norman, CEO of Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre

Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre and its broad industry-led community is at the centre of so much new understanding and capability. While it is playing its key role of new knowledge delivery on the function of clean fuels such as hydrogen and biomethane, it also offers a vehicle for wider and deeper investigation of interrelated aspects of the energy transitions, now occurring at speed everywhere we look.

Future Fuels CRC CEO David Norman.

T

he Australian Pipeliner’s theme this edition is water and rightly the industry has previously seen this as a distinct sector from natural gas and other fuels. But the more research we do into the future of fuels, the more we see the complete interconnection of water, gas and electricity in ways many of us have only just started to understand.

Most professionals in the industry would be used to the processes of electricity production in gas-fired power stations, water being managed in upstream gas production, used in coal mine-site dust suppression or in the cooling for thermal power stations. But the future has the potential for whole new levels of interconnection.

The two green gas projects that are already connected in Adelaide and Sydney are interconnected nodes of the combined gas, electricity and water networks. They have the capability now to turn electricity and water into renewable hydrogen gas to use in the gas network and future plants could also have the capability to turn excess stored hydrogen back into electricity to manage peaks back in the electricity network.

This new industry will require whole-system

16

thinking, taking into account the integrated advantages and constraints that each of the three sectors offer us.

Basic chemistry means you need at least 9 litres of water to produce each kg of renewable hydrogen gas, plus water that is used as part of the water purification or cooling processes. Although this would create a new demand for water in Australia, it has the opportunity to use water that currently goes to waste. For example much of the clean, treated water from Australia’s sewage processing plants is not reused. And as ageing thermal power plants are phased out, their cooling water and dust suppression supplies will increasingly become available for other uses. Renewable gas can make use of this under-utilised resources.

Getting to this new industry means much new engineering knowledge and Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre's (CRC) community is hard at work making that a reality. In just the last few months we’ve delivered the following research that industry needs to push forward, including: • Underground storage options for hydrogen across Australia, • Techno-economic modelling of the different fuel production processes, • Solar photocatalytic hydrogen production, making hydrogen directly from water and sunlight, • Efficient conversion of hydrogen to future fuels, such as methanol, • Developing the social license and acceptance of future fuels, • Deliberative engagement processes on the role of future fuels in the future low-carbon energy mix in Australia, • Identifying drivers of policy and practices of using future fuels in the built environment, • Gas fitting practices for future fuels, • Future proofing plastic pipes, • Metering and gas quality monitoring of future fuel blends, • Development of efficient and effective methodologies for the abandonment of pipelines.

Coming up in the next few months we expect The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

"This practice guide will help to drive and further improve public safety right at the heart of the pipeline profession. I would encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with this great work and get involved in rolling it out in their organisations." to share more research on transportation and storage, bio-methane in gas network, appliance performance with blends of hydrogen and natural gas, and our latest research on hydrogen in plastic and steel pipes.

Also importantly this month, the APGA is launching Public Safety in the Pipeline Industry: An Engineering Practice Guide. The practice guide was created with Future Fuels CRC and supports engineers who work in design and operation of high-pressure energy pipelines and associated facilities, and to those who employ those engineers. This practice guide will help to drive and further improve public safety right at the heart of the pipeline profession. I would encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with this great work and get involved in rolling it out in their organisations. Whilst it is just one of the nearly hundred different reports being produced for industry by Future Fuels CRC at this time, it again reinforces that transferring this knowledge and implementing or embedding it into action in industry is the next crucial step on our journey.

You can find the latest on all Future Fuels CRC research at www.futurefuelscrc.com

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PIPELINES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Austrlia had a big 2021 with the rise of CCS and hydrogen projects.

The future looks green for South Australia The last year has seen some exciting developments in the pipeline and gas sectors, particularly in South Australia, in terms of carbon capture and storage and green hydrogen developments.

I

n November 2021, Santos and joint venture partner Beach Energy announced a final investment decision to proceed with the $220 million Moomba carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in South Australia, with start-up expected in 2024. The joint venture successfully registered the Moomba project with the Clean Energy Regulator.

Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG) has also been making significant headway in upgrading South Australia’s gas network to prepare it for the future deployment of hydrogen gas.

The South Australian Government is progressing front-end engineering design (FEED) studies for green hydrogen pilot projects around the state. The SA Government and the Port of Rotterdam Authority have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) study to investigate the

18

feasibility of exporting green hydrogen made in SA to Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port.

The government and Trafigura have also invested $2.5 million each in a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for a planned $750 million green hydrogen project. Here are the recent highlights for the region.

Santos books 100m tonnes CO2 storage Santos has announced the booking of a 100 million tonne carbon dioxide (CO2) storage facility in the Cooper Basin, South Australia, to further its mission towards net zero emissions.

This resource is a subset of the total prospective storage in the basin and follows the final investment decision (FID) on the 1.7 million tonnes per annum (tpa) Moomba CCS project in The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

November 2021.

Santos managing director and chief executive Kevin Gallagher said the announcement is a final step in the company’s decarbonisation pathway and carbon storage hub strategy.

“CCS is a critical technology to achieve the world’s emission reduction goals and we only have to look at current carbon prices to see how valuable 100 million t of storage is,” said Gallagher.

“This globally significant carbon storage capacity booking is another tangible example of Santos leading the way in establishing the foundations to support the energy transition.”

New gas mains for Adelaide CBD AGIG and APA have completed 50 km of mains replacements in the City of Adelaide.

PIPELINES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

According to AGIG, works were delivered ahead of time, below budget and with no material safety incidents onsite. “This is not only a significant service outcome for our customers, but it means our networks are capable of delivering 100 per cent carbon-free hydrogen to our customers into the future,” an AGIG spokesperson said.

In 2021, the Australian Gas Network (AGN) – a part of AGIG – released its draft plan for the South Australian gas distribution network between 2021 and 2026.

In the plan, AGIG stated that Adelaide CBD mains replacements were on track for completion, which will see all high-risk mains replaced by the end of the current access arrangement period. In the specified period, AGIG will deliver over 1,000 km of replacement of ageing mansion order to improve cost efficiency and safety.

FEED to commence for Port Pirie The South Australian Government and top trading company Trafigura have invested $2.5 million each

in a front-end engineering design (FEED) study for a planned $750 million green hydrogen project.

The $5 million in joint funding from the Marshall Government and Trafigura will be used to advance the FEED study for the planned green hydrogen facility in Port Pirie.

If approved, the Port Pirie Green Hydrogen Project is expected to cost $750 million from design through to construction.

“This $750 million project is part of the ongoing transformation of South Australia into a producer of green hydrogen of global significance based on our outstanding renewable energy resources,” said South Australian Premier Stephen Marshall.

“My government has dialled up the state’s intention to lead the way by achieving net-100 per cent renewables by 2030 and a 50 per cent cut to emission by 2030.” FEED will commence immediately on the study, with a final investment decision (FID) expected for the end of 2022.

New pipelines for Willaston and Willamulka SA Water is commencing installation of two new water mains in South Australia as part of the utility’s $155 million four-year water main management program. This includes 410 m of new water main installed at Willaston and 370 m of new main at Willamulka on the Yorke Peninsula.

The Willaston pipe is being laid beneath Right Street and Paxton Street, and is among 47,000 m of water mains going in the ground for SA Water customers across regional South Australia over the coming year. The Willamulka pipeline will be laid beneath Wembley Boundary Road.

Both projects will use PVC pipe, which is renowned for its chemically inert properties and its resistance to soil movement. SA Water general manager Amanda Lewry said the utility is proud to extend the life of the networks for another 100 years.

For more information on the latest industry news, projects and products visit pipeliner.com.au The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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WATER PIPELINES

Pipelines making headway in 2022 2022 is shaping up to be a busy year for the pipeline industry, with a number of water pipeline projects already underway. In this edition of The Australian Pipeliner looks at some of the current water pipeline works across Australia.

A

ustralia has a well-developed pipeline industry, with New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australian, Queensland and South Australia all having an increase in water pipeline projects to kick-start 2022. The Australian Pipeliner breaks down the upcoming projects on the radar.

NEW SOUTH WALES Dungowan Pipeline In New South Wales the new Dungowan Pipeline has commenced, which is a 55 km pipe that will deliver greater water security for Tamworth and the Peel Valley.

It will also connect the new Dungowan Dam to Tamworth’s Calala Water Treatment Plant.

Stage one of the project is expected to take up to 18 months to complete. However, Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson says this once-ina-generation project will improve water security for the communities of Tamworth and the Peel Valley.

“Starting the construction phase just two weeks after we received planning approval for this pipeline

20

shows that I am serious about prioritising water infrastructure projects in this region,” says Anderson.

“Not only does the construction of the pipeline provide greater water security, but it will generate revenue for 30 local businesses and support up to 70 new jobs, injecting millions of dollars into the local economy.”

Lake Rowlands to Carcoar Dam Pipeline Funding has been secured from the federal and state governments to lay the groundwork for a new 10 km pipeline and potential new dam in the Lachlan Valley.

The federal and New South Wales governments have committed $6 million to undertake a business case into the construction of a 10 km pipeline between Lake Rowlands and Carcoar Dam. The new infrastructure is intended to deliver better water access to farmers and residents across the Central Tablelands region in NSW. Plans also include the option to raise the existing Lake Rowlands Dam or construct a new dam downstream.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

The proposed new dam would increase water storage capacity from 4 gigalitres (GL) up to between 8.5 GL and 30 GL, while the new Lake Rowlands to Carcoar Dam pipeline would enable transferring 25 megalitres (ML) of water per day.

TASMAINIA Regional communities in Tasmania are set to benefit from increased water security through the construction of a new recycled water distribution network in Bicheno and an upgrade to the 140-year-old Lake Leake Dam. The joint Australian and Tasmanian government funding for the two water infrastructure projects includes $17.1 million for the Bicheno Recycled Water Scheme and a further $3 million for the Lake Leake Dam Life Extension Upgrade.

Together these two projects will support around 37 new construction jobs and deliver more reliable water supplies to help local farmers and support expanded agricultural and primary industry production in the surrounding regions.

The Bicheno Recycled Water Scheme project will construct a distribution network for recycled

WATER PIPELINES

Drone photograph at sunset over Carcoar Dam.

water, including pipelines, pump stations and a 100 ML storage dam for primary producers in the Bicheno region.

When it's finished, the Bicheno project will add an extra 64 ML per year of recycled water back into the supply of nearby communities to boost their agriculture production. By 2050 about 83 ML a year of recycled water will flow back into the water supply.

The Lake Leake Dam Life Extension Upgrade project will upgrade the 140-year-old Lake Leake Dam to extend its useful life by a further 100 years, maintaining 14.6 GL per year of water for vital crop and livestock production in Tasmania's Eastern Midlands area.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Through Water Corporation, the Western Australian Government is delivering upgrades to water supply networks to secure the state’s prosperity.

Water Corporation has unveiled a new 2.1 km water pipeline servicing a housing development in Perth’s south-east.

Waste Minister Dave Kelly says the $4 million project will provide a secure and reliable supply of high-quality drinking water for the current and future residents of Mundijong and Whitby.

“With tens of thousands of people set to call this area home over the next few decades, it’s vital growing communities like Mundijong and Whitby have the infrastructure to support

sustainable growth,” Kelly says.

The pipeline was laid underneath Paterson Street between Mundijong Road and Keirnan Street to avoid impacting established trees along the verge.

Kelly says this new source was particularly vital given the long-term impacts of climate change on drinking water supply.

Through Water Corporation, the McGowan Government has allocated over $140 million to water supply and network projects in Perth and Peel in 2021-22.

QUEENSLAND Works for Stage 2 of the $274 million project are progressing in preparation for construction and installation of 30 km of 1.8 m pipeline from the Haughton River to Burdekin.

The Haughton Pipeline Project is a water security initiative supporting the Ross River Dam water catchment, providing greater capacity to deliver raw water into the dam.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill announced the first tender for Stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline has been released, bringing the significant project closer to construction.

Palaszczuk says her government was providing up to $195 million in funding for the project.

“Stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline project will go a long way in ensuring Townville water security for decades to come,” she says.

“This project will also support hundreds of jobs The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

during construction, boosting North Queensland’s economic recovery.”

Townsville City Council has formally signed off on a detailed road map for the project, including approval to increase the budget to $274 million, including an appropriate contingency allowance.

“Completing the second stage of the Haughton pipeline will give Townsville the water security it needs as it grows over the next 50 years,” says Hill.

Construction of the pipeline and pump station is expected to be complete by the end of 2024 with testing and commissioning to be finalised by March 2025.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA SA Water is commencing installation of two new water mains in South Australia as part of the utility’s $155 million four-year water main management program.

This includes 410 m of new water main installed at Willaston and 370 m of new main at Willamulka on the Yorke Peninsula.

The Willaston pipe is being laid beneath Right Street and Paxton Street, and is among 47,000 m of water mains going in the ground for SA Water customers across regional South Australia over the coming year.

The Willamulka pipeline will be laid beneath Wembley Boundary Road.

Both projects will use PVC pipe, which is renowned for its chemically inert properties and its resistance to soil movement.

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WATER PIPELINES

Mitchell Water team onsite.

The pipeline pioneers that cover all bases Mitchell Water Australia has built some of the country’s largest water and coal seam gas (CSG) projects, comprising over 25,000 km of pipe together with pumping stations, treatment plants, dams, storages and infrastructure. The company now has its own subsidiaries and in-house capability in surveying, fabrication, testing and commissioning, as well as an extensive list of patents.

F

ounded in the 1970s by Lyell Mitchell, the company was previously known as L.G. Mitchell and Sons. Today, Mitchell Water has grown to become Australia's leading specialist pipeline contractor, with a proven capacity to perform innovative design and construct solutions.

Lyell’s son Wayne Mitchell, who is still serving as the company’s Managing Director today, took over in 1985 and built the business up by gradually taking on bigger projects. Between 1981 and 1995 in the early period of the company’s history, Mitchell’s installed water, sewer, slurry, drainage, and gas pipelines for local councils and contractors.

