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Highly detailed Earth. Australia and Tasmania

Strong interest from oil and gas sector in carbon capture acreage releases

Australia’s oil and gas industry says there has been strong interest in acreage releases for new carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities off Western Australia and the Northern Territory. As bidding closed, the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) welcomed the opportunity for members to bid for five areas in Commonwealth waters to explore greenhouse gas storage opportunities. APPEA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said the sector’s technological expertise and commitment to reducing emissions provided it with an advantage to deliver more as well as ultimately support a new hydrogen industry. “We understand members showed strong interest in this release, illustrating a solid backing of the pathway to a lower emissions, cleaner energy future,” Mr McConville said. “The oil and gas industry is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and some of our members are targeting earlier dates. “Billions have already been invested in cleaner technologies such as carbon capture and storage and hydrogen. “CCS has an important role in lowering the carbon intensity of gas production and in supporting the development of a blue hydrogen industry. “CCS is a viable and proven method and the oil and gas industry is well-positioned to deliver the technology.” The bidding under the Federal Government’s 2021 Offshore Greenhouse Gas Storage Acreage Release was the first opportunity since 2014.

Growth fuels relocation for Kemppi Australia

Kemppi Australia, part of Kemppi Oy, a leading international welding equipment manufacturer, has moved its head office into new purpose-designed premises located at Unit 2, 463 Victoria Street, Wetherill Park, NSW. The recent relocation is in response to the company’s continued growth. According to Kemppi Australia’s Managing Director, Paul McVicar, the old premises could no longer meet the company’s existing needs for additional space let alone accommodate any future growth. The new, large two-story building houses Kemppi Australia’s Sydney-based staff, warehousing facilities and service centre. The service centre features work bays with the capability to handle multiple equipment repairs and maintenance contracts simultaneously. The much larger warehouse can accommodate additional stock of equipment and consumables. The extra space will also help make shipping and tracking of Kemppi equipment and goods more efficient. The new office space has been fitted out with a bright, modern design to support staff collaboration and productivity. While the consolidation of office space across two floors allows the company to further streamline internal processes and enhance communications. According to Paul, the Kemppi Australia team are excited about the new facility. “It’s not only a more pleasant and efficient environment in which to work and grow, it will also allow us to better serve our dealers and customers.”

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Engineers encouraged to get dirty through grad program

Bowen Rail Company (BRC) civil engineer Nikita Nikiteev knows better than most the professional value of getting your hands dirty. “I played in the dirt a lot as a kid and had a love for the exact sciences, so civil engineering was always the job for me,” he said. “But it wasn’t until I saw the opportunity of a graduate position working on the Carmichael Rail Network and getting my hands on to something challenging and meaningful that I knew where it would take me. “It turned out that was working alongside thousands of people building a railway in the middle of nowhere, and I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my career.” Now the 26-year-old is encouraging his like-minded peers to seize their opportunity as part of Adani’s second Graduate Program intake with its Bravus Mining and Resources and Bowen Rail Company businesses. Six positions across Bravus’ Carmichael Mine and Bowen Rail Company’s rail freight services are on offer for graduates in the fields of mining, civil and mechanical engineering, and geology. “I’d strongly encourage anyone wanting an exciting and rewarding career to apply,” Nikita said. “It’s continued to open doors for me, and right now I’m working as part of the dynamic team building BRC’s provisioning yard in beautiful Bowen. It’s a lot of fun and I still get to get my hands dirty.” Bravus and BRC HR & IR Lead Rebecca Wells said the 2022 Graduate Program was open to engineers up to two years post-graduation. She said successful applicants would benefit from 18 months of on-site work with senior engineering team members, as well as off-site training with Central Queensland University. “This is the opportunity for the many talented people who want to work in our industry to kick-start a fulfilling career in a […]

Six tips for going circular (from manufacturers who are doing it)

