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Olive Downs Offtake
About the project
The project was part of the larger Pembroke Resources’ $1b Olive Downs metallurgical coal project in the Bowen Basin. Pensar was contracted to construct the necessary infrastructure required to supply raw water to the new coal mine.
Location
Moranbah, Qld
Client & Duration
Sunwater
May 2019 - August 2019
Project Scope
- Construction of new offtake and billing flowmeter manifold with control valve
- Partial duplication of the Eungella Southern Extension Pipeline in Ø630 and Ø560 HDPE
- Electrical and controls design including new solar array, switchboard, radio communications and grounding rings
- Integration of control system with existing assets, and commissioning of switchboard, control valve, and flowmeter
- Construction of a new secure fenced compound
Challenges
- Works were completed on a remote job site, a long distance from neighbouring towns
- Detailed analysis of the existing control systems and hardware were required to ensure the new system and the existing ageing assets were compatible
- The design of grounding rings with overhead HV proved challenging, with the risk of step-touch potential
- Water supply could not be disconnected for longer than 4 days at any one time, this making the connection of the new off take to the existing aging and deformed thin-wall HDPE pipe challenging
- The project was to be delivered within a tight timeframe
Achievements
- The impact of working on a remote site was kept to a minimum through detailed pre-planning,ensuring crews weren't held up on site, using fatigue and lone worker controls and engaging local contractors
- Step-touch potential was reduced to safe levels with the installation of 32 x 5m long copper earth rods
- Connections were completed within the 4-day critical timeframe, using pre-fabricated fittings and re-rounding tools to ensure the pipe could be corrected without delays
- The connection to the existing water main was completed in 1 day, 2 days ahead of schedule
- Site access was via a private property, the project team improved the road to show their appreciation to the cooperative landowner