In 1999, Wayne Mitchell put his faith in a young engineer Rob Shelton. Starting as a project manager, Shelton played an integral part in the business’s growth and evolution, with a particular focus on the construction of turnkey pipeline projects. The team expanded not long after to include Lee Briggs, furthering the construction business to include design, engineering and complete project management. Both continue to hold key executive

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Mitchell’s turnkey capabilities include a complete design and construct service, drawing on its wealth of experience to ensure enhanced pipeline survey, design, construction, commissioning, and operations.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

WATER PIPELINES

positions today, with Shelton the General Manager and Briggs the Engineering Manager.

Mitchell leads the way in innovation, having developed and patented a range of specialist pipeline construction equipment, including trenchers, ploughs, weld-barges, spoil screens and bedding & padding plant to ensure a value for money solution that delivers projects on-time.

The company offers its clients solutions that optimise their projects both during construction and in ongoing operational costs. Mitchell’s turnkey capabilities include a complete design and construct service, drawing on its wealth of experience to ensure enhanced pipeline survey, design, construction, commissioning, and operations.

Mitchell Water has an enviable track record in the construction of long distance water pipelines. Its milestone project, which commenced in 2006, was the Wimmera Mallee Pipelines Project. Still the biggest Australian water pipeline project to date, it comprises some 9,000 km of pipeline and spans 10 per cent of Victoria.

From 1998, the company broadened its horizons to include gas pipelines, and on to coal seam and gas (CSG) works in 2012.

Mitchell has commenced a contract of work in South West Queensland, supplying and installing HDPE gathering pipelines connecting to existing natural gas processing facilities. The scope of works includes pigging to wellheads,

Mitchell Water has installed over 25,000 km of pipe and pumping stations, treatment plants, dams, storages and infrastructure today.

underground trenching and pipeline installation in the Surat Basin.

According to General Manager Rob Shelton, supporting local communities is an important part of Mitchell’s culture, furthering its commitment to regional and indigenous employment.

Managing director Wayne Mitchell, circa 2000.

Since operating its operational base in Roma in 2012, Mitchell Water has continued to construct water and gas pipelines throughout the state.

In 2011, Mitchell purchased Sadlier Surveying – a survey business that it had worked with since the 1970s. This bolstered the company’s design and construct capabilities. With over 40 years’ expertise in water and gas pipelines, electricity and roads, the survey team has vast experience having worked throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific.

In 2014, fabrication business Westmain Aust joined Mitchell, enabling it manufacture its own fittings and assemblies for pump stations, buildings and well pads, controlling quality and ensuring on-time delivery. The experienced team at Westmain thinks outside the box and allows Mitchell to continually improve its innovative patented plant and pipeline installation systems.

Infield Energy Services (IES) is a new business established in 2021 to provide specialist services in the oil, gas and utilities industries. Focusing on safe and cost-effective pipeline construction and maintenance. Its services and solutions include critical testing and commissioning services to some of Australia's leading oil and gas businesses.

Today, Mitchell has operations across Eastern Australia, including Roma, QLD; Hamilton Plains, QLD; Buronga, NSW; Bacchus Marsh, VIC; Brisbane, QLD; and Angaston, SA. The company’s new head office at World Trade Centre in Docklands, Melbourne, is helping the company to reach a wider net of prospective clients and further promote the company’s growth.

For more information visit www.mitchellwater.com.au The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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WATER PIPELINES

Robust steel pipeline solution provides solutions for life After more than 140 years as an Australian steel pipe manufacturer, Steel Mains is the country's premier supplier of pipeline systems, with a consistent history of involvement in large-scale major pipeline projects and a relationship with all major water authorities spanning many decades.

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ounded in 1878 in Australia, Steel Mains provides the highest quality steel pipeline systems to the most exacting and challenging specifications offering a long-life solution, since they are designed to tolerate harsh conditions.

Over this time, Steel Mains and its forerunner named companies, have been a part of just about every major water infrastructure project in Australia.

The company has been involved in projects such as the SEQ Water Grid, which provides a sustainable water infrastructure network for South East Queensland (334 km of DN800 – DN1400 rubber ring-joint and welded steel pipe and fittings), the Victorian Desalination Pipeline, which is one of the world’s largest Public Private Partnership projects (84 km x DN1900 welded steel pipe and fittings). The comapny was also involved in the Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline (264 km x DN750 rubber ring joint steel pipe and fittings), which is one of the most significant infrastructure initiatives undertaken by WaterNSW and the NSW Government.

Steel Mains’ team has completed hundreds of infrastructure projects for regional water authorities, with its highly experienced manufacturing and engineering professionals providing the highest quality products and services that will remain part of Australian infrastructure for many generations to come.

Today, Steel Mains’ products and services cover a range of industry needs both within Australia and

select export markets, delivering quality, strength, durability, and endurance.

The demand for good quality water infrastructure, in conjunction with a rising population, continues to grow. Coupled with increased public awareness of potable water quality requirements, there is a need for greater conservation efforts and more stringent manufacturing and environmental regulations.

Steel Mains remains at the forefront of innovation, moving ahead with these changing requirements.

No matter the size or complexity of the project, the one thing Steel Mains’ clients are never concerned about is the overall long-term quality performance of Steel Mains’ SINTAKOTE Steel Pipeline System, which is why the company has remained in the market for so long as a steel pipe manufacturer.

Steel Mains as a local manufacturer specialising in large-scale projects Steel Mains is the most experienced manufacturer of engineered water transmission systems in Australia with unmatched capabilities. Unlike most suppliers, Steel Mains products are not off-the-shelf, hence the company has embraced and tackled bespoke project-specific challenges for over a century, offering products made from Australian steel and custom-built to specific project requirements. Steel Mains custom manufactures each system to maximise the

specific project goals. There is no one-size or product-fits-all mentality.

Steel Mains has over 70,000 tonnes of annual capacity to support project owners and contractors across the whole country through three world-class pipe production mills well positioned across Australia located in Somerton, VIC and Kwinana, WA. The company provides regional sales staff across the country who understand and provide knowledge of local conditions.

“Being a local manufacturer, Steel Mains offers one of the fastest lead times possible. Using Australian steel allows the company to commence a project within four to six weeks of the placement of an order. When compared to alternative imported materials, this presents an exceptional lead time and is of major benefit to our clients as we are wellequipped to deliver pipes on time or ahead of schedule,” says Steel Mains CEO Dean Connell.

“We remain highly focused on innovation and efficiency within our business. Over the years, we’ve held and continue to hold several patents enabling us to increase our manufacturing efficiency and productivity to maintain our relevance and market position. To be a market leader takes customer focus and a commitment to continuous improvement, investment, and product and process innovation. We have continued with this proud history of invention and innovation by further enhancing our unique coating and jointing processes and we remain focused on a continuous extension of this legacy.”

SINTAKOTE as the superior corrosion protection system

Melbourne Water M40 pipeline.

SINTAKOTE is a factory applied external fusion bonded polyethylene coating proven to provide superior external corrosion protection in almost all operating environments. SINTAKOTE is recognised by the water industry as the premium corrosion protection system for steel water pipelines providing leak-proof performance in all environments. It is also widely specified in marine piling applications and can be installed above or below ground.

SINTAKOTE is a protective barrier coating that provides resistance to a wide range of aggressive soils, compounds and chemicals which safeguards the time independent strength of steel.

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

WATER PIPELINES

Typical large-scale project stockpile.

Steel Mains solar panels on manufacturing building.

SINTAKOTE Steel Pipe’s inherent strength accommodates greater working pressures and increased capacity requirements in all applications.

Steel Mains long-term internal corrosion protective centrifugally spun cement mortar lining is a long term densely compacted interior lining which provides maximum strength. Additionally, this serves to achieve a smooth finish which provides high hydraulic efficiency.

“Our SINTAKOTE pipeline system and its SINTAJOINT® spigot-socket push-in jointing system – are really the benchmark for water infrastructure projects in Australia, particularly where the client needs to de-risk the project, or where they are looking for a long-term asset design life,” says Connell.

“For example, the Melbourne Water Regional Authorities replaced sections of critical water mains pipework in inner Melbourne suburbs that our forerunners manufactured in the late 1800s. This pipework was in highly congested areas of the city causing replacement to create major disruption to the community, so the local water authorities sought provision for their assets long term security and long service life – and therefore turned to Steel Mains SINTAKOTE Steel Pipeline System.

“The fact that the existing riveted steel pipework had been in service for more than 100 years is a true testament to the benefits of steel as a pipeline material. When combined with our latest technology and enhanced corrosion protection, SINTAKOTE steel pipe will serve the city of Melbourne well into the 2100s.”

Beginning to end service to maximise project value and minimise project risk Steel Mains strives to provide the water infrastructure industry with innovative solutions that assist in meeting future demands at minimum long-term costs.

With capability to produce steel pipe in various lengths and diameters, Steel Mains offers the most comprehensive solutions; from beginning to end such as pipeline design, contracts and logistics management, and pipeline training and construction support for water transmission projects used in high to low pressure applications. The company is continuously evolving its water transmission solutions by actively working with all major water authorities, contractors and their consulting engineers and other standard agencies or associations.

“We’re known for our technical expertise and support. We’re there to support our customers over the complete design and installation journey, ensuring that the asset is installed exactly as it should be in a safe manner.

Engineering support service is available to assist clients reduce pumping costs and optimise construction laying rates which is something clients find critical. Additionally, Steel Mains offers formal pipeline installation training and on-site support during the installation of Steel Mains SINTAKOTE Steel Pipeline System,” says Connell.

Over the course of many years, Steel Mains has designed, developed, and further enhanced its nationally recognised training program for SINTAKOTE steel pipe-laying construction.

This program provides training in the correct installation of SINTAKOTE mild steel pipe to competent pipe-laying construction personnel and is delivered in all states and territories of Australia and New Zealand.

Research has shown that by following proper installation procedures, Steel Mains SINTAKOTE Steel Pipeline Systems can readily achieve operational lifetimes more than 150 years. Most Australian water authorities now regard such training of pipe-layers as a mandatory competency requirement.

The intended result is to provide the water industry with the unsurpassed confidence in a long life and a maintenance free asset with Steel Mains’ SINTAKOTE Steel Pipelines.

“At Steel Mains, we don’t just manufacture Mild Steel pipe. We offer a complete system and service to ensure that your investment in our SINTAKOTE pipe provides you with the service life required and that expected for your infrastructure project,” says Connell.

Adding customer value and social value through sustainability At the end-of-life stage of Steel Mains’ steel pipe, the pipeline is 98 per cent recyclable and can be used for other purposes without losing its strength. This supports a circular economy where sustainable long-term growth can be achieved by extending the life of a product and thereby minimising impact and waste.

Additionally, as part of Steel Mains’ sustainability strategy moving forward, the company has reduced its manufacturing impact through the installation of solar panels at its Somerton Manufacturing facility in Victoria.

This initial modest installation will generate in excess of 130,000 kWh/year which is equivalent to a reduction of 140,600 KgCO2 emissions.

This is the beginning of the first such installation, and first step towards a future where Steel Mains will continue to develop and take positive action to address climate change and work towards adoption of the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals related to climate change and clean energy.

As a local Australian manufacturer using local Australian sourced raw materials, labour and services, Steel Mains continues to evolve their environmental sustainability policies and practices to meet the immediate challenges faced by climate change whilst satisfying customer needs.

For more information visit www.steelmains.com The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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WATER PIPELINES PIPA says pipes are long-life products made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable, and recyclable.

The key to long-lasting plastic pipes and fittings Plastic pipes and fittings have transformed the way we live, delivering essential services and utilities to our homes and communities.

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cross a range of industries, from civil and domestic infrastructure to agriculture, mining and gas, plastic pipes and fittings play a critical role. They’re effective, efficient, and safe.

The Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia (PIPA) was founded in 1999 and is the peak industry body representing manufacturers and suppliers of plastic pipes and fittings, plastic resin suppliers, fabricators, pipeline installers, rubber seal ring manufacturers along with training and certification bodies.

As a non-profit association, PIPA works to promote the appropriate and contemporary use of plastic pipes and fittings throughout Australia. This is achieved through its four key pillars: advocacy, education, technology and sustainability.

Executive General Manager Cindy Bray says that by collaborating with its members, industry professionals and global counterparts, the company leverages the latest insights and technology to develop robust guidelines for best practice manufacture, installation, and use of plastic pipeline systems.

“Underpinning our approach is a commitment to future-focused leadership. Through research, education, technical expertise, and advocacy, we help advance the use of plastic pipes and fittings as a smart, efficient, and sustainable solution,” she says.

Our sustainability story Not all plastics are the same and too often plastics pipe systems are mistakenly put in the same category as single use plastics. PIPA and its

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members are acutely aware of the very real problem society faces with plastic pollution resulting from its inappropriate disposal, the growing pressure to reduce its reliance on short-lived, single-use products and the drive to increase levels of postconsumer and pre-consumer plastic recycling. To help educate across a wide range of audiences PIPA has developed key messages to tell its sustainability story.

Plastic pipe systems deliver essential everyday services and utilities

that the properties and performance remain unchanged over the long term. Unlike many plastic packaging applications which have multiple layers of different materials, plastic pipes are made from a single material and therefore easier to recycle.

Safe for people and planet Plastic pipes provide the highest level of safety for carrying drinking water. They don’t contain phthalates or heavy metals and are manufactured to Australian Standards.

Have you considered the vital role plastic pipes play with human, social, economic, and environmental sustainability?

“They bring drinking water, gas and electricity to our homes and communities; protect the network of wires and cables that deliver internet and communication services; and are used in irrigation systems that are essential for growing food and carry away sewerage, rainwater and stormwater – protecting our communities,” Bray says.

Engineered products designed to last Pipes are long-life products, not single use, made from materials engineered to be robust, reliable, and recyclable. Plastic pipes can have a service life longer than 100 years, making engineered polymer materials the prefect choice for infrastructure applications. Plastic pipes are a durable product remaining functional without excessive maintenance or repair. Testing of pipes that have been in service for decades has shown

Plastic pipes are made from a single material and are easier to recycle.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

05_Di

WATER PIPELINES

Offering clear advantages in terms of chemical resistance over the other pipe options, plastic pipes are not affected by soil environments that are corrosive to metals and concrete. Plastic pipes do not end up as pollution in our oceans and waterways, they will not corrode like other pipe materials, and they do not contribute to microplastics in the environment. Compared to other pipe materials, plastic pipes have the lowest failure rate for pressure water applications.

