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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Addressing the CSG–LNG economic challenge with surface engineering solutions

Nigel Hough
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GPA Engineering

The APPEA Journal 56(1) 259-264 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ15020
Published: 2016

Abstract

Since 2014, Australia’s LNG producers have seen a significant reduction in LNG price. To support ongoing profitability, the Australian CSG–LNG industry must reduce the cost of the additional surface infrastructure required to sustain gas production to their LNG processing plants. This paper explores how engineers can assist the Australian CSG–LNG industry to reduce the cost of that sustain phase surface infrastructure.

Through use of a case study, this paper concludes that the ability of the engineer to significantly reduce costs through detailed design optimisation and project execution are limited. To significantly lower costs, the engineer must be mandated to review and challenge the established upstream infrastructure design as part of a revisited concept select stage.

The revisited concept select stage should consider a philosophy that initially provides infrastructure with only the minimum functionality and capacity to ensure safe transfer of production fluids into the gathering networks. For any particular well, modular additions could be made to that infrastructure, if economically justified, based on the known performance of that well.

Through use of a minimal cost base design that is flexible and expandable, the engineer can allow for the unique performance of any particular well or field section without subjecting the project to the high cost of providing unnecessary infrastructure on each well.

To support the recommended approach, small and knowledgeable engineering teams who are willing to challenge the status quo and incorporate lessons from present operations will be required.

Nigel Hough has been a Project Manager and Principal Process Engineer with GPA Engineering since 2011. He has 18 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, working with GPA Engineering, Woodside Energy Ltd, and Shell Global Solutions. During this time he has worked in a wide range of roles, including design, operations and commissioning.

He spent three years as a consultant with Shell Global Solutions in the Netherlands. A total of six years at the Karratha Gas Plant gave Nigel a broad foundation of operational experience. This included leading Woodside’s technical team during commissioning of the Phase V LNG expansion project.

During 2010–11, Nigel dedicated himself to the study of a Master of Business Administration at the University of Adelaide. The skills gained from the MBA, together with a Diploma of Project Management completed in 2013, support Nigel’s position as Project Manager on a portfolio of GPA’s projects. Nigel also has a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours; 1997) from the University of Adelaide.

Most recently, Nigel has filled the role of Project Manager for the conceptual design of Origin Energy’s Ironbark CSG project.

In recent years, Nigel has also worked extensively in the safety and risk discipline, including leadership of major accident incident investigations and facilitation of HAZOP studies.

Nigel has been a Chartered Professional Engineer since 2010 (MIEAust, CPEng), and is a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland.

nigel.hough@gpaeng.com.au