Northern Gas Pipeline project – a case study in safe, professional gas pipeline construction
Leon Richards A and Tony Green A BA McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd, Level 3, 109 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, Vic. 3122, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: tony.green@mcdgroup.com
The APPEA Journal 59(2) 705-708 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ18134
Accepted: 7 March 2019 Published: 17 June 2019
Abstract
Construction of the Northern Gas Pipeline (NGP) is a case study in safe, professional gas pipeline construction. Beginning with comprehensive and collaborative pre-planning to de-risk the project before construction; through to the holistic safety and wellbeing culture created and nurtured on site, every facet of the project has been subjected to strategic safety thinking, strong safety leadership and uncompromising safety management. And the results speak for themselves:
• more than 400 000 man hours and more than 280 days of physical construction activity with a total recordable frequency rate of zero (0) – no medical treatment or lost time injuries;
• more than 5 million kilometres driven on the project (excluding third party transport) with no significant vehicle incidents; and
• more than 53 000 pipe joint movements with no dropped pipe.
Through comprehensive upfront planning, strategic industry partnering and a relentless focus on safety leadership and management, this high-speed cross-country pipeline project has been successfully constructed through some of the harshest physical locations in Australia and achieved outstanding results in safety, productivity and quality. The construction of the NGP has set new benchmarks in pipeline safety performance and this paper is in recognition of our team, our customer, and the many project partners and suppliers that have helped make this possible.
Keywords: construction safety, gas pipeline construction, NGP.
Leon Richards has more than two decades of project delivery experience with McConnell Dowell and is currently the Group Technical Director – Pipelines. He has been a member of the McConnell Dowell Pipelines team since 1996 during which time he has led and delivered projects throughout Australia and South East Asia in areas such as cross country, marine, swamp, jungles with steep terrain, trenchless and street works styles of pipeline construction in both the Water and Gas Industries. Leon is a graduate of The Queensland University of Technology (Associate Diploma and Bachelor of Civil Engineering) and has completed further post graduate courses with a Master of Engineering Science in Construction Management at the University of New South Wales and a Master of Construction Law at the University of Melbourne. Leon is a Chartered Professional Engineer and Member of Engineers Australia; in addition to being a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland. Leon is also a member of the Society of Construction Law Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Co. Directors. He is also an active industry participant as a current member on the Board of Directors of both the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) and The International Pipe Line and Offshore Contractors Association (IPLOCA). Leon is part of the IPLOCA HSE and CSR Committee Leadership and Chairman of the APGA Contractors Committee in addition to participating on the APGA HSE Committee and APGA Pipeline Engineer Competency System Committee as part of the Design and Construction Competencies Working Group. |
Tony Green has many years of practical experience in the safe management and delivery of pipeline and energy infrastructure projects. Tony came to pipeline safety from water and civil construction around 2005 and since then has led the Health and Safety teams on many pipeline projects, as well as in corporate roles, for Nacap, Lean Field Developments, and now McConnell Dowell. Projects delivered have included such areas as water infrastructure, major cross country transmission lines, infield and development lines, and street works construction. During that time, Tony has seen the pipeline industry evolve and mature, becoming increasingly self-aware of its shortcomings and making significant efforts to address them. Specialising in high speed cross country steel pipeline construction which brings its own special sets of challenges, Tony is currently ably supported by the McConnell Dowell HSE team. Tony is an active advocate for change in the pipeline industry and a regular contributor to the APGA HSE Committee. |