The smart choice, using resources responsibility and sustainability Recycling rates remain low for plastic pipe entirely because of its longevity. Most plastic pipes currently in use are still in their first life cycle.

Plastic pipes are easily recyclable into new pipes when they reach end of life. The production plants are clean and efficient with processes designed to reuse the minimal scrap material to generate back into pipes or fittings.

Based on numerous Life Cycle Assessment

(LCA) studies, plastic pipes have a significantly better environmental profile than alternative pipe materials in all categories and across its whole lifecycle.

“Plastic pipes are now the preferred choice throughout the world to replace, upgrade and rehabilitate ageing pipeline infrastructure made from other materials. This is due to their performance, durability, service life, simplicity of installation, energy efficiency, recyclability, and cost effectiveness,” Bray says.

“Through the whole lifecycle – manufacturing, use and disposal – the plastic pipe industry has and will retain its long-standing commitment to improving sustainable practices and outcomes, in a way that benefits all Australians.” Australia’s vast landscapes require large-scale, special-purpose systems to move water, wastewater, gas and to protect underground networks of power and communication cables. Plastic pipeline systems are robust and long-lasting, providing reliability now and into the future.

PIPA represents manufacturers and suppliers of plastic pipes and fittings.

©KitBits

For more information about PIPA visit www.pipa.com.au Visit PIPA’s microsite to learn about the sustainability of plastic pipe systems www.pipa.com.au/sustainability

INTRODUCING

Market Leaders in Trenchless Technology.

Yes, we’re direct.

If you’d like to know more about the potential of trenchless solutions including Horizontal Directional Drilling or Laser-Guided Microtunnelling for your next project, get in touch with a professional or visit our new website.

directhitt.com.au T. +61 419 794 336 — Eamon Foley

05_Directhitt_Ad_210x297_AW_Final.indd 1

E. info@directhitt.com.au

2/2/22 10:44 am

WATER PIPELINES

A laydown yard was established in Townsville to support Stage 1 of the Haughton Pipeline Duplication Project.

Future-proofing Australia’s water infrastructure with GRP Pipeline Solutions For more than five decades, Iplex has been at the forefront of plastic pipe technology and is a trusted provider of innovative water pipeline solutions that solve customer challenges.

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hile Iplex’s roots are based on plastic pipes, the company has over many years introduced new and innovative pipe solutions, offering designers choice and flexibility for their unique project challenges.

In 1987, Iplex was first to introduce large bore Glass Reinforced Polymers (GRP) pipes for water and sewer applications. Now with over 34 years of GRP experience, Iplex is proud to have supplied thousands of projects spanning thousands of kilometres for both open trench and jacking applications across Australia.

Iplex is a proud distributor of Flowtite® GRP Pipe and Fittings, manufactured by RPC Pipe Systems in South Australia.

Product Manager for Engineered Products at Iplex Michael Lancuba says the benefits of GRP are widely recognised.

“GRP is a robust and durable material offering designers an alternative to conventional pipe materials. GRP allows for light weight pipes to be produced with high strength enabling high pressure classes for pressure applications and various stiffness classes for non-pressure applications. Compared to metal pipes, GRP is lighter so, you can get away with lighter lifting equipment saving time and money during installation,” says Lancuba.

“But perhaps the most appealing benefit is GRP’s resistance to chemical attack. It can be installed in naturally occurring ground conditions such as acid sulphate soils or saline ground conditions that are otherwise detrimental to unprotected metal and concrete. This gives asset owners peace of mind over these significant investments.”

Customised options, such as tailored pipe dimensions; pipe stiffness; pipe lengths; and joint types, further demonstrates the material’s versatility as a pipeline solution for installations in difficult environments and meeting tight construction programs.

While Iplex has proudly been the supplier of choice for projects of all sizes and scopes, it is the large or technically complex installations for which it is most proud.

One such example was supplying pressure (PN16) GRP Jacking pipe for the Nightcap Water Treatment Plant in NSW. (PN16) GRP Jacking pipes selected for the upgrade to the outlet system and increasing capacity of the treatment plant.

There were several design options considered for the project. DN1400 PN16 GRP Jacking Pipe was chosen for its high axial strength and quality pressure rubber ring joint.

This was an Australian first as traditionally GRP Jacking Pipe is used for gravity sewer applications only.

Another milestone project for Iplex was being selected as the GRP supplier for Stage 1 of the $215 million Haughton Pipeline Duplication Project in Townsville QLD. This important project included duplicating an existing 36.5 km pipeline to provide bulk water backup supply for the Burdekin Water Supply Scheme.

Iplex supplied 36 kilometres of DN1800 GRP pipes, with long radius bends, Scours and Air Valve Tees and specially engineered fittings to deliver 234 megalitres of water per day into the Ross Dam. The duplication enabled water to be pumped more efficiently than the existing DN1200 DICL pipe, securing a sustainable, long-term water supply for the City of Townsville.

To achieve the Council’s ambitious project milestones, light weight and durable GRP pipes and fittings was a logical product choice, supported by experienced Iplex technical specialists and a dedicated project delivery team.

DN1800 GRP pipe arrives in Townsville via ship.

For more information visit www.iplex.com.au

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

The syntheses of diagnostics and integrity allows for the comprehensive understanding of an asset’s safety, lifetime, and performance. By bringing together technology, methods, and consultancy, we become your partner for reliable decision-making. | Always a leading innovator, we supply customers with cutting-edge diagnostic and system integrity solutions. This, bound with our focus on flexibility, reliability, cost and quality, leads to offerings enabling you to tackle any integrity management challenges you may face.

Comprehensive Asset Management

www.rosen-group.com

LEAK DETECTION

Identifying Super Emitters leads to greater methane emissions reductions Picarro’s major contribution to the emissions reduction space has been the pioneering development of advanced leak detection technology and analytics that enable emissions data to be taken rapidly at scale. Large emitters, which frequently contribute disproportionately to emissions, can be easily identified so they are remediated first as part of an informed and cost-effective emissions reduction strategy.

Douglas Ward, director of gas sales and marketing.

Marketing, says geolocating Super Emitters can help operators efficiently address their fugitive methane emissions substantially.

“Our study concludes that in all cases, natural gas leakage data sets are very long-tailed, and most of the leaks in the infrastructure are small.

In aggregate, the small leaks don’t amount to very much of the overall fugitive emissions. What is impactful is a very small number of these Super Emitters,” he says.

“The largest 5 to 10 per cent of leaks are accountable for over 50 per cent of emissions.

If you can geolocate those Super Emitters efficiently, you have a powerful new tool to enhance safety of the infrastructure while dramatically reducing fugitive emissions.”

Picarro enables operators to identify, quantify and prioritise repair of Super Emitters.

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icarro is a global leader in advanced leak detection; emissions quantification and reduction; and pipe replacement optimisation. The company’s solutions enable customers to improve the safety of their infrastructure and increase capital efficiency.

The P-Cubed® hardware-enabled software is at the heart of the Picarro solution. It is combined with high-tech gas sensor technology that is installed into a car, and is driven throughout gas infrastructures. As it travels, it collects data on gas plumes that can be used for multiple applications. The P-Cubed analytics and algorithms quantify the flowrate based on profiles observed in gas leak plumes. With the detailed data and analysis P-Cubed provides, gas pipeline operators can appropriately prioritise which leaks to repair for greater methane emissions reductions.

The award-winning P-Cubed analytics platform enables operators to map system risk, improve leak survey efficiency, and pinpoint and mitigate fugitive methane emissions.

Doug Ward, Picarro’s Director of Gas Sales &

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Gas pipe leak caused by corrosion.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

Picarro has been identifying and quantifying Super Emitters for several years now for pipeline operators; one example can be seen with one of the company’s utility clients, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). PG&E owns about 43,000 miles (71,000 km) of mains and services 4.3 million gas customers. PG&E started using Picarro to survey its entire gas network system

LEAK DETECTION

Award-winning P-Cubed analytics platform enables operators to map system risk, improve leak survey efficiency, and pinpoint and mitigate fugitive methane emissions.

yearly in 2018 with one third of the system being done for regulatory leak survey compliance and the other two thirds of their network for emissions purposes, only to identify and address Super Emitters.

Identifying and addressing Super Emitters can have a positive impact on public safety and reducing overall network system risks. Picarro’s data shows that Super Emitters are more likely to be below-ground and high consequence compared to the overall leak population. More than twothirds of Super Emitter leaks are hazardous.

Quantifying and repairing them provides an instant system risk reduction. Picarro’s solution allows you to quickly and effectively identify their location.

Following increased global attention on greenhouse gas regulations and new government legislation, there has been a greater emphasis on operator accountability in terms of emissions.

Australian gas utilities are beginning to adopt Picarro’s revolutionary solution to enable them to identify and address Super Emitters across their network. In the country, two of the top five gas distribution utilities have used Picarro to such effect, and plans are underway for a third top utility to do the same in 2022.

In 2021, results for one of the utilities showed that about 5 per cent of these larger emitter leaks accounted for 38 per cent of the gas network’s total emissions. By identifying and addressing Super

Picarro enables operators to identify, quantify and prioritize repair of Super Emitters.

Emitters, utility companies can make a significant impact to reducing greenhouse gas and methane emissions and reduce system risks.

“I have observed this past year that Australian gas pipeline operators are beginning to quickly see the value of utilising our Super Emitter application to impactfully reduce their fugitive methane emissions while also enhancing public safety,” Ward says.

This kind of emissions quantification technology gives operators the ability to prioritise their repairs by the size and seriousness of the leak.

Emissions Quantification Analytics Dashboard.

For more information visit www.energy.picarro.com The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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P

WELDING

Looking back at 25 years of the TracStar As the world’s first self-propelled, self-contained, tracked fusion machine, the TracStar from McElroy is one of the top choices on jobsites fusing long pipelines.

TracStar in 2021.

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cElroy was built on a history of innovation, creating products that have become the industry standard, through innovative design and productivityenhancing features. From the outset, McElroy has striven for excellence in customer satisfaction. After a successful line of rolling fusion machines, McElroy introduced a new concept in pipe fusion 25 years ago.

Inspiration came from a desire to get fusion equipment in place easily and efficiently – whether that be in the middle of a field or a city street – and improve job site productivity. With a fusion machine on tracks, the machine can simply move to the work site. It would no longer be necessary to have to wait for additional equipment to move the machine or pipe into place. This concept spawned a new series of machines: the TracStar®.

McElroy introduced the Tracstar® 500 in 1997 and it revolutionised the pipe fusion industry. The TracStar 500 was the world’s first self-propelled, self-contained, tracked fusion machine. This series of machines has grown over the past 25 years, expanding its capability, to fuse pipe sizes from 2-inch to 48-inch in diameter.

In 2020, McElroy debuted a new TracStar machine. Identified as the iSeries, these new

machines - the TracStar 630i, TracStar 900i and TracStar1200i - offer integrated, softwarecontrolled options, from manual to fully automatic, to improve operator consistency, adherence to standards, and productivity.

Numerous improvements have advanced the

level of technology available while simultaneously hardening that technology to make the entire fusion experience even more reliable. The TracStar iSeries features new emissions-compliant engines, a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus control system, along with numerous hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical upgrades.

One of the most exciting improvements is in the FusionGuide Control System, which powers the iSeries machines. The software offers three different levels of operator interaction. In Level 1 manual control, the operator manually controls the carriage position and the times during the fusion process. At Level 2, the enhanced guided workflow manages machine pressures, carriage, heater actions, shift sequences and more. Level 3 offers a fully automatic process.

At each level, the software guides the user through every step of the fusion process using a ruggedised tablet to ensure standards compliance and a successful fusion.

Throughout the years, McElroy has listened to its customers and to industry to gather the necessary information to improve upon designs and meet contemporary market needs.

McElroy’s TracStar in 1997.

To explore the new iSeries machines, visit www.mcelroy.com

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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VACUUM LIFTERS

Aussie made, and proud Vacuworx Australia has expanded its local manufacturing capabilities, presenting its first Aussie-made VacLift.

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s one of the leading suppliers of material handling systems worldwide, Vacuworx has spent decades engineering and manufacturing heavy-duty lifting equipment for use in the oil and gas, water and sewer, highway, heavy construction, and utility industries.

While no stranger to investing in manufacturing capabilities (Vacuworx has invested heavily into its newly renovated global machine shop), Vacuworx Australia is excited to announce its first locally manufactured unit from the flagship RC range of lifters.

Since the company has been engineering and manufacturing the highest quality heavy-duty lifting equipment since 1999, Vacuworx has expanded its capabilities to deliver locally made machines for the local market.

The first lifter off the rank – the RC 10 – has been manufactured to be used as part of Broome's recently announced upgrade to water and wastewater infrastructure. The RC series vacuum lifting systems are designed to handle materials from 22,000 to 55,000 lb (10-25 tonnes) in conjunction with larger-capacity host carriers.

Australian general manager Luis Guevara is pleased the project has allowed Vacuworx to invest locally in the company's

The VacLift has a lift capacity of 10 tonnes.

manufacturing capabilities.

"We are excited to expand our locally produced range to include the very popular RC 10 into the Aussie-made family,” says Guevara.

Several upgrades have been incorporated into

The RC 10 is built in accordance with W/ASME certification.

the locally produced lifters, including a new wireless remote controller, new rotator design, and a new distinctive paint scheme. According to Guevara, this is just the start, with further upgrades planned for incorporation during the year as capacity expands.

"The RC range of lifters is powered by the Vacuworx low maintenance, air-cooled, diesel engine and is also available as hydraulic powered systems, if the client requires it. Both options are available with our locally produced lifters, and we also offer quick hitch attachments to suit a range of excavators."

When it comes to critical water infrastructure, Vacuworx lifting systems have proven its worth on several key projects, including the Haughton Pipeline Project in Far North Queensland, the St Helena pipeline project in Northern New South Wales, and most recently, the Perseverance water pipeline project near Toowoomba, Queensland.

Vacuum lifting allows faster load and unload cycles with less downtime than conventional methods since there are no slings and chains to hook and unhook, while the need for fewer ground personnel reduces the risk of accidents.

For more information visit www.vacuworx.com

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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VACUUM LIFTERS

Five reasons to choose Pipeline Plant Hire for your VacLift solutions There are plenty of grounds for choosing Pipeline Plant Hire (PPH) for VacLift solutions. PPH director Gerard O’Brien discusses with The Australian Pipeliner, five good reasons to turn to the experts for specialist equipment needs.

