APA Group has recently announced the 293-kilometre Eastern Goldfields Pipeline (EGP) has been completed ahead of schedule.
The pipeline connects to AngloGold Ashanti Australia’s Sunrise Dam (220 kilometres northeast of Kalgoorlie, NT) and Tropicana Gold Mines (330 kilometres east-northeast of Kalgoorlie-Boulder).
The pipeline is part of a long-term agreement signed with AngloGold Ashanti in 2014, in which APA has committed to transporting gas to their two mines from 1 January 2016.
APA’s Group Executive Transmission, Rob Wheals, said, “This project has been a tremendous engineering and construction success story and we are delighted to deliver on our commitments to AngloGold Ashanti in a timely and safe manner.
“The EGP extends APA’s interconnected Goldfields Gas System to almost 1,800 kilometres. It is a further significant piece of energy infrastructure that will provide ongoing economic, environmental and safety benefits for the region over the long term.”
Mr Wheals acknowledged the contributions by AngloGold Ashanti and all the stakeholders who played a significant role in the project.
This includes the Department of Mines and Petroleum, power station owners Energy Developments Limited and Kalgoorlie Power Systems, local mining companies, the Shires of Laverton and Menzies, and the local community who provided services during construction.
AngloGold Ashanti Senior Vice President Australia, Michael Erickson, said the successful completion of the pipeline ahead of schedule was a credit, not only to the highly skilled construction team, but also to the collaborative way in which the planning and preparation work was undertaken by both APA and AngloGold Ashanti, which each provided expertise to the project.
APA Program Director, Barrie Sturgeon, said, “The remote construction locations provided some unique logistical challenges, including the transportation of approximately 16,500 lengths of line pipe from the Fremantle Port to the Eastern Goldfields region.
“We had a common goal of getting pipe in the ground safely and on time, and the project team exceeded all production and safety targets.”
Mr Sturgeon said pipeline construction was completed ahead of schedule, with an average of 6.5 kilometres per day production rate achieved during the construction period, while the above ground facilities and stations were successfully and safely completed on time by the facilities contractor.
“Most pleasing was the fact that not a single lost-time injury was recorded during the execution of the project,” Mr Sturgeon said.
