WA

There were 540 offshore oil rigs in the world last year and, by the end of 2012, the number should rise by 51 to 591, says Faststream Recruitment, a UK based firm that specialises in hiring for the shipping, oil and gas industry.

What jobs offer the highest pay? Investment banking is up there. So is specialist surgery.

Rio Tinto has awarded mining contractor, NRW a $90 million contract for its Yandi Sustaining Project.

NRW will provide bulk earthworks at the Yandicoogina iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

We’re working hard to maintain our high safety standards, particularly when it comes to road safety and the impact we are having on local roads in the areas in which we work. Across the Project from Roma, along our pipeline route, to Gladstone, there are a number of large vehicles transporting equipment for our Project. Some of you may have also noticed the roadwork activity we are undertaking to improve the width, water drainage and surface quality on roads across the Maranoa Region.

In March 2012 we wrote about an announcement by the Skilled Migration Western Australia (SMWA), which is currently the Regional Certifying Body (RCB) for all of Western Australia except the Gold Fields – Esperance region.

The key message of the article was that labour market testing would no longer be a requirement for

certification under the RSMS. The removal of labour market testing ultimately reduced costs and time for employers.

Diploma Group’swholly owned subsidiary, Diploma Construction (WA) Pty Ltd, has been awarded a $49 million contract for Rio Tinto’s Wickham Accommodation Expansion Project.

Stage 1 of the Wickham Lodge FIFO Accommodation project involves the Design and Construction of 198 one-person accommodation rooms over three storeys with associated services and infrastructure. The design incorporates the use of modular prefabricated units that are manufactured offsite.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering  (SCEE) has this week been awarded two major work contracts on Australian mining projects.

The first is a $29m contract for Rio Tinto’s Yandi power supply work in the Pilbara.

The engineering company will provide the second portion of the Yandi Sustaining Project, which will see it design, supply, and construct a 33kV distribution overhead line.

Around 600 mining jobs will be generated with Leighton’s most recent contract award.

The $1.5 billion full service contract in the Pilbara will see Leighton provide mining services at Fortescue Metal’s Fire iron ore deposit.

A third services contract has been awarded to engineering and construction company Technip on the Ichthys project in the Browse Basin, Western Australia.

Technip has been awarded a $262 million contract to commission the floating, production, storage and offloading unit as well as the central processing facility for project.

There’s a feeling of déjà vu in Australia.  One could be forgiven for thinking we’ve returned to 2008.

Commodity prices have fallen to the same levels as those experienced at the height of the global financial crisis, projects have been cancelled and suddenly the obsession with Australia’s skill shortage has turned to job losses.

BHP Billiton has awarded engineering company Monadelphous a $75 million construction contract for its Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

Monadelphous will provide structural, mechanical, and piping works associated with the construction of the stacking, reclaiming, train load out, product sampling, and water infrastructure facilities.

Work is scheduled to begin next month.

Whilst BHP Billiton’s decision to postpone other projects has dominated news, work at Jimblebar has been steadily ramping up.