WHEATSTONE PROJECT, Western Australia

The following is an overview of Chevron's Wheatstone Project, expected to generate 6,500 jobs over the course of construction. The list of contractors is provided to assist you to determine where the job opportunities are during the construction phase. This list is current as at March 2012.

Operator:  Chevron (75%) with partners Apache and KUFPEC

Location: Ashburton North, North West Shelf of Western Australia

Timeframe:  FID announced in September 2011 with first gas production for 2016

Cost:  $25bn

Employment:  6,500 jobs

Status: The FEED contract was awarded on 31 July 2009 to Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals Inc and construction started on site in early 2012.

Awarded Contracts and Employment Opportunities include:

• Golder Associates: awarded a $20m contract to carry out geotechnical investigations for the construction of a LNG natural gas plant for Wheatstone.
• Aspen Medical; will provide medical services during construction of the Wheatstone Project onshore facility.  The contract incorporates the diagnosis and treatment for primary care, emergency medical services and on-site medical assessments for the construction workforce, with 100 percent of the work under this contract being conducted in Australia - predominantly in Onslow. The estimated value of the contract is $36 million.
• Clough; awarded a $350 million contract for the offshore hook-up and commissioning component of the Wheatstone Project.  The services will be provided over a 40-month period. The agreed scope of work includes the provision of labour, materials and an accommodation support vessel to assist Chevron with pre-commissioning, commissioning of integrated float over deck systems, offshore hook-up, and start-up assistance. At peak, Clough expects it will employ a workforce of more 300 people to complete the work.
• Decmil Australia;  won the $70 million contract to design, supply and install a fly camp and associated facilities for the Wheatstone Project.  The Osborne Park-based company will supply the 502-room fly camp, kitchen and dining facilities, medical facilities, wet mess, recreational facilities, wastewater treatment plant, and support utilities.   In delivering the project, Decmil will field a team of approximately 100 people.
• Desert Plains; awarded the contract to deliver 25 four-bedroom, en-suited mobile accommodation units for the Wheatstone Project.  As a result of the contract, Desert Plains has already recruited seven additional apprentices and tradespeople, and approximately 30 trade assistants (the company is based in Henderson, Western Australia).
• John Holland;  will carry out the design and construction of 12 permanent buildings essential to the operation of the Wheatstone Project onshore gas processing facilities. These include an operations building, laboratory, maintenance centre, vehicle maintenance shop, fire station and plant warehouse. Six other smaller ancillary buildings will also be constructed. The contract is valued at approximately $240 million. About 340 direct jobs are expected to be created to complete the permanent buildings work. Local suppliers and specialist contractors will have the opportunity to provide goods and services. In addition, JHG won the contract to design and construct the 3900 Accommodation Village which will generate hundreds of job opportunities.
• Skywest Airlines; will fly Wheatstone Project construction workers between Perth and Onslow for the next six years. Skywest is initially planning to use a 50-seat aircraft, increasing to a 100-seat aircraft in 2015. It is anticipated that Skywest will complete approximately 2,400 flights during the six years of the contract.
• WorleyParsons; will provide construction management services for the Wheatstone Project. The contract is valued at approximately $235 million. The contract will create a significant number of local jobs directly for WorleyParsons as well as local job and training opportunities for its contractors.
• Thiess; formed a strategic partnership with Belgian company BESIX SA to establish local capability and the sharing of international best practices and technology transfer. Together, they will develop the breakwater and materials offloading facility (MOF) for the Wheatstone Project.   It is anticipated that the project will create more than 300 new jobs, with the majority of this new work based in Onslow. In addition, 80 percent of the work under this contract will take place in Australia.
• Thiess; has also won a $58 million contract to construct a 1.2 kilometre long tunnelled shore crossing under the ocean which will connect two offshore gas reserves with Wheatstone LNG and domestic gas plant at Ashburton North.  The shore crossing micro-tunnel will be 2.5 metres in diameter and will be delivered by a tunnel boring machine and lined by the pipe jacking method. Thiess have given a commitment to engage local suppliers and subcontractors which will in turn will boost local employment and training opportunities: More details here: http://www.theresourcechannel.com.au/blog/300-new-jobs-thiess-jv-wheatstone-contract.
• Thiess; has also won a $500m contract to build LNG storage and condensate tanks for the project which will generate 475 jobs.  More details here: http://www.theresourcechannel.com.au/blog/thiess-jv-wheatstone-lng-tanks-contract-generates-475-new-jobs.
• Greyhound Australia; busing services between camp and site.  Will require drivers.
• Monadelphous; installation of a utility network at the project site and general construction site services (TBD).  The work includes installation of the following systems: equipment skids, storage tanks, and distributions for firewater, waste water, potable water, and non-potable water services on the jobsite and construction village, power distribution and substations throughout the jobsite, area pole lighting for laydown, parking, and common areas on the jobsite, installation of utilities connecting the construction jobsite and the construction village.
• ESS Thalanyji Pty Ltd; village operations and catering.
• Worley Parsons; a contract for Construction Management Services.
• Allseas; Subsea Infield Flowline and Trunkline Installations.
• Clough AMEC; offshore platform operation, reliability and maintenance contractor.
• Veolia Environmental Services; waste management.
• Omega Security Services; security (part of the Compass group).
• Dredging International Australia; Marine dredging.
• Technip; subsea installation.