Fact Sheet
Gas Terminal Pipeline
Construction
Gas Terminal Pipeline Construction
Viva Energy is a leading Australian company which supplies about a quarter of our country’s
fuel needs. We have a proven track record in making, importing, blending and delivering fuels,
lubricants, solvents and bitumen using our extensive national and international supply chains.
For motorists and truck drivers, we supply Shell and Liberty branded service stations with
millions of litres of fuel every year to keep them on the road.
We are a vital part of our country’s current and future energy The Gas Terminal being adjacent to the Geelong Refinery would
security. The Australian economy relies on the products we supply, leverage our capability as an existing Major Hazard Facility (MHF)
our experience in operating supply chains safely and reliably, and operator and offer potential synergies between the two facilities
our commitment to helping Australian motorists, businesses and such as the ability to reuse the FSRU seawater discharge in the
industries. In Victoria, our refinery at Geelong manufactures and refinery’s existing operations.
supplies more than half of the state’s fuel needs and employs
The Gas Terminal would bring natural gas from various locations
more than 700 people.
in Australia and overseas, to meet the projected gas shortage
To support Australia’s energy future, in June 2020 we shared our in south-east Australia.
vision to create the Geelong Energy Hub at our refinery. Key to
More information about Viva Energy’s proposed Gas Terminal
this vision is the plan to develop a gas terminal using a Floating
is in the Project Factsheet on the Project website.
Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) and a pipeline to get
the gas to market. The Project is subject to relevant regulatory and Viva Energy
Board approvals.
Fact Sheet – Gas Terminal Pipeline Construction
Gas Terminal Pipeline Key Facts
600mm
A new pipeline, approximately 6.5km in length and up to 600mm in diameter is proposed
to take gas from the FSRU terminal to the existing Victoria Transmission System (VTS).
The Pipeline would have two sections:
Maximum diameter of the pipeline
• An aboveground pipeline approximately 2.5km in length, connecting the FSRU
to the new nitrogen and odorant injection facilities on refinery land; and
• An underground pipeline, approximately 4km in length, which will connect to the VTS
at Lara. ~6.5km
It is intended, as far as practicable, to locate this section of the Pipeline within, or
Length of pipeline
adjacent to, existing easements or licensed road reserve areas held by Viva Energy
within existing pipeline corridors.
The construction methodology for the buried section will involve the use of specialised
trenching machines and will take into consideration current land uses. Trenchless
construction methods will be used in more complex or environmentally sensitive areas.
60%+
Proportion of the pipeline buried
underground (above-ground
sections will be located on refinery
jetty and premises)
Pipeline Construction Summary
Viva Energy will engage with landowners, occupiers and stakeholders prior We will rehabilitate any land on or under which a pipeline is situated as far
to and throughout construction of the Pipeline. as reasonably practicable to conditions consistent with previous use.
Property management plans may be produced for each property and will Rehabilitation will commence following the backfilling and compaction
identify aspects such as access, amenity, commercial implications and of the Pipeline trench (buried section).
environmentally sensitive areas to be considered during the pipeline’s
Construction works are subject to establishing all relevant and necessary
construction and rehabilitation phases.
agreements with landowners and occupiers.
We will seek to minimise interference with activities on the land both during
and after the completion of construction work. Construction Activities
Trench
Seedstock Brush Topsoil spoil
and topsoil
zone Trench line
Work side
Subsoil zone
(Light blading only if required)
30m ROW
Fact Sheet – Gas Terminal Pipeline Construction
Pipeline Construction Summary continued
A step by step summary of a typical pipeline construction process is outlined below.
Survey Activities
Field surveys need to be conducted in conjunction with desk top assessments in order to inform Pipeline design and
development. Survey activities may include cultural heritage, flora/fauna, hydrology, cadastre and soil/land assessments,
as well as identification of local features and services.
Land owners and occupiers will be consulted regarding these survey activities and associated requirements for land
access. The Notice of Intent to Enter Land for Survey will be provided to relevant landowners and occupiers which will
include a description of survey activities.
Setting up work areas These operations are carefully planned and Pipeline Operation
highly engineered and are undertaken to
Before construction can commence, work areas
minimise disturbance to properties and roads and Land Rehabilitation
must be set up appropriately. These include
in environmentally sensitive areas, or to address Commissioning
lay down areas for equipment, construction
construction issues.
material stockpiles and setup areas. Work areas and operation
are established through consultation with the
Pipe tracks Prior to commissioning and
community and other stakeholders.
Pipe tracks will be used to support the above operation of the Pipeline, consent
is required from the Minister
Clear and grade ground sections of the pipeline located on the
administering the Pipelines Act
jetty and within the refinery. Pipe tracks are a series
Clear and grade involves preparing the pipeline 2005 and as relevant, ESV. The
of unconnected low beams designed to support
easement for construction and setting aside the pipeline must comply with the
pipes at grade
extra work space as agreed with landowners and requirements of the Pipelines Act
occupiers. The combined easement and extra work
Welding 2005 and Pipelines Regulations
space is commonly referred to as the construction 2017 and the Environmental
right-of-way. Once the pipe lengths have been laid out or
Management Plan and Safety
‘strung’ along the construction set up area,
Management Plan must be
Right-of-way qualified welders join the lengths of pipes
approved by the Minister
together. Welds are inspected using x-ray or
The construction right-of-way is established and administering the Pipelines Act
ultrasonic equipment to ensure their quality
will be clearly identified and fenced off where 2005 and Energy Safe Victoria
and are then coated to reduce the likelihood
required. Typically, the right-of-way can be respectively.
of corrosion.
between 25 -30m in width.
Lowering in Easement and property
Trenching rehabilitation
After final quality assurance checks, each
A specialised rotary trenching machine or Disturbed land will be reinstated
completed pipe section is lowered into the trench
excavator is used to dig the trenches along the as far as practicable to its previous
using specialist side-boom tractors and excavators.
pipeline route. Any material removed is placed state and use and this may include
on the side of the trench (stockpiled), within the
Backfill (buried section only) re-contouring to match existing
construction set up area. landforms. Topsoil conserved
When the buried section of the pipe is in place,
Potential impacts associated with this activity, during the construction process
trenches are backfilled with suitable material
such as hours of operation, dust and noise is re-spread over areas used for
(padding) to protect the pipeline coating from
management, will be discussed with affected construction. Rehabilitation is
stones or other sharp objects. The topsoil is
landowners and occupiers prior to commencement undertaken in accordance with
then re-instated over the disturbed trench area
of the works. previously agreed property
to the contour of the land so that pasture or
management plans and in line
other groundcover can be rehabilitated.
Trenchless construction with established industry practice/
standards.
Trenchless construction is used in more complex or Quality assurance
environmentally sensitive areas. Specialist operators Rigorous quality assurance, inspection and Signs are placed at regular intervals
drill a hole beneath the surface at a shallow angle testing occurs during and after the installation and within line-of-sight to one
and then pull a welded length of pipe through the to confirm that the pipeline integrity meets or another to indicate the presence
hole without disturbing the surface. exceeds the design criteria. Using water, the pipe of a buried pipeline.
is pressure tested (hydrotested) to ensure it is fit
for operational service.
If you have any questions Alternate sources of information
about the proposed Pipeline Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning
or the Project, please contact 0439 799 598
Viva Energy’s Project Team pipeline.regulation@delwp.vic.gov.au
1800 515 093 www.energy.vic.gov.au
energyhub@vivaenergy.com.au Energy Safe Victoria
vivaenergy.com.au
1800 800 158
info@energysafe.vic.gov.au
www.esv.vic.gov.au
