Laing O’Rourke Scores Wheatstone LNG Contract, Australia

Laing O’Rourke will help deliver another of Australia’s largest resources projects, after securing a major structural engineering and civil works contract with Bechtel on the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project in Western Australia.

Laing O’Rourke – one of the world’s largest privately-owned construction and engineering companies – will provide over half a billion dollars in civil and structural engineering and construction under the Contract, directly employing up to 700 people.

The Wheatstone Project will consist of two LNG trains with a combined capacity of 8.9 million tonnes per annum and a domestic gas plant. It is located 12 kilometres west of Onslow in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

Laing O’Rourke CEO David Stewart said: “Laing O’Rourke is engaged on almost every one of Australia’s major oil and gas projects – and can provide self-delivered, construction and engineering services at each link of the gas export chain.”

“That expertise and seamless delivery capability will again be shown,” he said.

“Our Mission Zero safety campaign is the lifeblood of our operations in Australia and around the world, and nothing is more important than sending our workforce home safely, every day- values we know we share with our clients and Bechtel which are deeply embedded in our WA workforce.

“Added to that is Laing O’Rourke’s undisputed Western Australian heritage, and in particular our connection to the Pilbara- where we have decades of experience in rail, mining and marine projects as well as a skilled workforce and heavy plant ready to mobilise.”

Mr Stewart said work was already underway in Perth before the teams mobilised to site later this year. The Wheatstone Project contract awarded to Laing O’Rourke includes:

Inside Battery Limits- ISBL

For the two identical 450x250m LNG process trains:

• Cranes, structures and foundations to support large equipment modules and compression machinery
• 127,000 cubic metres of concrete and paving
• 194,000 cubic metres of earthworks

Outside Battery Limits – OSBL

For the utilities plant, consisting of power generation and distribution, water treatment, air and nitrogen systems, gas inlet facilities with environmental protections, tanks, flare and domestic gas plant, Laing O’Rourke will deliver:

• Foundations and structures over 375 hectares to support the tanks, large equipment and modules
• 93,000 cubic metres of concrete and paving
• 600,000 cubic metres of earthworks

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LNG World News Staff, February 15, 2013; Image: Chevron