-Jim Goddin, thinkstep-anz Every expert was once a beginner – and that includes the three New Zealand and Australian manufacturers who share their circular economy (CE) expertise here. Ged Finch, Jason Graham-Nye and David Bell run or work in manufacturing businesses based on CE principles. Ged is R&D Manager at XFrame, a business which designs and manufactures reusable prefabricated structural framing. Jason co-founded gDiapers which designs and makes compostable nappies. David is Manager Sustainability and Insight at steel recycler, manufacturer and distributor InfraBuild. Our three experts have learned a lot about CE since they started out. In a recent thinkstep-anz webinar, they shared their tips for taking a manufacturing business circular. Their advice is relevant for businesses that design and manufacture their own products and for contract manufacturers too. Before we hear from our experts, here’s a look at CE and how it can add value to your manufacturing business. Circular economy in a nutshell CE is often confused with recycling. It’s much (much!) more. CE is based on three principles. Here’s how they play out in the real world of product design and manufacturing at XFrame, gDiapers and InfraBuild. Principle 1: designing out waste and pollution XFrame estimates that their reusable framing can reduce construction waste from a single home by up to 5 tonnes. gDiapers’ products eliminate waste from disposable nappies. InfraBuild recycled 1.4 m tonnes of scrap metal in Australia in 2021. Principle 2: keeping products and materials in use More than 95% of the materials in an X-Frame building can be recovered and reused, many times. The materials in gDiapers’ nappies can be composted and put back into the soil. InfraBuild keep materials in use by feeding their electric arc furnaces with 100% scrap metal wherever possible. Principle 3: regenerating natural systems The timber XFrame use to manufacture […]

Study to research opportunity of carbon capture and storage in WA

A new study investigating opportunities in Western Australia for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a positive step in finding pathways to decarbonise the economy, according to Australia’s oil and gas industry. The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) today backed the study commissioned by the Western Australian LNG Jobs Taskforce, supported by APPEA members bp, Chevron, Eni, Santos, Shell, and Woodside. APPEA WA Director Claire Wilkinson said the research would provide critical intelligence on how best to deploy CCUS and CCS to decarbonise not just the state’s gas industry but many other sectors as well. “The oil and gas industry is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with several companies targeting even earlier timeframes,” Ms Wilkinson said. “Decarbonising our existing and future operations means there is a need to invest in renewable energy and lower emission technologies and this study will help inform the investment opportunities in this space. “CCUS and CCS have key roles in lowering the carbon intensity of gas production and in supporting the development of a blue hydrogen industry here in WA, a key enabler to a viable hydrogen industry. “The study will help us chart a way forward with natural gas set to be a key part of a cleaner energy mix.” The study will be conducted by the CSIRO and the Global Carbon Capture & Storage Institute and is expected be completed in the second half of this year. The Western Australian LNG Jobs Taskforce aims to maximise local jobs and establish WA as a global LNG hub. Originally established by the WA Premier in 2018, it comprises of the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade; heads of Woodside, Chevron, Shell, Santos, and INPEX, and representatives from APPEA and UnionsWA.

National logistics company to run female-only trucking program

Leading refrigerated logistics company Chill has been given the green light to run a female-only training program for budding truck drivers – one of the first in NSW. The business’ Sydney-based headquarters has been given an exemption to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act, allowing them to advertise and run a female-only trucking training and education program. Chill lodged the exemption application last year, in a bid to lead the charge for women in the transport industry, particularly in light of growing staffing shortages across both the transport and warehouse sectors. Currently, women make up just 26 per cent of the transport industry in Australia – a figure Chill co-director Lauren Wade is keen to change. “The days of the stereotypical male ‘truckie’ sitting behind the wheel of a big rig are gone,” Ms Wade said. “We’ve seen a significant shift in the transport and warehouse industries, particularly in the last few years, courtesy of the ageing workforce and a severe staff shortage. “It comes at a time when ecommerce and the demand for door-to-door delivery is on the rise, so businesses need to start thinking about a succession plan, with career progression, more family-friendly rosters, and new equipment and procedures.” “Companies across the nation are looking for good-quality, professional truck drivers and warehouse staff and women are critical to filling these positions. “Being able to run a trucking training program that is solely designed for women means we can attract and retain them into employment and gain some momentum for females in the industry.” Chill senior planner Liesel Croukamp, who started her career as a driver and returned to the road during COVID-19, believes truck driving is a fantastic career for women. “I absolutely love being out on the open road and spending time behind the wheel. It gives me time […]

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The value of a digital parts library for manufacturers

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is transforming traditional manufacturing processes and supply chains thanks to digitalisation. Information regarding parts can now be digitised and this presents significant opportunities for many sectors within the Australian manufacturing market to leverage reduced parts lead times and product improvements using Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology to attain components virtually on demand. Digitalisation in the form of a secure, cloud-based parts library, plays an important role in implementing an effective AM system. It supports parts re-engineering and production turnaround speeds, client supply chain management and product quality continuity. Overcoming a key manufacturing challenge One of the more persistent challenges faced by manufacturing firms revolves around quick repair and turnaround of faulty equipment. This often requires rapid replacement of components, and advanced manufacturing methods such as AM can make this possible. AM facilitates significantly reduced lead times and unit costs for low volume components and obsolete parts, whilst offering re-engineering possibilities to enhance component durability and increase performance. The benefits of a digital parts library for manufacturers Reverse engineering and digitalising physical components to build comprehensive parts libraries can be used to simulate complex processes and equipment operations. This allows parts that are failing and replaced at a high frequency to be quickly identified, even to the smallest component level. Using this data, engineers can then embark on focused R&D projects including qualifying stronger materials and revising inefficient designs to improve the mean-time-to-failure rate for these parts. The performance of the new and improved parts can then be simulated to validate improvement even before the parts are manufactured. Therefore, a digital parts library allows for more accurate predictive maintenance methods to be put in place. A secured digital parts library also forms an essential link in any AM-ready process as it provides inherent time and cost saving benefits. […]

