Gas Transmission Pipeline (GTP) training - UEG

In late 2013, TAFE Queensland SkillsTech (SkillsTech) was awarded the Saipem Australia Pty Ltd contract to deliver enterprise training on the 412 kilometre Gas Transmission Pipeline (GTP) that runs from Fairview in the Western Downs to Curtis Island just off Gladstone.

 

Saipem Australia Pty Ltd was the successful bidder to construct the DN 1050 42 inch gas transmission pipeline and ancillary equipment for gas giant SANTOS GLNG. The SANTOS GLNG ECP (engineering, procurement and construction) contract included a comprehensive training component and this was subsequently awarded to SkillsTech because of their experience in the sector.  SkillsTech’s role was to deliver the enterprise training on the specific gas pipeline and equipment, project manage other vendors such as industrial process control heavy weight Emerson, all within a very tight timeframe of three months.

 

 

The SkillsTech approach

The challenge for SkillsTech instructors was converting a comprehensive and complex vendor and equipment specification manuals into sequenced, clustered and logical educationally sound training programs for the SANTOS GLNG operational and maintenance (O&M) staff to follow.

 

The training was delivered over 2 x 5 week training sessions in Gladstone followed up with visits to various camps in the field starting at Fairview. The program started with a comprehensive review of the SANTOS Environmental, Health and Safety and Risk Management systems, safety procedures and EHS policies.  The program addressed: general description of the pipeline systems and ancillary equipment, pipelines routes and profile crossing the Calliope range to the Mount Larcom tie-in near the marine crossing at the ‘Narrows”.  Instructors explained specific pre-commissioning, operating and safe guarding philosophy, operating scenarios for normal and abnormal operations and all necessary cautions regarding the ‘steady-state’ operations and maintenance of the pipeline.

 The field visits comprehensively covered operation and maintenance of the pipeline assets including, Biffi MLV’s (main line valves), ESDV (emergency shutdown valves) stations, HPU (hydraulic pressure unit), CCTV, Solar panel operation, cathodic protection, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) and Delta V DCS (distributed control system) telemetry of the pipeline back to the POC (Pipeline Operation Centre) on Curtis Island.

Malcolm Garrick, SkillsTech Business Manager and lead instructor on this project commented that “the project certainly was challenging, however the support of the Saipem engineering staff and SANTOS GLNG project staff in Gladstone was invaluable. We are really pleased with the outcome for Saipem and their client, SANTOS GLNG operations and maintenance staff.  We worked through all the P&ID drawings and used that as a starting point for all the identification, isolations and “what-if” scenarios “

Outcome for Saipem and Santos GLNG 
Whilst the enterprise training focus was specifically of the Saipem pipeline and equipment there was relatively straight forward mapping exercise to deliver a UEG11 Gas industry training package outcome.  Some units such as ‘pigging’ will not occur until later in the commissioning and subsequent handover, the participants are working through some theory gaps and keeping a log book to validate their additional field work.  All successful participants will gain a UEG30114 Certificate III in Gas Supply Industry Operations with some staff looking at the UEG40114 Certificate IV in Gas Supply Industry Operations.

Saipem Handover
Saipem is on track to handover the pipeline and associated infrastructure sometime in mid-2015 with SANTOS GLNG ready to take possession and run the GTP at steady state.  Mary Campbell TAFE Queensland SkillsTech’s General Manager said, “There is no other TAFE in Australia with this type of Gas Transmission Pipeline training experience. We are all very proud of the excellent work undertaken and have enjoyed working with our Saipem and SANTOS GLNG partners.

Saipem
 

Saipem is a leader in oil and gas projects with substantial deep-water experience in the provision of engineering, procurement, project management and construction services. Saipem’s unique capabilities are in the design and the execution of large-scale offshore and onshore projects, and technological competencies such as gas monetisation and heavy oil exploitation. 




To know more about the UEG30114 Certificate III in Gas Supply Industry Operations,
please call/email:

Garry Hargreaves
Corporate Solutions Manager, TAFE Queensland SkillsTech
Ph: +617 3244 0771| Fax: +617 3272 4131
Garry.Hargreaves@tafe.qld.edu.au | tafeskillstech.edu.au

Malcolm Garrick
Business Manager - Delivery Teams, Business Manager, Educational Delivery
TAFE Queensland SkillsTech
Ph: +617 3259 3052 | Fax: +617 3259 3078 Malcolm.Garrick@tafe.qld.edu.au | tafeskillstech.edu.au
776 Kingsfordsmith Drive, Eagle Farm 4009 | Locked Mail Bag 2020, Archerfield QLD 4108