Sedgman – Bengalla Mine SMP and Civil Works Upgrade

We were pleased to be engaged by Sedgman to support their upgrade works for Bengalla Mining Company. The goal of the expansion was to increase mining operations from 7.8Mtpa to 10.7Mtpa, by introducing a second stage wash cycle and an additional belt press filter extension.

Our scope included the structural, mechanical, piping and civil works associated with the upgrade to the coal handling and preparation plant, and new raw coal conveyor system. We also managed the contractor for the civil works within our scope. Our work included:

Installation of conveyors (1,000t of structural steel)
Installation of mechanical equipment (chutes, cyclones, screen, sumps, pumps, conveyor mechanical)
Fabrication and installation of associated pipework
Detailed excavation and civil works required for the CHPP extension

Sedgman – Construction of Reflux Classifier and Supporting Structural Works

Our long term client, Sedgman, engaged Walz Group to support their major upgrade of the coal preparation plant at the BMA owned Saraji open cut mine near Dysart in the Bowen Basin. Our scope incorporated onsite installation of all structural, mechanical and piping works associated with the reflux classifier, an advanced fine particle gravity-based separator. Works included constructing the building to house the device and installation of all mechanical and piping components. We also modified the existing walkway, and installed the new pipe bridge walkway, connecting them both to the existing plant. We also performed all tie-ins to the existing services.

QER – Demonstration Oil Extraction Facility

As part of exploring the potential for commercial development of their shale oil deposits, QER sought to build a small scale Technology Demonstration Plant (TDP) at its Stuart site, north of Gladstone. The design was based on another pilot plant located at Rifle, Colorado in the United States, which uses Paraho II above ground retorting technology.

The overall intent was to replicate and modify aspects of the Rifle, Colorado plant design. Once of the main differences was to include additional process units to form a complete end-to-end plant. This was primarily to ensure that the TDP would meet Australian standards in design and safety.

Our scope comprised onsite construction of all structural, mechanical, piping and electrical work, including:

Structural Steel – supply and installation (structural steel, conveyors)
Mechanical Equipment – installation (pumps, chutes, bins, vessels, conveyor mechanical)
Piping – fabrication and installation
Electrical – supply and installation

Bechtel – SMP Installation Works on Train 2, QCLNG Curtis Island

We were proud to support our client, Bechtel, to deliver one of six LNG trains on Curtis Island as part of the largest concentration of private capital investment in Australian history. This historical program of work resulted in three plants that yield roughly 8% of the world’s total LNG production.

Walz was engaged to provide specialist teams to perform pipe installation, pipe welding, structural steel installation, structural steel removal, structural steel welding, and associated activities on the Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) Project. The completed works included 250t of structural steel and 6km of class 1 piping. Our scope also included line blowing and commissioning activities.

Off the back of our successful delivery of the SMP works for Train 2, Bechtel awarded Walz Group the ongoing maintenance and warranty works for all three plants on Curtis Island.

Larpro – Mt Carlton Gold Processing Plant

The Mount Carlton Gold Mine is located 150km south of Townsville and 54km southwest of Bowen. It is one of the highest-grade open pit gold mines in the world. Larpro was engaged by the mine owner, Conquest Mining, to undertake the construction and pre-commissioning of an 800,000tpa greenfield silver/gold mine and associated infrastructure. Walz was subsequently appointed by Larpro to support them on the project.

Our scope was to provide specialist structural, mechanical and piping installation, as well as piping fabrication and blasting and painting services. We also participated in pre-commissioning activities to ensure the plant achieved the required throughput before it was fully commissioned. These were critical elements for success as Conquest Mining was on a tight deadline to deliver first gold. Our work was instrumental in the achievement of all timelines and plant performance KPIs.

At project completion, we had installed 550t of structural steel, 670t of mechanical equipment, 6.3km of pipework — which we also fabricated — and a vast array of platework, including bins, chutes, hoppers and tanks.

WICET – MP2 Marine Works

With stage 1 of the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET) completed, commissioned and fully operational in 2015, the construction barge wharf at the site was rendered redundant. After considering removal of the wharf, WICET decided it would be more beneficial to decommission and preserve the facility. This would keep the option of using it again for any further expansion works in the future. Walz Group was engaged by WICET to decommission and preserve the construction barge wharf at the facility. The project scope also included removing hazards to the general public that may access the area.