P

PH has the largest fleet and most extensive range of VacLifts in the country. Not only that, but the machines are Australian designed and manufactured, meaning the company can avoid supply issues that have impacted the import economy.

PPH has just received a global patent to export its machines to the Americas. The company is recognised for its world-class safety standards and diesel-free design, meaning greater reliability, less noise pollution, and more environmental benefits.

Largest fleet, most extensive range PPH currently has more than 50 VacLifts in its fleet – the largest fleet of VacLifts in the country, catering for a range of different pipe sizes and composition.

“The range is in what they call the pipe shoes.

You need a different shape to suit the diameter of the pipe you’re lifting,” director Gerard O’Brien says. “We have the most extensive range of pipe shoes by far in the country. Whether it's poly pipe or steel, we have the range to support it.”

PPH can supply a suitably configured machine for any project. “We now have a range of VacLift equipment that spans from our smallest unit used

VacLift loads truck with long lengths of HDPE.

to feed poly pipe into fusion welding machines, lifting a few hundred kilograms, through to our largest units capable of lifting large diameter high pressure pipe weighing upwards of 10 tonnes,” says Mr O’Brien.

“The thing that constrains you in VacLifts is the machine - not the capacity of the vacuum to lift the load. The design of the shoe in conjunction with the vacuum equipment may lift 30-odd tonnes.

But the excavators you’ll see on a pipeline job may only lift 10 tonnes, for example. It’s generally the host machine that’s the constraint – not the capacity of vacuum.”

Australian designed and manufactured

Operator interface, incorporating visuals, sound indicators and warnings, increase the level of safety on VacLifts.

36

Much of the equipment required to handle long lengths of HDPE didn’t exist not so long ago. PPH soon recognised the need for long vacuum spreader bars and short vacuum shoes, suitable for highly flexible loads. The rest of the world has been playing catch-up in this area. Pipe lifting on pipelines is not a trial and error process, and PPH has rungs on the board when it comes to safely handling complex loads.

Because of the local design and manufacture, PPH has been able to circumvent many of the supply chain issues that have afflicted importers in the industry throughout the pandemic. “Being Australian designed, built and owned, we have a point of difference,” says Mr O’Brien. “We’ve got more demand than we’ve had since the three largest The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

gas pipelines built down at Gladstone.”

PPH currently has machines in the field constructing the Fortescue slurry and water pipeline as well as a gas pipeline in Western Australia. “Because they are Australian designed and manufactured, we can also adapt and make specific enhancements for a challenge that a project may pose,” he says.

“Enhancements tend to come in the form of the ancillary products rather than the base machine, and PPH can offer custom solutions for any VacLift job.

“We once had a job where a client wanted to join two pipes with rubber rings where it was too difficult to push the two together. We came up with a solution to put a vacuum shoe on each side, and a hydraulic ram that pushed the pipes together.”

Mr O’Brien explains that this project was what they call a “do-and-charge” deal – a pricing model that accommodates time and materials at a set price per hour.

“The design was so successful that, on that particular project, it cut down the joining time so dramatically, that they’d done themselves out of money.”

This case study is a testament to PPH’s efficient and effective design solutions.

Worldwide patent Last year, the company received licence on a worldwide patent and is now exporting its

w

1

p

VACUUM LIFTERS

technology to the Americas. O’Brien says this is a result of PPH’s industry-leading technology, meeting all technical, safety and environmental criteria in Australia and abroad.

Machines are supplied with all specified safety equipment, risk assessments and certificationrespected nationally and beyond.

Safety PPH’s machines feature special considerations to guarantee the health and safety of the operator. In 2013, the company was nominated for the APIA Safety Awards for its intelligent operator interface and custom safety developments. Safety features include a booster vacuum reservoir, fully integrated operator controls, ground-only release system, and a patented multi-fit hitch for use on multiple machine makes.

PPH developed a unique swivel joint allowing 360-degree horizontal rotation to the lifting beam and shoes. A sophisticated operator interface also incorporates visual, sound indicators and warnings to increase the safety level of our VacLifts over existing designs.

“It senses when the load is grounded: it won’t

pick up unless it knows that it is sitting on firm surface. Similarly, it will not release the pipe if it is not fully lowered,” says Mr O’Brien.

These Australian designed and manufactured improvements the company has made to pipe handling, safety and productivity are precisely the reason PPH was nominated for the 2013 APIA Safety Award.

No diesel engine One of the innovations PPH made to VacLift design was removing the auxiliary diesel engine.

“Typically with vacuum-lift hire, you’ll have to hire an excavator that has the VacLift attached. But the PL1500 is an attachment that goes on the client’s machine,” says Mr O’Brien.

“One of the reasons we went this way is because auxiliary engines are one of the most unreliable components of conventional vacuum lift attachments. The host machine tends to be more reliable and more capable of managing the Australian conditions.”

By removing the diesel engine, PPH has eliminated the necessity for additional fuelling.

“We removed the noisy dedicated diesel motor,

PPH has the most extensive range of VacLift shoes in the country.

and replaced it with a hydraulic motor driven from the excavator, which in turn reduces noise, heat, and burn hazards, as well as improving reliability,” he says. And less noise means improved communication between ground crew.

The hydraulic system has a more positive impact on the environment by reducing exhaust fumes and noise pollution.

For more information visit www.pipelineplanthire.com.au

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HOT TAPPING & ISOLATION

Pro Pipe Services powers on through pandemic

Pro Pipe provided hot tap and line isolations for one of Australia’s largest aluminium smelters.

Pro Pipe Services is the leader in hot tapping, line isolation and pipeline services in the Asia Pacific region. Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, the company has seen continued growth during the past two years and has expanded its team to provide greater technician coverage and technical support to its existing and new customers.

P

ro Pipe Services’ line isolation works enable the company to perform repairs and routine maintenance, alterations, adjustments and emergency repairs on pipelines with minimal disruption to flow.

Pro Pipe Services also has the equipment necessary to hot tap a range of pipelines in different sizes and across various materials to repair and maintain live pressurised pipelines.

Case Study On a recent project, Pro Pipe Services provided 24 hot tap and line stop isolations on several 150 mm, 200 mm and 300 mm carbon steel air supply lines for one of Australia’s largest aluminium smelters.

Line stop isolations allowed the operator to install new line valves, isolating lines with ease when required. The smelter was able to replace 48 of the original inline valves that were installed when the smelter was built.

This project was very challenging, with most of the hot tap and line isolations performed around 20 m above ground in a pipe rack, with most of the work conducted out of an elevating work platform (EWP).

In addition, due to the smeltering process, the plant is heavily magnetised, creating challenges with the line isolation and completion plug process. However, with experienced technicians on the job, all challenges were overcome, and work was completed safely, on time and within budget. The 24-line isolations were completed in 14 days on site.

The customer was extremely satisfied with the

Pro Pipe can provide maintenance on WASK Bagtube equipment.

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

HOT TAPPING & ISOLATION

outcome provided by Pro Pipe Services.

Pro Pipe Services continues to deliver hot tapping, line isolation, commissioning and decommissioning and pipeline services to the gas distribution and transmission pipeline industry throughout Australia.

“With the amount of infrastructure projects that state governments have invested in, on most occasions, assets are affected and will be required to be moved to allow for road or rail alterations,” director Joe Buttigieg says.

These projects are keeping Pro Pipe Services extremely busy. “With the continued investment in additional technicians, new crane trucks and equipment, we now have the manpower and equipment to provide a solution and services in a more efficient manner to our customers and project stakeholders.

This is evident in the number of projects delivered under the Victorian Railway crossing removals program,” Buttigieg says.

Pro Pipe Services provides pipeline equipment maintenance and repairs on all brands of hot tap, line isolation, and pipeline equipment.

Pro Pipe Services has expanded its team to provide greater technician coverage and technical support to its existing and new customers.

For more information visit www.propipeservices.com

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PIGGING & ILI

Reducing conservatism in fatigue crack growth assessments through testing

By Dominic Wynne, Technical Solutions Specialist, ROSEN Group, US

The pressure in an oil and gas pipeline is never constant: variations in the pressure are caused by operation conditions or changing customer needs. Repeat loadings cause cyclic stresses in pipelines, and these can create cracks, or cause existing cracks to grow by fatigue.

P

ipelines can be subject to various types of repeat loading, for example from traffic loading, or vibration due to water flow.

Variation in internal pressure is the most common concern for operators, and has been linked to a number of failures. This cyclic loading leads to progressive, accumulated damage in the steel, known as fatigue, which if of sufficient magnitude can lead to the initiation and propagation of cracks that can cause failure. Typically, pipeline fatigue is more of a concern for liquid pipelines where much larger magnitude pressure swings, and hence stress variations, are observed compared to those carrying a compressible gas product.

There have been a number of high-profile pipeline failures caused by fatigue cracking; for example a 40-inch diameter crude oil pipeline in France in 2009[ ]. These types of failure are rare , but it is reasonable to expect that the fatigue problem will get more difficult to manage as pipelines age.

Assessment methods for quantifying fatigue damage in pipelines are well established in the industry (e.g., API 579 or BS 7910). Fatigue life is reduced by orders-of-magnitude in the presence of a stress concentration; e.g., a geometric deformation such as a dent, or an anomaly such as a weld flaw. Methodologies such as API 579 or BS 7910 can explicitly consider the presence of an anomaly or the magnitude of a localised stress concentration.

A simpler ‘S-N’ approach is used to determine the fatigue life of a pipeline, usually at the pipeline’s design stage, which is based on empirical curves which link stress range (S) to predicted number of cycles to failure (N). The SD-N approach is limited to predicting the fatigue life of an anomaly-free seam weld or pipe body. More often than not, during an assessment of remaining fatigue life for an existing pipeline, the presence of an anomaly has to be considered explicitly. This could be an actual anomaly detected by ILI, or one that

Figure 1: 40-inch crude oil pipeline, long seam fatigue crack.

could be theoretically present in the pipeline, in the form of one that survived the pre-service pressure test, one sized below the ILI detection thresholds, or one that would have passed the pipe mill quality control requirements.

When calculating the remaining life of a crack-like anomaly in the presence of cyclic loading, the fracture mechanics approaches in API 579 and BS 7910 are required. These methods have been successfully applied for determining remaining fatigue life, in multiple industries, including the pipeline industry; however, the methods are known to be conservative. This article outlines an approach for reducing the conservatism in these assessments, allowing operators to safely extend anomaly remediation dates and reassessment intervals, supporting economical operation by reducing unnecessary digs.

Fracture Mechanics Methods Fatigue crack growth rate can be described as the crack growth per stress cycle. The relationship between crack growth and applied stress is represented by a sigmoidal curve with three distinct regions, Figure 1, which is typical of crack growth in-air. The first region, at the left-hand side of the Figure, is where crack growth rates are expected to be extremely low, or there is no growth at all. The second region is characterized by a linear relationship between the crack’s stress intensity factor (stress intensity is related to the applied stress and the size of the crack) and the crack growth rate. The final region describes the rapid crack growth leading to failure.

The central linear portion of the curve can be described by the Paris-Erdogan equation, which is a simple single slope relationship, and the most common way to model crack growth within industry. It is given by: da =A.∆Km dN Where da/dN is the crack growth rate and ΔK the applied stress intensity factor range. A and m are empirical constants that relate to the

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

PIGGING & ILI

"For situations where line pipe material is available, a series of tests can be completed to obtain pipeline specific fatigue crack growth constants, which can be expected to be less conservative than the generic constants. A series of three test types provides a comprehensive methodology for obtaining validated FCGRs." Figure 2: Crack growth versus stress intensity factor.

particular material or environment which the crack is in. Within the pipeline industry, this equation is widely used to determine the rate of fatigue crack growth and for estimating when a crack would reach a critical size. Dissecting this equation gives a basic understanding of where the conservatism in the assessments come from.

First, consider ΔK, which describes the variation in stress intensity at the tip of the crack in question. The variation in stress intensity is calculated based on the cyclic stress, and this is generally determined by simplifying cyclic pressure data (retrieved from a pipeline’s SCADA system) into an equivalent number of stress cycles at a single pressure using Miner’s rule, a shape factor, and the crack depth. An option for reducing ΔK and fatigue crack growth rate is by reducing the pressure cycling regime, specifically a smaller range between the maximum and minimum pressure; for example, by controlling pumping station sequences, valve configurations, etc. Reducing pressure range can produce dramatic increases in fatigue life, as crack growth rate is related to the exponent ‘m’ in the Paris-Erdogan equation. The value of ‘m’ is typically 3: this means that a halving of the pressure range produces a reduction in crack growth rate of (0.5)3 or an increase in fatigue life of 8. Similarly, if pressure ranges are reduced by a factor of 3, the increase in fatigue life is 3x3x3=27.

If changing the operation of the pipeline is impossible then we must look at how ΔK is related to the crack growth rate. This is where the focus moves to the two constants within the equation, A and m, which define the magnitude of fatigue crack growth versus ΔK. These are obtained experimentally by curve fitting fatigue crack growth data. A number of these constants are given by standards such as BS 7910 for different materials and environments, such as

dry air or a marine environment. The impact of these empirically derived constants is therefore critical on determining the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR). Recent test work carried out by the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) derived new constants to define fatigue crack growth in pipelines. 72 fatigue crack growth tests were carried out on 12 pipeline materials (including one ERW weld material) (ref. [ ]). The test work observed that in general growth rates in air were 2 to 3 times lower than the growth rates derived when the generic cross industry constants recommended in BS 7910 are considered.

What work can be done to reduce FCGR conservatisms As discussed, reducing the level of pressure cycling is often not an option due to throughput requirements or operational constraints (e.g., line-packing, batch operation).

One of the remaining options is to use less conservative crack growth constants. For situations where line pipe material is available, a series of tests can be completed to obtain pipeline specific fatigue crack growth constants, which can be expected to be less conservative than the generic constants. A series of three test types provides a comprehensive methodology for obtaining validated FCGRs.