Probuild collapse – a tragedy that could have been avoided

Following the news that Australian construction industry giant Probuild has fallen into voluntary administration, leading credit reporting agency CreditorWatch assessed the warning signs that existed in advance of the collapse and how they could have been avoided. “This news comes as a devastating hit to the Australian construction industry,” says CreditorWatch CEO Patrick Coghlan “the demise of a business with the scale and reach of Probuild is bound to send shockwaves through the industry, as thousands of small businesses are impacted. Sadly, I fear this is the tip of the iceberg, and we could see many more going under, as an industry that was already under significant pressure is dealt another heavy blow.” Red flags in plain sight for industry partners The writing was on the wall for Probuild which, like the rest of the construction industry, struggled to survive a perfect COVID storm of supply chain disruptions, cost blowouts and increased worker absenteeism. CreditorWatch listed Probuild under a D1 or D2 RiskScore Rating from October 2021, with its risk of default or insolvency significantly higher than the average Australian business. This score was awarded based on a variety of factors, including the rapid increase in credit enquiries from August 2021 onwards. “The data underlines just how crucial it can be for small businesses to monitor the vital signs of their stakeholders and to identify those suppliers and debtors that could be at risk of default, in order to adequately assess their credit risk,” continues Coghlan. In the past five years, Probuild had 1,588 credit enquiries, of which 545 were lodged in the last 12 months alone. This increase is in line with the wider construction industry, which currently sits at the top of the ANZSIC Division for credit enquiries on 255, well above manufacturing on 75 and Professional, Scientific […]

Tricentis acquires Tx3 digital validation platform for life sciences Tricentis, a leader in test automation for modern cloud and enterprise applications, announces the acquisition of Tx3 Services, a provider of automated quality and compliance software testing solutions for life sciences companies. Building upon Tricentis’ AI-powered continuous testing platform, the addition of Tx3 provides greater specialisation and increased capabilities to address the unique needs of the healthcare and life sciences industries. Ensuring compliance with the many regulatory requirements across the healthcare and life sciences landscape is a complex and critical task. Many organisations in this space, however, have not yet modernised their software testing and still rely on a manual, document-centric approach for validation. Tx3 enables life sciences companies to automate computer systems validation and assurance processes, helping IT teams improve consistency, add efficiencies, and modernise regulatory compliance while lowering risk. Digital validation with Tx3 is based on agile principles and designed to help organisations accelerate compliance processes and certification by tightly integrating with software quality, testing, and DevOps tools. “Tricentis is already helping thousands of organisations produce high-quality software more quickly and efficiently,” said Kevin Thompson, Chairman and CEO of Tricentis. “And by combining our robust portfolio of software testing products with Tx3’s specialised digital validation platform, “Tricentis will provide an incredibly comprehensive and powerful solution specifically for life sciences and healthcare organisations looking to advance their digital transformation journey.” “We have enjoyed a strong partnership with Tricentis for many years, and we look forward to officially becoming part of the Tricentis family with this acquisition,” said Jason Tepfenhardt, CEO at Tx3 Services. “The combination of Tricentis and Tx3 will now enable even further integration and greater innovation as we continue to deliver products to help life sciences companies accelerate software testing, increase efficiency, and reduce risk.”

bp signs licensing agreement for Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining technology.

Under the agreement, bp will revamp hydroprocessing equipment at its former refinery site in Kwinana, Australia, to Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining process for a capital-efficient, fast-to-market path to produce approximately biodiesel at the underutilised plant. The refurbishment would enable bp to produce 10kbd diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable feeds, integrating with its existing terminal operations. This production aligns with the company’s efforts around pre-feed engineering for its proposed diesel and SAF project in Western Australia. Renewable feeds have substantially similar molecules to petroleum-based diesel and jet fuel and can be used as a drop-in replacement without engine modifications, in the case of SAF in blends of up to 50 percent with the remainder as conventional jet fuel. Depending on feedstock choice, diesel and SAF produced from the Ecofining process is expected to result in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional diesel or aviation fuel from petroleum.

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