Federal Minister for Resources Josh Frydenberg has officially opened APA Group’s new Integrated Operations Centre, which brings together pipeline gas flow control, engineering and operations in one location.
The Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) is located in Brisbane and aims to increase APA’s responsiveness to market and customer energy requirements.
APA Managing Director Mick McCormack said that the IOC demonstrated APA’s continued investment and innovation in order to meet customer needs and support the growth of the Australian gas market.
“Investment and innovation are key to the continued development of the gas industry,” Mr McCormack said.
“APA has invested over $12 billion in infrastructure, systems and technology across Australia, and in building pipeline and system capacity in advance of market supply and demand for natural gas.
“This includes the East Coast Grid and our systems capabilities such as the IOC, which together play a crucial role in supporting strong growth and access to gas supply.”
Mr McCormack said this investment and innovation has revolutionised gas supply in Australia, particularly on the east coast.
“Our customers benefit from the interconnected pipeline network we have created, and are now are able to move their gas from and to anywhere on the east coast and across a geographically vast, population sparse continent.”
The IOC is a small but critical part of APA’s development of the East Coast Grid. APA has invested over $40million in innovative systems and state-of-the-art technology at the centre to support ongoing innovation and enhanced services for customers and the market.
The IOC allows customers to manage their energy portfolios across all of APA’s assets with greater flexibility and through a single point of contact.
“For example, APA is able to transport gas seamlessly across three Western Australian pipelines, from Dampier in the north, through to the heart of Kalgoorlie, and 300 kilometres further east through the recently completed Eastern Goldfields Pipeline,” Mr McCormack said.
“We are also able to move the gas from Victoria, northbound across APA’s East Coast Grid to deliver to LNG facilities in Gladstone, as well as to numerous locations in between.”
The IOC was established in Brisbane given its proximity to the largest gas market on the east coast.
The centre employs 40 highly skilled staff including system controllers, commercial operations and support staff and provides a 24/7 service.
“The IOC has enhanced the way we manage our interconnected assets, especially in the ‘real-time’ ability to draw in the engineering and commercial expertise, and relevant market information such as electricity and gas prices and weather events.
“This enables us to optimise the operation of assets and achieve the best outcomes for our customers.
“We are proud of our part in enabling greater access to cleaner energy, delivered safely and reliably. We believe that natural gas provides an energy solution that will enable the world to transition to a more carbon-efficient environment,” Mick McCormack said.