Test 1 - lab test Lab tests can be competed to determine pipeline specific constants. One popular technique is single edge notch bend (SENB) tests, where a sample of pipe is taken and flattened, a single notch added in the centre of the sample and clips added either side to provide the repeated loads. Crack growth is measured from the notch by direct current potential drop and correlated with the stress

intensity factor to determine constants A and m.

During previous work, ROSEN completed SENB tests for an Australian client to determine FCGRs in-air. A comparison was made to the PRCI results, see Figure 2. The PRCI results shown are only those for parent material; other results in the programme for ERW bond lines have not been shown. The PRCI work fitted a more conservative single slope Paris law, rather than a less conservative two slope law. However, it can be seen that the mean of the ROSEN results is very close to the mean of the PRCI parent data. The upper bound of the ROSEN results is slightly above the corresponding upper bound of the PRCI data. Overall, it is considered that the ROSEN results and the PRCI results are consistent and support the view that the BS 7910 recommended upper bound growth rate is conservative for pipeline applications. The measured FCGRs allowed the client to make more informed future integrity decisions.

It is considered prudent to validate the derived rates with further testing if pipelinespecific laboratory derived constants are used in real life applications.

Test 2 - ring testing For most small-scale laboratory tests such as SENB, the curved pipe segments are flattened, introducing tensile and compressive strains that change the behaviour of the material: these changes need to be understood before using laboratory-derived FCGRs for field applications.

‘Ring’ testing can be described as a 2-dimensional model of the (3-dimensional) pipeline structure, where a short ‘ring’ of steel is cut from the pipeline and placed inside a test tension rig. This ring can be pressure cycled to investigate the effects of fatigue loading.

Figure 3.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

41

PIGGING & ILI

Test 3 - full scale test

Figure 4: Measured FCGRs, PRCI results (BMT in Key), and BS 7910 FCGRs.

Introducing electro discharge machining (EDM) slits into the ring allows for the modelling of FCGRs as fatigue cracks can nucleate and grow from the edge of the slit. The rate at which these cracks grow can be measured using the direct current potential drop technique; the FCGR can then be compared to what would be predicted by the growth rate constants derived in Test 1. The testing also allows for the presence of other radial stress concentrations anomalies to be understood; e.g., pipe roof topping and ovalities.

The main benefit of ring testing is that it allows multiple model fatigue tests to be completed in a time effective manner and at a lower cost.

Allowing for the FCGRs to be validated considering difference EDM slit sizes, pressure ranges and number of cycles. Also, as the anomaly modelled is considered infinitely long, it adds a layer of conservatism to what would be expected in a real-life situation.

Validating the predictions from the FCGRs determined in the small scale SENB lab tests with ring expansion tests allow for the full pipe wall to be tested under realistic hoop stress conditions, and without deformation in the simple SENB specimens in Test 1.

42

Figure 5: A ring tension test machine.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

The final step to confirming that FCGRs are suitable for use in critical decision making is by completing a full-scale fatigue test. This requires a sample pipe spool that would be turned into a pressure vessel by welding on two ends. EDM slits would be machined to provide initiation sites for fatigue crack growth. The vessel is then filled with a test liquid and a suitable pump used to apply repeated pressure loads, simulating operational pressure swings. Again, the rate of fatigue crack growth is measured and compared to that found in the SENB and ring expansion tests.

ROSEN completed a full-scale fatigue test for a client who wanted to understand whether the operational regime was sufficient to cause fatigue crack growth. The set up for the test can be seen in Figure 3. For this setup, fatigue crack growth was measured using the alternating current potential drop measurement technique. For this client, it was demonstrated that the operational regime was not sufficient to promote fatigue crack growth.

The full-scale test is the final stage in validating FCGRs, and complements Tests 1 and 2. FCGRs can be confirmed in a full-scale setup, and more realistic safety margins used. This allows an operator a better understanding and prediction of when and how cracks could grow by fatigue to an unacceptable size. Another advantage of a fullscale test is it allows for real anomalies taken from the field to be investigated for potential growth

PIGGING & ILI

due to fatigue cracking under different pressure cycling regimes. Using real anomalies also leaves the option of burst testing at the end of any test to validate models used to predict failure pressure.

Summary FCGRs published in standards like API 579 and BS 7910 are necessarily conservative to cover the standards’ varied use. This conservatism has been quantified by the PRCI in the USA, and corroborated by the work completed by ROSEN in the UK. More realistic, and less conservative FCGRs can be obtained from laboratory tests.

Simple bend tests will reduce conservatism, and ring testing (2-dimensional model of a pipeline) and full-scale tests with further reduce conservatism, providing a pipeline operator with robust and validated FCGRs which can be confidently used for cost effective future integrity planning.

Figure 6: A full scale fatigue crack growth set up.

REFERENCES i D afea, et. al., “Investigation into the Failure of a 40” Diameter Crude Oil Pipeline”, IPC2021-90597, Proceedings of the 9th International Pipeline Conference, Calgary, September 2012. ii PRCI – “Improved Methods for Estimating Remaining Fatigue Life of ERW Pipelines”, Project BMT 20147, final Report, 27 October.

For more information visit www.rosen-group.com

Standing up under pressure since 1968 For over five decades, Pollard’s Sawdust Supplies has gained a reputation as a trusted national supplier of over 20 types of bagged and graded sawdust and wood shavings products which are used in a variety of industries including pipeline construction.

Our pipeline bedding/dunnage bags are extremely durable and reliable. Our range includes 3 sizes, containing all-natural chemical free packing sawdust. The bags are capable of withstanding up to 15t of pressure and won’t explode or balloon under the weight of the pipe.

Not only that, they’re far lighter than sandbags and are also biodegradable. NO BULLDUST - JUST SAWDUST!

Contact us for more information about our products, request a free sample for evaluation, or place an order.

www.sawdust.com.au 130 Yan Yean Road, Plenty, Victoria 3090

DELIVER AUSTRALIA WIDE

(03) 9435 6167

PIGGING & ILI

Successful start to 2022 Pipe Tek has completed the construction of the pipeline at Tingira Street, Pinkenba, Queensland, as part of the Ampol Cross River horizonal directional drilling project with Pipeline Drillers.

A

s a hard-working pipeline testing firm based in Brisbane, Queensland, Pipe Tek has grown its business from its original establishment in 1953 as Tank Calibrators to what it is today.

Managing Director Myles Brannelly tells The Australian Pipeliner that the recent project the company completed included welding, nondestructive testing, coating and pre-testing works.

“We hit the ground running with our direct approach to safety, with the HDD drilled by Pipeline Drillers and pulled though in January 2022,” he says. “Pipe Tek conducted the post hydrotest, cleaning and drying of the section.

“Before you place a new pipeline into commission, it’s essential to test it thoroughly for leaks or other issues with structural integrity. This process usually involves hydrostatic testing, wherein your pipeline is filled with water and pressurised.

“Getting water into the pipeline for

hydrostatic testing without allowing air to pass into the pipes is a key responsibility for all pipeline pigging companies. At Pipe Tek, we are proud to have an average air inclusion rate of 0.08 per cent.

For reference, the maximum air allowance is 5 per cent, while the standard recommended rate is 0.2 per cent. By keeping our numbers low, we provide practical pigging services without compromising on safety.”

As part of the contract, Pipe Tek was also responsible for cleaning and drying the section of the pipeline. Through the company’s pipeline pigging services, it uses a mix of foam pigs, refrigerant dryers and desiccant, to eliminate water from the pipeline to dew points of -40°C. This process prevents corrosion and keeps moisture out of the product flow.

“In addition to the drying process, Pipe Tek used pipeline

cleaning pigs to remove debris from the pipeline, maximising flow and efficiency. Depending on the project, we use a variety of brush, bi-directional, and foam pigs to clean pipes effectively and thoroughly,” Brannelly says.

Pipe Tek's motto reads, ‘When you need a professional result, we make it happen’.

The biggest challenge of the project was the area where the pipe was welded being in soft sand.

Brannelly says this made it difficult for machinery movements.

“The use of Pipe Teks off road Polaris buggy came in handy and helped the project be delivered ahead of schedule,” he says. “The pipe was also very dirty as it was stored without endcaps which made the cleaning component take longer.

“However, the way we adapted to changing conditions, our ability to complete our first construction project ahead of schedule and on budget with no near misses or recordable incidents

Machinery lifting the HDD section for the angle required for pull back under the Brisbane River.

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

PIGGING & ILI

"At Pipe Tek, we are proud to have an average air inclusion rate of 0.08 per cent. For reference, the maximum air allowance is 5 per cent, while the standard recommended rate is 0.2 per cent. By keeping our numbers low, we provide practical pigging services without compromising on safety." was one of our biggest achievements to date.”

As a result of the company’s efficient work, Brannelly says Pipe Tek has now been engaged to complete the tie-ins for this project and are looking to complete these works in the next four weeks.

“This year we want to continue to stay present in the pipeline industry and deliver quality projects to the pipeline industry,” he says.

Mill scale and debris being received in the cleaning header after running of brush pigs.

For more information visit www.pipetek.com.au

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

A cost-effective investment to safeguard assets Pollard’s Sawdust Supplies provides a simple and reliable solution for pipeline bedding. Light, yet heavyduty, Pollard’s Pack Tuff bags are an obvious choice for protecting assets, not only on site, but also during transportation and storage.

P

ollard’s Sawdust Supplies has been providing Australia with quality wood shavings since 1968. The company’s principal activity is recycling virgin timber byproducts, processing them into sawdust and wood shavings, and packaging them in polywoven or hessian bags.

Today, Pollard’s is a leading manufacturer and distributor in Australia for sustainably sourced wood shavings and sawdust. Pollard’s primary material is pine and Australian hardwood, and its eco-friendly product is both biodegradable and chemical free.

Pollard’s provides a reliable solution for pipeline bedding, and their Pack Tuff bags are supplied with timely service and competitive pricing.

“We’ve been told our bags are preferred, principally because they can withstand a lot of hammering,” says Pollard’s director Peter Brennan. “Companies choose our bags because, unlike other products, they can take a great deal of rough handling and tossing about on job sites.”

Pollard’s Pack Tuff sawdust bags are a semipermanent foundation for pipelines, and each bag will have multiple uses before it eventually disintegrates. The degradation process can be accelerated by wear and exposure to sunlight.

Once a bag is torn or compromised it is rendered useless; therefore, a tough, durable, heavy-duty product like Pack Tuff is essential for

2500 Pack Tuff bags on their way to Western Australia.

multiple use, particularly in a heavy industry like pipelines. But it is also important that the product can break down eventually so as not to generate excessive amounts of landfill.

Pack Tuff bags are ideal for medium-to-long term storage or transport applications, and for keeping pipes off-ground. Not only are Pollard’s sawdust bags strong, durable, and lightweight – they are also available in three convenient sizes.

The bags will not explode under the weight of

Pollard’s Pack Tuff bags are made from recycled virgin timber by-products.

the pipe, with the largest Pack Tuff bags able to withstand up to 15 t of weight. Compared to hessian sandbags, Pack Tuff bags are considerably lighter, making them better for maneuverability and lower risk from an occupational health and safety perspective.

Pollard’s Pack Tuff bags are shipped across the country and pallets arrive on site stretchwrapped and weatherproof.

They have been used on a multitude of projects involving companies such as McConnell Dowell, Steel Mains, MPC Kintetic, Spiecapag, John Holland, and Nacap. These projects include the Victorian Desalination Plant, Northern Gas Pipeline, the Lake Way Gas Pipeline, Agnew Gas Pipeline, the Victorian North-South pipeline, and the Wentworth to Broken Hill Pipeline where Pollard’s provided approximately 25,000 bags.

Pollard’s Sawdust Supplies is based in Plenty, Victoria, and supplies both hard and soft wood products within Australia and overseas. The company’s variety of graded sawdust products can be used for a range of applications besides pipe bedding, such as animal bedding, meat and cheese smoking, absorbing oil or chemical spills, horticultural applications, and as a composite component for a multitude of end products.

For more information visit www.sawdust.com.au

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

ST I C K T O P RO J E C T T I M E L I N E S.

W I T H D E L I V E RY A N D I N STA L L AT I O N ST R E A M L I N E D. Moddex not only introduced Australia to modular handrails and barrier systems, we introduced a streamlined way of delivering them nationwide, with spare parts always on hand. Our proprietary systems are installed quickly, with no welding, making them the safer, more efficient choice. We also design and manufacture bespoke solutions to problems.

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CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

Kwik-ZIP HDX-90’s installed on Steelmain's DN800 MSCL for a Melbourne Project.

Trusted by the best Used and recommended by pipeline and civil contractors around the world, kwik-ZIP centraliser and spacer systems are solving production casing centralisation challenges throughout the pipeline industry.

K

wik-ZIP maintains a focus on price effectiveness, simplicity, and rapid onsite assembly, to ensure that its systems deliver significant cost, time and operational advantages to customers.

The systems are now used extensively in production well completion, HDD drilling, rock bolt and anchor centralisation and trenchless pipeline installation. For industry pioneers like Pezzimenti Trenchless, kwik-ZIP has been part of its toolbox for more than 15 years.

“Kwik-ZIP spacers and centralisers are the most user friendly, practical and robust product on the market,” says director Joe Pezzimenti, who has been in the trenchless pipe installation game for over 30 years.

Pezzimenti recently used kwik-ZIP’s products on a 115 m bore under the Western Freeway in the western suburb of Ravenhall. The job required a bore diameter of 440 mm and the sewer carrier pipe had an OD of 324 mm.

Kwik-ZIP’s HD 50 product was used spaced every 1 m.

“The team at kwik-ZIP offers excellent customer service with instant communication especially in regard to delivery and lead times.

They’ve always kept up-to-date with stock inventory and have always been able to fill

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Kwik-ZIP HDXT-43 on a 4-pipe HDPE bundle for a project in the UK.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

our orders,” says Pezzimenti.

Like the team at Pezzimenti Trenchless, there are many pipeline operators, HDD experts and civil contractors using the kwik-ZIP range to maximise efficiency, deliver better results, and keep costs down.

Here are five reasons to use kwik-ZIP’s centraliser and spacer systems on your pipeline projects:

1. Corrosion protection Metallic spacers are subject to rust corrosion and in some cases can damage the pipe. kwik-ZIP’s spacers and centralisers have no metallic parts, meaning they are impervious to corrosion issues that affect other products. Engineered from Kwik-ZIP’s engineered thermoplastic blend , kwik-ZIP spacers and centralisers are more resilient than their metallic counterparts. These systems also use integrated rubber grip pads under collars to prevent slippage and there is no requirement to pre-wrap pipe..

