PIPELINE BUILDER UNEARTHS $250M GAS CONTRACT

AN ALBION pipeline construction company today secured a $250 million installation project contract.

Murphy Pipe and Civil (MPC) secured the deal with Queensland Gas Company (QGC). It involves installing QGC’s upstream network of high-density polyethylene pipelines throughout Queensland’s Surat Basin gas fields for the next two years.

“I think our company’s constant focus on bringing innovative pipeline solutions to the industry resonates well with the companies that are currently developing gas, mining and water infrastructure projects across Australia,” says managing director Jim Campbell.

“Murphy Pipe and Civil has seen extensive growth in the past two years in Queensland and also throughout other parts of Australia – and these three major projects will certainly keep our increasing workforce of pipeline specialists extremely busy over the coming years.”

MPC is also building water pipelines for the mining sector in the North Queensland town of Moranbah and installing a solar component for a Kogan-based power station under two more contracts.

Works on QGC’s Upstream Gas Gathering Project will create 250 jobs in addition to MPC’s existing 175 gas field workers.

“Our company currently has 43 people from the Western Downs region on its payroll and, as part of our ongoing commitment to our ‘local first’ policy, we will continue to look for local people to fill the variety of roles that will be required for the project,” says Campbell.

“When we began working in the Western Downs we made a solid commitment to use local services and trade suppliers and have in the last 12 months injected more than $8 million into the local economy – a commitment we plan to increase thanks to this new project.”

MPC has introduced new Spiderplough and Fast Fusion welding technology to the coal seam gas sector.

“We believe the Spiderplough and Fast Fusion technology we have introduced into the country heralds a positive new chapter in the history of the pipeline industry,” says Campbell.

“Our company always looks for continuous improvement in our operations.”

He believes the pipeline industry is no longer merely an exercise of burying pipes as quickly as possible.

“Today the construction industry is much more accountable and therefore is looking for total pipeline packages that deliver productivity and quality without comprising the safety of people, the environment and local communities,” he says.

“Our success is largely due to the gas, mining and energy industries not only seeing the efficiency benefits we can deliver but also just as importantly the unique balance of safety, quality and environmental responsibility that we achieve day in, day out.”

Established in 2006 and the employer of 450 workers, MPC last year completed a 50-50 merger with United Kingdom-based suitor J. Murphy and Sons.