This project showcases our marine infrastructure capability. It highlights the benefit of owning our own specialist marine equipment and expert operators. The scope included:

Decommissioning and preservation of the construction barge wharf
- Removal, preservation and storage of pontoons, gangways and landings
- Removal of attachments on piles / sheet piles then cleaning and restoration of surface protection
- Design, supply and installation of a sacrificial anode system for the piles / sheet piling
- Maintenance of existing navigational lights and installing one new light on the mooring dolphin
- Installation of a security fence and safety signage
Ancillary make-safe works
- Modification to the berthing dolphin emergency ladders x 10
- Surface protection repairs to emergency ladder piles
- Surface protection repairs to piles W11-C and W15-C
Marine equipment and personnel
- Self-elevating platform
- 250t crawler crane
- Flat top barge
- Tug boat
- Work boat
- Crew boat

BMA Hay Point – Footbridge 3 Replacement

This work involved the urgent replacement of a heavily corroded footbridge at the Hay Point Coal Terminal. The new bridge had been fabricated, but was yet to be installed, and the existing structure was quickly deteriorating after the impact of Cyclone Ului. With high structural corrosion throughout the chords and stringers, the old bridge was not capable of withstanding a significant wind or wave event.

BMA sought to greatly reduce the risk of failure of the existing bridge by installing the new, prefabricated replacement which was capable of withstanding greater wind and wave events. The new bridge also reduced the chance of downtime to the adjacent berth, as mooring operations would be rendered disabled if the bridge were to fail.

Our primary scope was to install a pre-fabricated replacement bridge in accordance with the approved design drawings. This included removing the existing footbridge, relocating it to Mackay Harbour, and fabricating and fitting the missing connection pieces required for the installation of the bridge.

The works required the mobilisation of a range of our equipment and crew from our marine fleet to enable the installation. This included:

Jack up barge with crane to remove and replace the footbridge
Landing barge with capacity to accommodate the new and existing footbridge
Tug boat to manoeuvre equipment

BMA Hay Point — HPX 3 Expansion Works

Hay Point Coal Terminal is one of the largest coal export ports in the world. Walz Group had previously worked directly for the owner-operator, BMA, to urgently replace a footbridge . We were subsequently engaged to support BMA to deliver the third major expansion of the facility.

As part of this contract, Walz Group provided marine equipment and specialist personnel to support the shutdown scheduled as part of the project, and remove associated temporary works. Throughout the project, we continually adapted to the ever-changing weather conditions and modifications to schedule. By working closely with our client and taking an agile approach to resourcing requirements, we were able to meet all project milestones.

In its entirety, the expansion increased capacity at the terminal from 44 million tonnes to 55 million tonnes. The work included construction of a new berth and land reclamation, as well as building and fitting out new trestles, conveyers, and ship loaders.

Specifically, our scope included the provision of the following specialist equipment together with expert operators.

1 x self-elevating platform with Favco M2480D tower crane
1 x self-elevating platform with 250t crawler crane
1 x self-elevating platform with 100t crawler crane
2 x flat top barges
2 x tugs
1 x work boat
1 x crew boat

Sedgman – GEMCO Fine Sands Dewatering Facility & Port Stockpile Building

Sedgman was engaged to design and construct a sands beneficiation plant, port stockpile expansion, and other associated infrastructure at BHP Billiton’s GEMCO facility. The plant aimed to increase the capacity of the existing concentrator plant by reprocessing ore from tailings stockpiles.

Walz Group was contracted by Sedgman to provide all structural, mechanical and piping installation services, and construction works required to execute the project.

We provided construction services for all areas of the development, including the concentrator, tailings dam, and the port stockpile. These works incorporated the installation of around 700t of structural steel, including guards, pulley frames, and conveyor galleries. Mechanical installation comprised idlers, pulleys, drives, scrapers, belts, dump hopper, product bin, chutes, sump pumps, transfer pumps, process water pumps, return water pumps and numerous modifications to the existing plants. The piping component included installation of 1,500m of piping plus 2,400m of small bore piping.

Dedert – Wet Distillers Grain Dryer Installation

The Dalby Ethanol Plant is Australia’s first grain-to-ethanol facility. Each year the plant converts nearly 200,000 tonnes of sorghum into 76 million litres of ethanol. The product remaining after ethanol distillation — known as sillage — is separated and concentrated using centrifuge and evaporation technology to form a high energy, high protein animal feed known as wet distiller’s grain. The soluble dry matter, known as syrup, is blended with the Wet Distiller’s Grain (WDG) and sold to the local animal feed market as Wet Distiller’s Grain with Solubles (WDGS).

As part of a plant upgrade, the Dedert Corporation engaged Walz Group to construct and install a drying facility for the wet WDGS. The closed loop drying system with integrated thermal oxidizer was installed adjacent to the existing wet grain system.

Our scope incorporated all civil works, including concreting, plus the structural, mechanical and electrical installation, as well as commissioning of the drying plant. We managed specialist civil and electrical contractors who worked alongside the Walz project team to ensure a seamless delivery. The structural work included offsite fabrication in our facility in Gladstone.

After the installation of the dryer, the plant has the capacity to produce around 180,000 tonnes of WDGS a year.