2. Segmented design Kwik-ZIP’s spacers and centralisers have a

segmented design , meaning they can be fit to an extensive range of pipe diameters with the addition of multiple segments. Available in various product series (including HDXT, HDX, HD, GT, 380, and 155), each series is also available with varying bow/runner heights, making these highly flexible products.

3. Reduced insertion force The low co-efficient and abrasion resistance of the spacers and centralisers allow for greater run lengths, and require lower insertion forces during installation. This means contractors can reduce the size of the machine required during installation, thereby saving money, energy and space onsite. The curved profile is designed for easy and efficient pipe or casing insertion.

operator work out which model within each series to use based on design information.

4. Expertise

5. Cost savings

The kwik-ZIP team is always prepared to provide technical advice to help operators select the best model for their project. Selecting the most appropriate solution is largely based on the intended application. Once the right series has been selected, the kwik-ZIP team can help an

Kwik-ZIP spacers and centralisers can assist to minimise project costs. Designed for rapid onsite assembly, these products do not require any specialist skills or tools to install , thereby eliminating the need to utilise specialised contractors on site.

Kwik-ZIP HDXT-153 spacers on a 180mm PE Water Main for a Perth Rail project.

For more information visit www.kwikzip.com

02 4966 5583 www.maxibor.com.au admin@maxibor.com.au Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter

» Quality and collaborative HDD design and construct services » Expertise to advise at the right time in the project delivery cycle » Gas, water and sewer, rail, road, power, telecommunications, mining, residential development, renewables and hydrogen » Maxi-rigs capable of long and wide diameter bores in hard rock and difficult conditions » Building a future we all look forward to

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING HDD SPECIALIST Maxibor is using its design and construct expertise to deliver better project outcomes to asset owners and principal contractors alike

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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HDD

Powerful pumps – the heart of HDD maxi-rig spreads It’s common to think of horizontal directional drilling spreads in terms of rig size, but the true workhorse of the spread is in fact the mud pumps. A highly efficienct, positive displacement piston pump. Without the pumps the drilling fluid cannot be pumped into the bore to either jet drill or motor drill, the bore would not have any stability and the cuttings would not be removed from the bore.

I

f the pumps are down, the drilling stops

In the Australian horizontal directional drilling (HDD) sector there is a limited number of available maxi-rigs and powerful mud pumps.

Having ready access to additional maxi-rigs and powerful mud pumps is a key means to maintaining project productivity and mitigating the impact of unscheduled repairs. If the pumps are down, the drilling stops.

Mud pressure is lost as it moves through the surface piping and a lot more as it moves down the drill string. Most of the pressure is expended in a jet stream at the drill bit and also as it passes through the stages of a downhole motor if being used. At this point the mud pump needs to provide additional pressure to push the mud back along the annulus to the surface, while maintaining an operational long term duty cycle.

It is also important that the mud pump is sized appropriately to adequately cope with the volumes of drilling fluid required and to maintain adequate annular velocity in the borehole to ensure cuttings remain in suspension in the drilling fluid until the fluid exits the borehole.

The capacity of the mud pumps is commonly misunderstood and misrepresented. It is common for people to promote their mud pumps as having a 500 gpm (1,892l pm) capacity and a 500 psi pressure rating. While both numbers may be on the spec sheet, promoting the pumps as a 500 gpm pump at 5000 psi is almost certainly incorrect.

For example: A common HDD pump such as the EWECO 446 pumps which is a good all-round pump for smaller projects is often quoted as having an output of 565 gpm with pressure rating of 5000 psi. While both numbers are true, they are not true together.

The spec sheets show that the pump will do 565 gpm at 1200 psi at 440 rpm max with 6 inch diameter liners. Or if the liners are changed to 3 inch diameter the pump will output 5000 psi but even at a max of 440 rpm the flow output is only 141 gpm.

For longevity on a project, it is good drilling practice to limit the operation to 60 to 70 per cent of the capacity, particularly pressure capacity.

Assuming for small HDD projects where flow is more important than pressure, the minimum pump in the example above with the largest liners which should be considered is a 565 gpm x 65 per cent = 367 gpm pump. Applying the same logic to the pressure rating 1200 psi x 65 per cent = 780 psi.

While there are many contributing factors to pressure such as choke points, valves, drill pipe joint ID, pipe internal roughness, jet nozzle diameter and number to name a few, it would not be uncommon to see 500 psi of pressure on a 1000 m jetting hole running 3 x #16 jets at a flow rate of 360 gpm flow rate.

If a downhole motor forms part of the BHA where the formation is rock it would not be unreasonable to add 150 to 200 psi to the pressure to operate the motor effectively on bottom i.e. 200 psi + 500 psi =700 psi. For long term operation the pump is effectively at maximum capacity.

In general terms, additional pumps can be coupled together to increase flow rate but not increase pressure.

A longer bore or a higher flow motor would break a single pump in a short time. Double pumps don’t provide additional pressure!

To solve the problem the pump liner diameter must be reduced which in turn increase pressure output but decreases flow output. So to drill a longer bore (>1500 m) with large downhole motors (>8-inch) triple or quadruple pumps would be required to provided operational longevity.

Or get bigger pumps Maxibor has a fleet of four of the largest pumps in the HDD industry: two Gardner Denver PZ9 pumps with 1000HP engines and two Gardner Denver PZ8 pumps with 750 HP engines.

These are 100 per cent duty rated oil well servicing pumps, primarily due to the low speed design (130 rpm stroke rate compared to the 440 rpm in the previous example).

Maxibor’s Gardner Denver PZ8 pump.

They have proven project after project to operate at high flow and high pressure all day every day for months on end.

From an HDD perspective, dual PZ 8 / 9 pumps have delivered bores in Australia at lengths of 2500 m in the civil industry and at lengths of 4000 m in the gas drainage industry.

These pumps allow very long bores to be drilled to solve particular infrastructure installation challenges or they allow forward motor reaming, which is another technique to solve particular requirements where exit site sensitivities exist or it is not possible to drill a mud return line. It is these types of pumps that allow high performance cutting edge HDD bore designs to be achieved.

Pumps of this capacity are invaluable, if not a prerequisite, on long bore (+1,000 m) and large diameter hole (+800 mm) projects requiring larger maxi-rigs such as the Gallagher 660e, Gallagher 600, American Auger 660 and the Vermeer D330x500, which are key compnents of the Maxibor HDD fleet. They are most often required in Australia on river and harbour crossings and long and deep water and sewer projects.

Maxibor will be using its Gardner Denver mud pumps on two landmark projects requiring a total of seven bores each averaging over 2.2 km in length.

Availability of the pumps has been one of the key factors in the selection of Maxibor as the HDD provider on these projects.

For more information visit www.maxibor.com.au or contact David Turner on 0499 375 511

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The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

HDD

Choosing the right large-diameter HDD for your next project Selecting the right horizontal directional drill (HDD) is critical to help maximize performance on large-diameter bores over long distances. It must have the proper torque for the ground conditions and thrust/pullback power to handle the weight of the pipe being installed. It must deliver efficient results — from transport and setup to project completion — job after job.

P

roject considerations

According to Tod Michael, product manager for trenchless products at Vermeer Corporation, choosing the right drill for large-diameter bores starts with having a good understanding of the bore requirements, such as the bore plan, ground conditions, jobsite space and details about the product being installed.

“On many of these projects, a contractor can likely complete the job using several different drill models, but their goal should be doing it as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible,” says Michael.

“Details in the bore plan, like the shape of the bore and the product being installed, will help provide a lot of details about bend allowances on

the job. Drills with a smaller footprint provide more flexibility when space is limited.

However, using a larger-sized drill with a longer drill pipe on long bores can help reduce the number of connects that need to be made and broken, which can have a substantial impact on how long a project will take.”

Michael also says contractors should consider the size of the machine, ease of transport and setup speed of the pilot bore versus the overall productivity and costs to operate. It may make sense to choose a slightly smaller drill and take a little longer to complete a bore to help reduce overall project costs.

“Drills like the Vermeer D60x90 and the

The Vermeer D100x140 S3 drilling rig.

BORE DIAMETER TO 1000MM. THRUST UP TO 1.36M LBS. With loads of power, Vermeer HDD drills give you the bore diameters and lengths you need for the big jobs. And, with intuitive, common control systems across the range, operators can easily switch between models. Rugged and precise, they’re Australia’s #1 choice in trenchless.

Call your local RDO Vermeer HDD specialist today on 1300 VERMEER.

HDD

Vermeer D100x140 S3 are good intermediate options for smaller pipeline, water and electrical transmission line projects,” he says.

“These machines are equipped with autoloading rod racks that help minimise the time it takes to add and remove rods to the drill string.

Also, if crews can get by with using drillhead guidance systems instead of wire lines and steering tools, they can help reduce cycle times and limit the number of people needed to complete the bore.”

Stepping it up While large utility drills can be efficient on many intermediate projects, pilot bores at longer distances and in challenging ground conditions require larger-diameter drill pipe to deliver higher volumes of drilling fluid. Larger pipe requires greater torque to make and break connections, which means stepping up to a larger drill.

“A drill can push the drill stem only so far through the ground before the distance gets to be too much for delivering enough gallons per minute of fluid and rotational torque,” says

Michael. “At that point, it’s time to step up to a drill that can muscle larger-diameter drill pipe so more fluid can be pushed through the drill stem to the drill head.”

Michael says that drill pipe diameter and torque go hand in hand.

“While torque is important for spinning the drill stem and downhole tooling in the bore hole, having sufficient torque is just as important for making connections. Drill pipe is a significant investment for contractors, and when the connections aren’t properly torqued, threads can get wrecked, and that can put projects in jeopardy,” he says.

Thrust/pullback Looking at any drill spec chart, thrust and pullback are among the first numbers you likely look to for determining a drill’s capabilities.

Those two numbers are significant, but going bigger may not always be required.

“Torque, drill pipe diameter and flow have an impact on how efficiently a drill will perform on the pilot bore,” says Michael. “Also, on many pipeline jobs, contractors will employ other

machinery to help pull back the product being installed, so the drill doesn’t have to handle the weight of the product on its own. To help optimise the entry angle, crews will often hoist casings up with excavators and employ a pipe pushing machine to help get the product moving.”

Where pullback capacity does become important is when there are concerns about what’s happening in the hole.

“For a lot of crews, knowing that they have extra power available if everything doesn’t go exactly as planned is important,” says Michael.

“When the drill string slows or stops moving during pullback, a little extra pullback force may be just what they need to get a job back on track.”

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the best HDD option for largediameter projects. If you need help determining which drill you should use on your next project, or whether it’s time to add another model to your current fleet, contact your local Vermeer Australia team on 1300 VERMEER or at www.vermeeraustralia.com.au.

For more information visit www.vermeeraustralia.com.au

Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the United States and /or other countries. © 2022 RDO Equipment Pty Ltd (trading as Vermeer Australia). All Rights Reserved.

HDD

Experience the difference When working in specialised areas of pipeline construction such as horizontal directional drilling (HDD), experience is everything. HDD specialist Eamon Foley looks back at his career in the industry.

Directhitt Trenchless American Augers DD1100RS is Australia's largest HDD rig with a pullback capacity of 500 t.

A

ccomplished horizontal directional drilling (HDD) specialist Eamon Foley has recently joined Directhitt Trenchless as its General Manager; his experience is no short story.

For close to three decades, Foley has been an Australian leader and pioneer in HDD and trenchless projects for the design and construction of utilities infrastructure projects throughout the water, energy, mining and hydrocarbons sectors.

Foley started his career in the early 1990s working with HDD innovator Cherrington on projects throughout Australia and Asia. The first pipeline he worked on in Australia was the 1,375 km Moomba to Sydney Ethane Gas Pipeline.

This involved the completion of multiple HDD crossings along the pipeline including the most challenging under the Nepean and Cataract Gorges.

Working alongside the late Joe Ashton, Foley

says Ashton was a great mentor who introduced him to the Australian way of life. Following his time with Cherrington, he moved to Malaysia to work with Nacap Drilling on projects throughout South East Asia.

On his return to Australia, Foley teamed up with Steve Coe and was instrumental in helping Coe develop the business in Australia and internationally. He was part of major projects completed throughout Asia including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh.

Foley's new role at Directhitt as General Manager will see the company grow in the face of the ongoing infrastructure industry shift towards trenchless installations. He aims to provide clients an alternative experienced contractor service.

His years of experience in the industry have seen the completion of HDD intersects over

2100 m long, with the pioneering use of gyro steering tools as far back as the 1990s for critical target grade-control rock crossings.

“The industry has grown considerably since the 1990s with clients looking to go bigger, further, deeper and with increased accuracy often in high density urban environments. Environmental constraints have increased, and contractors need to step up to the challenges presented,” Foley says.

“With the advancement of technology in the trenchless industry from steering to downhole tooling, projects are being planned and executed with greater efficiency and success rates.”

Foley’s experience in all aspects of pipe installations from 8-inch up to 56-inch steel pipe diameters encompasses all that is trenchless.

The Directhitt business is one of Australia’s oldest and long-standing HDD drilling companies formed back in 1995 by Albert Hendrickx.

Over the years, Directhitt’s record of project delivery has been well-documented earning it the reputation as the contractor of choice. Foley says the company is often called upon when others have come undone due to difficult ground conditions or where equipment selection was underpowered.

“The general attitude in the company is to get the job done,” he says.

Directhitt senior management includes Karl Haywood as Drilling Operations Manager with over 25 years’ industry experience throughout Australia and South East Asia.

“The company is in good shape to take on HDD and trenchless boring projects throughout Australia with rigs from 50 to 500 ton capacity available. The equipment is stored and maintained at its yard and maintenance facility on the Gold Coast,” Foley says. “Directhitt covers an extensive range of equipment including laserguided microtunnelling units for varying ground conditions and has constructed some of the most complex trenchless projects in Australia. With expertise in civil engineering covering pipeline installation, Directhitt is able to provide a total project solution for its clients in a variety of markets.”

Directhitt has always had a reputation for taking on complex projects and delivering on every occasion.

