Previous Events
WA YPF Networking Event
WA’s YPF met at the Rubix Bar Café in Perth on Wednesday, May 27th, for a presentation from David King, General Manager WA of APA Group. David spoke to the group about how the pipeline industry continues to be strong during these hard economic times and even noted that in some areas the financial downfall has had a positive impact on the industry. He also outlines some of APA’s projects, both present and future. It was fantastic to hear from a well respected member of the pipeline industry and for him to reassure the YPFers that we are working in an industry that is sustainable even in these challenging times.
After the presentation the group socialised and enjoyed food and drinks provided by Enerflex.
The YPFers are very thankful for the support offered by APA Group and Enerflex and are looking forward to future events.
On 3 July the WA YPF Group is holding a Supa Golf Networking event. Our thanks go to Warren King and Co. and KT Pty Ltd for Sponsoring this event. To RSVP for this event please contact Liam at LHatchell@wng.com.au
March 2009
On 5th March 2009, the APIA YPF WA Committee and a group of Young Pipeliners conducted a site visit to the Loop 10 Construction site of the DBNGP, where work is currently being undertaken as part of the Stage 5B Expansion. Loop 10 is located South of Perth, beginning at Kwinana and heading South for approximately 125km. Under Stage 5B approximately 33km of this section of pipeline is being looped. Once here, and under the guise of McConnell Dowell’s Engineering team, the group of YPFers was lucky enough to see a number of activities undertaken during pipeline construction. The first stop of the trip was the Murray River, where the YPFers witnessed the initial phase of HDD (Horizontal Directional Drilling) and learnt about the logistics behind installing a 480m stringing of 26inch diameter pipeline beneath a river. The Site Project Engineer from McConnell Dowell gave a detailed explanation of the HDD project and shared both his current and past HDD experiences and knowledge. Ryan Perez, McConnell Dowell’s primary site supervisor, generously donated his time to show a variety of Loop 10 sites to the YPFers. To provide a complete view of the Murray River HDD, Ryan then took the YPFers to the other side of the river and showed the marker where the drilling pipe would eventually appear. Informing us that after drilling almost half a kilometre underground and under a river, the drill would be expected to surface within one meter of that exact point. Following this, the YPFers also got to see the final stages of a HDD, this time on a much smaller scale, where pipe had just been laid underneath a busy sealed road. The next location was 45mins away, and many YPFers took this opportunity to have a short nap, and eat the packed lunch generously provided by WestNet Energy. Upon arrival, and leaving the air conditioned bus into the 32°C hot and dusty day, we were located further down the line where the McConnell Dowell group were stringing the steel pipe. Ryan explained to us the process of stringing and the considerations that need to be taken, while in the background the pipe trucks were hauling in pipe and the vacuum lifters placed the pipe in location. The final location of the day was the McConnell Dowell storage facility, where Ryan highlighted various equipment used in pipeline construction. This included a detailed description of equipment such as bending machines and sidebooms (used for lowering-in pipe), and a description of how they work and when they are used. After a long successful day of driving to various site locations, the final destination was the Lucky Shag Hotel on the Perth foreshore, where a number of the YPFers recollected the day’s events over a cool beverage.
A special thank you to all those companies who donated their time and contributed to making this field trip a success:
- WestNet Energy – in particular Aart ter Kuile who coordinated the site visit,
- McDowell – in particular Ryan Perez who provided extensive industry information during the site visit
- DBP
- Enerflex – for providing the PPE.
With their numbers growing the West Australian YPF are now looking forward to further networking events planned for 2009. Click here to view pictures.
December 2008
To celebrate Christmas and the end of a busy year, 20 of Western Australia’s young pipeliners donned their whites and took to the bowling greens. After a short introduction from the club’s regulars the group spent the next two hours working up an appetite by showing off their surprising skills in the sport. Followed by a BBQ, the group enjoyed catching up and meeting the new additions to the crew. Click here to view pictures.
October 2008
In October 2008, WA YPFers caught up with some of Northern Territory’s crew, a group of the YPF spent a night networking at the Lucky Shag. ourOur thanks go to Warren King & Co for providing drinks and nibbles. The group enjoyed learning about the projects in the NT and new business contacts were made.