Gorgon Gas Project Expansion Approved

A proposal to expand the Gorgon gas project on Barrow Island in Western Australia has been approved by WA's environmental watchdog. The Environmental Protection Authority said yesterday it was satisfied that increasing Chevron's footprint on the island from 300ha to 332ha was ecologically acceptable provided it met certain conditions. The authority has recommended Chevron offset the impact to the area by extending a program to transfer and reintroduce threatened species for a further two years.

UGL wins Gorgon maintenance contract

Engineering group UGL has been awarded a five-year contract to maintain energy giant Chevron's Western Australia gas assets.

UGL will undertake mechanical and electrical work on Chevron's liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

UGL expects work to begin on the Gorgon gas project in the first half of calendar 201 and says the multi-million contract could be extended beyond the five-year term.

"We are very proud to have been selected by Chevron to provide maintenance services across the company's portfolio of critical oil and gas assets in Western Australia," UGL chief executive Richard Leupen said in a statement.

$US15 billion cost blowout at Gorgon gas project

The strong Australian dollar and extra logistics have caused a massive blowout in the cost of the Gorgon gas project.

Crackdown on foreign workers at Gorgon gas project

The Federal Government has moved to close a loophole allowing cheaper foreign workers on Chevron's $43 billion Gorgon project, cheering the union movement but sparking fresh concerns about rising costs on Australia's major resource projects.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said yesterday it would seek to change the Migration Act's application to offshore resource industry workers in light of its defeat in the so-called Allseas case.
Swiss-based offshore pipe-laying contractor Allseas became an IR lightning rod last year when it successfully used Tampa-era migration laws designed to stop boat people to see off a Federal Court challenge by the Gillard Government.

Federal Court Justice Neil McKerracher said at the time he was satisfied the ships operated by Allseas were not "resources installations" as defined in the Migration Act, in a case that spun on whether pipes laid by Allseas touched the seabed, and thus whether crew should be employed under Australian awards.

Allseas has since won further work on Chevron's $29 billion Wheatstone venture, prompting unions to demand changes to laws. The Government decided against appealing against the case and Mr Bowen said he was trying to strike a balance.

Union says illegal workers on Gorgon gas project

The Maritime Union claims a number of illegal immigrants are working on the Gorgon gas project.
The union claims that a sub-contractor of Chevron is employing crane operators and deck hands on tourist visas and paying them below award wages.

"It's just a cheap grab for labour, cheap labour that it is on these multi-multi-billion dollar projects, it's a joke" said MUA Deputy National Secretary Mick Dolman.

PM praises Gorgon carbon project

The prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, visited the Gorgon gas project site last Saturday to praise the environmental credentials of the operation. The Gorgon gas project features the world's biggest carbon capture and storage program. At its annual meeting last week, the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum recognised the Gorgon gas project for its leadership in carbon capture and storage.

Leighton wins Gorgon contract

A subsidiary of Leighton has won a massive contract to deliver civil and underground works on the Gorgon gas project. The $800m contract is in addition to the company's current Gorgon work which include a jetty and marine structures.

Mermaid Marine secures Gorgon contract

Mermaid Marine has secured a shipping contract for the Gorgon gas project. The 3-year contract is worth more than $80 million and includes the provision of a towing tug, barge and landing craft. The barge will be uses to transport fuel from the mainland to the Gorgon site.

Chevron board may visit Gorgon site

The board of Chevron is to visit Perth at the end of this month to mark the first anniversary of its decision to approve the Gorgon gas project in Western Australia. Considering the board is making the trip from Houston to Perth, it would be strange for them not to go that little bit further and visit the Gorgon site during their stay in Western Austalia. Chevron's board includes a former Daimler Chrysler co-chairman and the current chairman of Wells Fargo.

Gorgon accommodation ship damaged

The ship used to accommodate workers at the Gorgon gas project site has been damaged. As previously reported by gorgongasproject.com, the cruise liner MS Finnmarken was brought to Barrow Island to house construction workers on the Gorgon site. It is believed the ship pulled away from its mooring at the Gorgon site and continued to sail to Dampier despite damage to its hull. The Western Australian government is now investigating the incident as it may have put the lives of some of the 270 workers on board at risk.

Monadelphous wins Gorgon contract

Monadelphous has won an $85 million contract for the installation of onshore pipelines, cables and tubes at the Gorgon gas project. Managing director of Monadelphous, Rob Velletri, said "This contract supports our objective of sustainable long term growth through expansion of our services with quality customers such as Chevron".

AGR Drilling Get Gorgon Contract

AGR Drilling Services will provide excavation services to the Gorgon gas project as part of a $7 million contract wtih Van Oord Australia. The excavation project is expected to save the Gorgon owners a substantial amount of money by allowing for a 90km pipeline to be laid in a more direct route to shore.

Fairstar wins Gorgon contracts

Two transportation contracts for the Gorgon gas project have been awarded to Fairstar Heavy Transport. Under the terms of the agreements, Fairstar will provide its two semi-submersible heavy transport vessels for the transportation of modules and related project materials from various construction sites to to Gorgon gas project site on Barrow Island.

Environmental Problems with Gorgon

The Greens have accused the WA State Goverment of negligence in protecting the environment on Barrow Island, home of the Gorgon Gas Project. They say that the government is failing to monitor the environment properly and point out the fact that environment officers meant to protect the island have not been employed yet. The government replied by saying that the selection process for six fly-in, fly-out conservation positions on Barrow Island was "now drawing to a conclusion".

Nearly 3,000 jobs created at Gorgon

The Gorgon gas project has generated almost 3,000 jobs so far according to Chevron. The company currently emplyos 1,800 people in Australia but is due to hire a further 700 people this year. Gorgon and other gas projects in Australia are the centrepiece of Chevron's growth strategy.

Gorgon workers to live on luxury liner

Chevron has announced plans to house Gorgon construction workers on a luxury liner. The workers will live there until a permanent settlement is built on Barrow Island. The liner is called the Finnmarken and is from Norway. The vessel can accommodate 350 workers.

Gillard tours Gorgon gas project site

Deputy Prime Minister Julie Gillard toured the construction site of the Gorgon gas project this week as part of a tour of LNG projects in Western Australia.
The Deputy PM encouraged people down on their luck in the eastern states to look at projects such as Gorgon for job opportunities. The Gorgon construction site is not much to see at the moment, but by 2014 Barrow Island will be home to the most sophisticated LNG project in the world.

Aker Solutions wins Gorgon contract

Norwegian company Aker Solutions has won a $100 million contract to supply subsea umbilicals to the Gorgon gas project.
Around 264km of steel tube umbilicals will be supplied to Gorgon in order to connect the subsea production system to a liquified natural gas plant.
The umbilicals will be manufactured in Moss, Norway.

Deputy Prime Minister to visit Gorgon project site

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to visit the site of the Gorgon gas project today.
Gillard was in Perth yesterday to announce a training fund.

Gorgon to push resources salaries higher in WA

Resources salaries are expected to start rising soon as projects such as Gorgon ramp up. Salaries have been flat recently, but the increase in business activity should increase salaries within the next few months. This year has brought renewed confidence to the resources sector in Western Australia.