For more information get in touch with Eamon on 0419 794 336 or visit the website at www.directhitt.com.au

54

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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We can engineer a solution to suit your project needs Not just a hire company, our extensive industry experience will match the best equipment to your project needs. We are continually adding new machines to our fleet broadening the type, range and quantity.

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COMPANY NEWS

Being a Great Place to Work, the Moddex sales & customer support team enjoy camaraderie with their fellow colleagues.

Moddex workplace ranked 'A Great Place to Work' Moddex is Australasia’s leading manufacturer of innovative barrier systems for large-scale infrastructure and nonresidential construction projects. Boasting a range of proprietary modular designs that are fit for purpose and simple to use, Moddex works with customers to solve the unique obstacles on construction projects.

M

oddex recognises that employees are key to the success of its organisation. The company wants its people to be happy, challenged and winning.

With over 67 employees across Australia and New Zealand, Moddex recently participated in the Great Place to Work® awards. The team were overjoyed when Moddex was announced number six 'Best Place to Work' in the country.

“This result marks the realisation of our goal to be among the Top 10 best places to work set back in January 2017. It truly is an honour to be on the journey with this amazing group of people," Moddex Managing Director Alvin Rowland says.

Great Place to Work is a global authority on workplace culture. Over 30 years, it has surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and discovered the formula to defining what makes a great workplace.

They say that people experience a thriving workplace when they consistently trust the

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Queensland based team members Sonia Wherritt & Layla Stiler celebrate the news Moddex ranks #6 Best Place to Work in Australia.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

COMPANY NEWS

people they work for, have pride in what they do and experience camaraderie with their colleagues. According to the survey, 98 per cent of employees at Moddex Group are experiencing this.

Chief Operating Officer Reuben Jensen has a vested interest in improving the company culture and inspiring others to achieve their goals.

“We understand that our team comes from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and embracing this diversity enables Moddex to better serve our customers and community,” he says.

It has no doubt been a difficult past two years for many businesses and through this period Moddex has stayed committed to caring for its employees and their families.

“Going through the certification makes it easy to survey your employees, uncover actionable insights and get recognised for your great company culture. For any other businesses looking inward to their employees, this is a great way to set a benchmark,” Rowland and Jensen agree.

Reuben Jensen, Chief Operating Officer and Josh Dickfos, Warehouse Coordinator take a look at the Great Place to Work® study.

For more information visit www.moddex.com

• • • •

Process Control Innovation Leading Technology Experience We apply induction technology to solve seemingly intractable problems.

Bending, shaping, extruding and heating.

www.inductabend.com Melbourne Australia Telephone: +61 3 9315 1244

I N D U C TA B E N D

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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COMPANY NEWS

Carrier pipe pushes are installed five to seven times faster than casing spacers with runners and require no greasing of the casing pipe.

Casing spacers with rollers save time and money during installation Advance Products & Systems (APS) presents ApogeeAero® Roller Casing Spacers. With a revolutionary anti-corkscrewing feature, this spacer is specifically designed to fit into a smaller annular space while upholding higher load strengths.

T

he ApogeeAero® Roller features an engineered, hardened bearing, axle and caster, while providing cathodic isolation and strength capabilities of glass filled nylon polymer. Incorporating this roller design with APS proprietary anti-corkscrewing technology eliminates any corkscrewing or spiraling of the casing spacer during installation without the use of a guide or other aid.

This makes it the most innovative casing spacer ever to be introduced to the market. Anticorkscrewing rollers are available in four sizes, ranging from small to extra-large, with dynamic loads up to 6000 lbs and static loads up to 12,500 lbs per roller.

APS manufactures anti-corkscrewing roller casing spacers in various sizes to accommodate

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pipe diameters from 4-inch to 120-inch or larger. These can satisfy specific customer requirements for practically every carrier pipe application, such as positioning multiple carriers or clusters with one casing, centering small carriers within large casings, positioning thermally insulated pipe without damaging the insulation, positioning gravity sewer to on-grade requirements, and much more.

ApogeeAero® Casing Spacers can be manufactured with fusion-coated steel or stainless steel with modular runner-risers or The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

Incorporating a roller design with anticorkscrewing technology eliminates spiraling of the casing spacer during installation.

rollers on the top. These low-profile, highstrength anti-corkscrewing rollers are cost competitive against traditional runners while still cathodically isolating the carrier pipes from the casing pipe.

Not only are they cost competitive, but they can carry heavy loads while reducing the coefficient of friction from 0.2 to 0.06 – 70 per

COMPANY NEWS

Casing spacers provide longterm corrosion protection.

cent less – thus increasing the average installation speeds by up to five times, from 3-5 ft per minute to upwards of 15 ft per minute.

Carrier pipe pushes are installed five to seven times faster than casing spacers with runners and require no greasing of the casing pipe. Unlike traditional casing spacers, the design of the anticorkscrewing ApogeeAero® Roller Casing Spacers

eliminates the need for a guide or greasing of the casing pipe inside diameter and decreases installation time, size of equipment, and overall cost of the project.

The ApogeeAero® Casing Spacer is available through Savcor Products Australia Pty Ltd in Australia and New Zealand.

Roller spacers are specifically designed to fit into a smaller annular space.

For more information please contact your local Savcor Products Australia representative on 1800 SAVCOR or visit www.savcorproducts.com.au

Products for the Pipeline Industry www.savcorproducts.com.au Call: 1800 SAVCOR

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T: 02 9807 4542 E: sydney@savcor.com.au

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T: 07 5549 2248 E: brisbane@savcor.com.au

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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T: 08 6240 3900 E: perth@savcor.com.au

59

PEOPLE IN INDUSTRY

Panorama of centralised jet pump facility in Dullingari, just near the SA and QLD border in the Cooper Basin.

A jolly good fellow Recently appointed Fellow of Engineers Australia James Czornohalan speaks to The Australian Pipeliner about his personal history in the pipeline industry, experience with the association, and how he climbed the leadership ranks.

E

ngineers Australia is the trusted voice of the engineering profession and the global home for engineering experts recognised for their contributions to shaping the built world. Becoming a Fellow is an elevation in the ranks to the highest level of Engineers Australia membership appointment. It carries with it a recognition of eminence within the profession.

Fellows are deemed experienced, knowledgeable and invaluable to the global engineering community, and their expertise makes a difference to the profession and its next generation of practitioners.

In 2021, James Czornohalan was recognised as a Fellow of Engineers Australia. Czornohalan has over 20 years of oil and gas pipeline experience across design, operation, integrity, safety and construction. He has designed several pipelines including upstream flow lines and trunk lines, midstream transmission pipelines and downstream pipelines, having also spent several years in pipeline operations and integrity with Epic Energy and Santos.

He is now a senior associate/consulting engineer at Advisian. As part of the Worley Group, Advisian is deeply committed to resolving the world’s energy, resource and infrastructure challenges. Closely affiliated with the APGA, Advisian is a proud member of the APGA Research and Standards Committee.

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James Czornohalan, Fellow, Engineers Australia.

“Engineering is the basis of the enviable safety record enjoyed by the Australian pipeline industry,” says Czornohalan, who first entered the industries as a vacationer for Engineering and Water Supply Department (now SA Water) in the early 1990s.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

“When I look back, I am amazed at the scope they gave me: checking drawings, witnessing pressure tests, project engineering and running site meetings. I really loved it.” As a graduate, Czornohalan worked at Epic Energy for six years. “I was very fortunate to work for some

PEOPLE IN INDUSTRY

legends of the pipeline industry, who gave me a lot of scope to get out to the field and learn,” he explains. “I haven’t been too far away from the pipeline industry since.”

Community has been an important backbone of Czornohalan’s nearly 30-year journey. “The pipeline industry is a great one, and what makes it particularly great is the people in it. If it weren’t for the work of APGA as a conduit, it would be impossible to form the relationships that this industry runs on.”

Czornohalan has made significant contributions to the wider pipeline industry as a member of various committees, an industry advisor and standards convenor. “My favourite part of this career has been the involvement in various research projects, and membership of standards committee ME 38.1, of which I am now the convenor.

“I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate to have worked for very supportive employers – Epic Energy, Fyfe and now Advisian – who have seen the value in this work and afforded me the time

James Czornohalan at the APGA Annual Convention Dinner, Adelaide 2014.

to volunteer. I grew up in the Scouts, so contribution to my community is one of my most important values, so it is an honour to receive some recognition for doing this.”

Czornohalan has played a significant role in building up a resource entitled Public Safety in the Pipeline Industry – An Engineering Practice Guide. This is a concise, easy-to-follow document that uses real-life examples and case studies to provide the best public safety outcomes for operators in the pipeline industry.

“Our safety record means that we are often out of sight, out of mind for most of the public at large, which is a good thing. However, that doesn’t mean that the decision makers in Canberra should forget the work that we do.

That is where having an association like the APGA as a voice for us is so important,” he says.

Czornohalan began working in the industry in the mid 90s, just as email and the world wide web were changing the work environment. “It’s remarkable, I don’t feel that old, but when you consider that most of us Gen X types managed to get a university degree without any access to the internet, maybe we are,” he says.

“A lot has changed, but a lot is still the same: it’s still great people doing impressive work building and operating pipelines to provide the energy that society runs on. In the future, the contents of our pipelines will change from fossil fuels to renewably sourced, but pipelines will remain as the best way to move large volumes of energy safely and efficiently.”

Coonaberry 1 Gas Flowline, North of Ballera in South West Queensland.

For more information visit www.engineersaustralia.org.au The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

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Australian Pipelines and Gas Association Membership CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR Alltype Engineering Comdain Infrastructure Enscope Pty Ltd Global Engineering & Construction Pty Ltd HH Civil Pty Ltd Maxibor Australia McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd Michels Corporation Mitchell Water Australia Pty Ltd Moody Civil & Pipe Pty Ltd MPC Kinetic Nacap Pty Ltd National Australian Pipelines P and G Welding Pty Ltd Pipecraft Pipeline Plant Hire Pty Ltd Quanta Services Australia Pty Ltd Spiecapag Australia The Newham Group Trushape Engineering Pty Ltd Valmec Limited CONSULTANT ACIL Allen Consulting CNC Project Management DNV GL Australia Pty Limited Energy Matrix Group Pty Ltd EnergyQuest Pty Ltd Jiva Consulting JLL Infrastructure Advisory Pty Ltd Kleinfelder Australia Pty Ltd Land Access & Management Services Pty Ltd Metcalfe Engineering Consultants MVC Services Pty Ltd OC Project Services Pty Ltd Pipeline Engineering Consultants Plant & Platform Consultants Ltd Powered Sage Consulting Solutions Pty Ltd Sustech Engineering Pty Ltd Twycross and Partners Pty Ltd Veris ENERGY DISTRIBUTOR ATCO Gas Australia ENGINEERING/PROJECT MANAGER A J Stack Solutions Pty Ltd Advisian AFS Projects Pty Ltd Atteris Pty Ltd Bamser Holdings Pty Ltd Core Group Limited Fyfe

GHD Pty Ltd GPA Engineering Pty Ltd ITP Interpipe Lidiar Group Long Energy and Resources Pty Ltd Momentum Engineering OSD Pty Ltd Pipeline Drillers Group SPIE Plexal Worley Services Pty Ltd GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS/ REGULATORS Department for Energy and Mining Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Energy Safe Victoria Resources Safety and Health Queensland Water Corporation INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION Pipeline Research Council International, Inc PIPELINE OWNER/OPERATOR AGL Energy Limited Ampol Australia Petroleum Pty Ltd APA Group Arrow Energy Pty Ltd AusNet Services Australian Energy Market Operator Australian Gas Infrastructure Group Beach Energy Limited Brookfield Infrastructure Group Epic Energy SA Pty Ltd Esperance Pipeline Company Esso Australia Pty Ltd First Gas Ltd Fortescue Future Industries Pty Ltd GB Energy Jemena Mobil New Zealand Oil Limited Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd Origin Energy Limited Papuan Oil Search Limited Power and Water Corporation Qenos Pty Ltd QGC Refining NZ Santos SEA Gas South Australian Water Corporation Tas Gas Holdings Pty Ltd Tasmanian Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd Viva Energy Australia Ltd WestSide Corporation Woodside Energy Ltd

SERVICE PROVIDER ALS Industrial Pty Ltd Avmin Pty Ltd AXS Pty Ltd Baker Hughes Brooks Hire Service Pty Ltd Brownline Australia Pty Ltd Bureau Veritas Asset Integrity and Reliability Services Pty Ltd Civil Geospatial Services Pty Ltd Cloudcon Pty Ltd Corrosion Control Engineering Pty Ltd Deaton Enterprises Pty Ltd trading as CST Hire Downer EDI Engineering Power Pty Ltd DSQ Pty Ltd EnerMech Pty Ltd ERIAS Group Pty Ltd IntelliGas ITI International LandPartners Pty Ltd Lochard Energy (Iona Operations) Pty Ltd Locusview Ltd LogiCamms Metropolis Services Pty Ltd Mipela GeoSolutions MST Global NDT Global Pty Ltd Oceaneering Australia Pty Limited ORIX Commercial Peter Norman Personnel Pty Ltd Pipe Tek Pty Ltd Piping Specialty Supply Service Pty Ltd Prime Creative Media Pro Pipe Services Pty Ltd Project Communications Australia QIC Protective Coatings (Aust) Pty Ltd Qube Energy Pty Ltd Red Rock Oilfield Service ROSEN Australia Pty Ltd Scape Consulting Pty Ltd STATS Group T D Williamson Australia Pty Ltd TFG Group Pty Ltd Turbo Systems Australia Pty Ltd Viega Pty Ltd Wasco Energy Group WRAP Resources Australia Zinfra SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT OR MATERIALS Aegis Pty Ltd Anode Engineering Pty Ltd Anti Corrosion Technology Pty Ltd

APGA New Membership Approvals

Supplier of Equipment or Materials

CORPORATE MEMBERS

Pipeline Owner/Operator

Engineering/Project Manager

Fortescue Future Industries Pty Ltd - Ripan Kapoor

ITP Interpipe - Arnaud Humbert

Service Provider

Manufacturer of Equipment or Material

ALS Industrial Pty Ltd - Charles Perrie

RazValve Pacific - Razmick Priantz

CRC-Evans Pipeline International - Roger Spee

62

AtlasGas Pty Ltd Austrack Equipment Sales and Rentals Australian Pipeline Valve Bao Australia Pty Ltd CRC-Evans Pipeline International Delnorth Pty Ltd Denso (Australia) Pty Ltd EagleBurgmann Australasia Pty Ltd EDMI Gas Pty Ltd Fast Fusion, LLC Gasco Pty Ltd GF Piping Systems Hard Metal Industries Heath Pipeline Services Pty Ltd Herrenknecht AG Inductabend Pty Ltd iPipe Services Iplex Pipelines Australia Pty Ltd Jindal Saw Limited Laurini Officine Meccaniche Srl LFF Australia Lincoln Electric Company (Australia) Pty Ltd Man Industries India Ltd McElroy Australia Ozzie's Pipeline Padder Inc PAC Pipeline Equipment Rentals Pipeline Machinery International LP PipeServ PSAH Pty Ltd RAEDLINGER PRIMUS LINE PTY LTD RazValve Pacific RDO Equipment Pty Ltd Richmond Savcor Products Australia Pty Ltd Shawcor Pty Ltd Shipman King SICK Pty Ltd Solar Turbines Australia System Control Engineering Tapex Industrial Techrite Controls Australia Pty Ltd The Hills Rockslinger TIB Chemicals AG TRACTO-TECHNIK Australia Pty Ltd Tremco Pipeline Equipment Pty Ltd Universal Corrosion Coatings Pty Ltd Vacuworx Australia Vinidex Pty Ltd Vlentec Australia Pty Ltd Welspun Corp Limited Western Process Controls Worldpoly Pty Ltd Worldwide Group

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

APGA MEMBERSHIP

Body.

APGA would particularly like to acknowledge the generous support of its Owner Members • •

APA Group Australian Gas Infrastructure Group

• •

Epic Energy SA Pty Ltd Jemena

• •

SEA Gas Tasmanian Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd

APGA would also like to acknowledge the strong support of its Lead Members • • • • • •

• • • • •

AGL Energy Limited Esso Australia Pty Ltd McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd MPC Kinetic Nacap Pty Ltd OSD Pty Ltd

QGC Quanta Services Australia Pty Ltd Solar Turbines Australia Spiecapag Worley Services Pty Ltd

Honorary Life Members • • • • • •

• • • • • •

Ken Barker David Curry Keith Fitzgerald* Leigh Fletcher D C Gore* Robert Gration

• • • •

Max Kimber Andy Lukas Tony Marletta Mick McCormack Stuart McDonald Jim McDonald*

Allan Newham Stephen Ohl Mark Twycross Phil Venton *deceased

Individual Members • • • • • • • •

Dean Barker John Blain Bevan Boocock Grant Bowley Ken Cameron Chris Carter Mark Cooper Geoff Cope

• • • • • • • •

John de Robillard Stephen Dykes John Fleming Kenneth Flowers JP Fortin Gretchen Gagel Chris Gatehouse Lynndon Harnell

• • • • • • • •

Mark Harris Chris Harvey Graeme Hogarth Justine Hyams Jeff Jones Ashley Kellett Steven Liddell John Lott

Vera Corso Edwin De Prinse Jason de Ross Yuyu Fang Daniel Faulkner Matt Felvus John Ferguson Mike Flynn Tom Forde Mark Fothergill Paul Frederick Tess Gardner Jarrod Gilby Calvin Gordon Peter Harcus Geoff Harrison

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Chris Hewson Ian Israelsohn Hugo Kuhn Trent Leach Benjy Lee Keith Lenghaus David Levy Stephen Livens Paul May John Messent Paul Miller Stephen Mudge Matthew O'Connell Brian O'Sullivan Neil Parry Bob Paton

• • • • • •

Cameron MacDiarmid Jason Mansfield Mick Murphy Trevor Nichols John Piper David Pollock Brett Reay

• • • •

Shaun Smith Jasper Tieland Andrew Wood Howard Wright

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Michael Peoples Jan Peric Janusz Podgorski Tawake Rakai Josh Row John Rutherford Craig Sheather Reynard Smith James Smith Robert Strong Colin Symonds Soheil Taherian Farrah Tan-Savva Warwick Tidswell Sean Ward Louise Watson

• • • • •

Rob Wheals Paul Williamson Ben Wilson Alex Wong Michael Xanthopoulos

•

Employee Members • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Michelle Andersen Awais Ashraf Eric Bardy Geoff Barton Tony Bird Tom Bohacik Liz Brierley Peter Bucki Mark Bumpstead Ivan Byak Annette Cahill Geoff Callar Francis Carroll Philip Colvin Jeff Cooke Craig de Laine

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

63

APGA MEMBERSHIP

FULL MEMBERSHIP

(1)

Category Applied for (please tick)

OWNER MEMBER(2)(3) LEAD MEMBER(4) CORPORATE MEMBER ORGANISATION NAME: ABN: POSTAL ADDRESS: SUBURB: STATE:

POSTCODE:

STREET ADDRESS: SUBURB: STATE: POSTCODE: PHONE: FAX: WEBSITE: APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE (5) NAME: POSITION: PHONE: FAX: MOBILE: EMAIL: ORGANISATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE (if different from above): NAME: TITLE: APGA POINT OF CONTACT – for distribution of APGA information within your organisation (if different from Appointed Representative) NAME: POSITION: POSTAL ADDRESS: SUBURB: STATE:

POSTCODE:

PHONE: FAX: MOBILE: EMAIL: ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT CONTACT: EMAIL: 1-5

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN ORGANISATION:

6-25

26-50

>51

ORGANISATION’S INTEREST IN THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY (Must tick ONE ONLY. If more than one applies, please tick the one most applicable to your business): Adviser/Consultant

Construction Contractor

Energy Distributor

Engineering/Project Manager

Pipeline Owner/Operator

Service Provider

Manufacturer/Distributor of Equipment or Materials

Government Department/Regulator

Other Industry Association (Please Specify) SECTOR Please indicate which of the following industry sectors you are primarily working in (please tick ONLY ONE box) Gas

Water

Oil

Slurry

We hereby apply for Full Membership of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association in the Category and Interest Group indicated above and agree to abide by the Association’s Constitution and any By-laws set from time to time. We attach our payment for the appropriate portion of the first year’s subscription.

SIGNED: DATE: NOTE

(1)

Upon payment of the relevant fees, an organisation may hold more than one category of full membership.

(2)

The appointed representative of an Owner Member should be the Chief Executive.

(3)

All Owner Members are entitled to nominate up to ten Employee Members without additional subscription.

(4)

All Lead members are entitled to nominate up to three Employee Members without additional subscription.

(5)

64

All correspondence will be sent to the appointed representative, who will hold the member’s voting rights. A member’s appointed representative may be changed at any time by advising the Association’s Secretary in writing.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

APGA MEMBERSHIP

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP/EMPLOYEE MEMBERSHIP INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP(1)

EMPLOYEE MEMBERSHIP

APPLICANT’S NAME: ORGANISATION: POSITION: POSTAL ADDRESS: SUBURB: STATE: POSTCODE: STREET ADDRESS: SUBURB: STATE: POSTCODE: PHONE: FAX: MOBILE: EMAIL: I NDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION: I hereby apply for Individual Membership of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association and agree to abide by the Company’s Constitution and any By-laws set from time to time. Payment for the appropriate portion of the first year’s subscription is attached. NOTE (1): Open to any individual consultant with an interest in the pipeline or gas industries. This membership category is designed to accommodate the one-man consultants working within the pipeline and gas industries and will not be open to consulting organisations consisting of more than one person. Employees of a company will not be accepted as an Individual Member of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association unless the company employing that person is a Full Member of APGA. E MPLOYEE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION: (Open to employees of full members of APGA) I hereby apply for Employee Membership of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association and agree to abide by the Association’s Constitution and any By-laws set from time to time. Payment for the appropriate portion of the first year’s subscription is attached.

SIGNED: DATE: SUBSCRIPTION RATES (2021/2022 Membership year 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022)

AUSTRALIA Membership year 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022

OWNER Applicable to owners only – fee upon application

LEAD $11,780 (incl. GST)

CORPORATE 1-5 Employees 6-25 Employees 26-50 Employees >51 Employees (incl. GST)

AUD AUD AUD AUD

INDIVIDUAL $630 (incl. GST)

$2,360 $3,160 $3,980 $5,100

EMPLOYEE $230 (incl. GST)

New members joining after 1 October 2021, please contact APGA to discuss the appropriate pro-rate subscription rate.

(All applications received after 15 May 2022 will be issued with an invoice for the 2021/2022 membership year).

ALL PRICES QUOTED FOR AUSTRALIAN MEMBERS INCLUDE 10% GST.

INTERNATIONAL Membership year 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022

OWNER Applicable to owners only – fee upon application

LEAD AUD $10,710

CORPORATE 1-5 Employees Employees 6-25 26-50 Employes Employees >51 (incl. GST)

AUD AUD AUD AUD

INDIVIDUAL AUD $580

$2,140 $2,880 $3,620 $4,640

EMPLOYEE AUD $220

New members joining after 1 October 2021, please contact APGA to discuss the appropriate pro-rate subscription rate.

(All applications received after 15 May 2022 will be issued with an invoice for the 2021/2022 membership year).

ALL PRICES ARE IN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS. A TAX INVOICE WILL BE ISSUED.

PAYMENT EFT Bank Westpac Banking Corporation, Swift/ABA/Routing# WPACAU2S. IBAN No. 032729162756.

BSB: 032-729. Account No: 16-2756.

I enclose my cheque made payable to The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association, or APGA. Please debit my credit card (please tick)

Amex

Visa

MasterCard

Credit card processing fee applies.

CARD NUMBER:

EXPIRY DATE:

TOTAL AMOUNT AUD$

CARDHOLDER’S NAME: SIGNATURE: Please return completed form with payment to: AUSTRALIAN PIPELINES AND GAS ASSOCIATION (ABN: 29 098 754 324) PO BOX 5416, KINGSTON ACT 2604 | PHONE: 02 6273 0577 | FAX: 02 6273 0588 EMAIL: apga@apga.org.au | WEBSITE: www.apga.org.au The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

65

APGA NEWS & EVENTS

2022 APGA Event Schedule DATE

FUNCTION

LOCATION

Wed 9 Feb

WA Golf/Dinner

Perth @ Hartfield Golf Course

Thu 17 Feb

Brisbane Board Meeting

Virtual Meeting

Thu 3 March

Melbourne Networking Evening

Melbourne @ Common Man

Thu 10 March

Brisbane Networking Evening

Brisbane @ Jade Buddha

Wed 16 March

Adelaide Networking Evening

Adelaide @ Adelaide Zoo

Thu 31 March

POG Seminar

Melbourne @ Double Tree Hilton

Thu 7 April

Emissions Workshop

TBA

Thu 28 April

Perth Board Meeting (PM)

Perth @ AGIG

Thu 28 April

Perth Networking Evening

Perth

Thu 28 April

Women in Pipelines and Gas event

Perth

Thu 12 May

LUC Forum

Brisbane

Thu 12 May

Pipeline Corridor Committee

Brisbane

Thu 12 May

HS&E Seminar

Brisbane

Thu 12 May

Committee Update

Brisbane

Thu 12 May

Contractors Workshop

Brisbane

Thu 12 May

Brisbane Dinner

Brisbane @ City Hall

Fri 13 May

Brisbane Golf Day

St Lucia Golf Course

Thu 16 June

Melbourne Board Meeting

Melbourne @ Jemena Office

Thu 16 June

Melbourne Dinner

Melbourne

Wed 22 June

Perth Lunch

Perth @ Parmelia Hilton

Thu 21 July

Darwin Dinner

Darwin @ Hilton

Wed 27 July

Sydney Networking Evening

Sydney @ Arthouse Hotel

Thu 28 July

Future Fuels CRC Seminar

Sydney @ Hilton

Thu 4 Aug

Brisbane Dinner

Brisbane

Thu 18 Aug

Adelaide Board Meeting

Adelaide @ SEA Gas Office

Thu 18 Aug

Adelaide Dinner

Adelaide @ Hilton

Thu 25 Aug

Sydney Dinner

Sydney

Thu 8 Sept

Perth Lunch

Perth @ Hilton Double Tree

Sat 24 – Tues 27 Sept

APGA Convention and Annual General Meeting

Brisbane @ Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Mon 17 – Wed 19 Oct

Gas Speak 2022

Canberra @ National Museum

Fri 25 Nov

Perth Christmas Lunch

Perth

Wed 30 Nov

Sydney Board Meeting

Sydney @ APA Group

Wed 30 Nov

Sydney Christmas Networking Evening

Sydney

Fri 2 Dec

Adelaide Christmas Lunch

Adelaide @ Adelaide Oval

Fri 9 Dec

Melbourne Christmas Lunch

Melbourne

Fri 16 Dec

Brisbane Christmas Lunch

Brisbane

66

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

A team made up of individual players at the WA Golf Day held at the Hartfield Golf Club in Perth.

APGA Western Australian Golf Day held at the Hartfield Golf Club in Perth.

Winners Team Shawcor, represented by Stuart McLennan (middle) and Spencer McSween (right) accept their trophies from Liam Li (left).

ADVERTISERS INDEX

Advertisers' index Corrosion Control Engineering Directhitt Inductabend Iplex Kwik-ZIP Maxibor McElroy MODDEX Group Picarro Plastics Industry Pipe Association of Australia Pipeline Plant Hire

11 27 57 17 35 49 39 47 13 51 55

Pipe Tek Pipeline Speciality Supply Services Pollards Peter Norman Personnel Pro Pipe Services ROSEN Group Savcor STATS Group Steel Mains Vacuworx Vermeer Australia

9 33 43 37 3 29 59 5 IFC 45 52-53, OBC

Here's what's coming up in the next edition:

FEATURES

Future fuels and emissions reduction Pipeliner padders Cathodic protection Rehabilitation and repair Trenchless construction Line pipe Flow, level and pressure sensors

REGIONAL FOCUS

NSW

DISTRIBUTION

APPEA Conference and Exhibition 2022 APGA functions

DEADLINE

6 April, 2022

Features and deadlines are subject to change.

The Australian Pipeliner | March 2022

67

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