OHP1 Drainage Improvement

Drainage conditions at BHP Mining Area C, OHP1 required attention due to the heavy pooling of water across the plant. Valmec was engaged to design and construct the works across the civil, mechanical, piping, electrical, and commissioning aspects of works.

Valmec mobilised a batch plant to site and co-ordinated all material deliveries for the works during an ongoing operational environment in a live plant.

Clear and concise planning was required in order to execute the works fully during these shutdown periods due to the increased contractor workforce in the area at these times.

• Multidiscipline Civil, Mechanical, Piping, Electrical, Commissioning Design & Construct Drainage Improvement
• Three areas of works – greenhouse, TS 10 transfer station, and cooler station
• 50m x 10m wide concrete slab poured in 8 sections to account for a 250T crane to set up during shutdowns
• Drive-in washout sump – supply and installation of a slurry pump and all associated galvanised suction piping & HDPE discharge piping
• Batch plant set up on-site to facilitate the overall 300m3 of concrete required for works

A portion of the works were required to be completed under a live conveyor due to the operational requirements of the site.

The Valmec team liaised with a scaffolding subcontractor to design a fit for purpose scaffold that could be placed under the conveyor with a crane from a safe distance.

A high level of industrial hygiene needed to be followed due to persistent dusty and noisy conditions with a continuously operational plant right next to the workface.

Shut down works required clear and concise planning regarding concrete pours, deliveries, and execution of works.

Piping installations required marrying up of a legacy specification and newly implanted specifications for the sump pump works to function.

Valmec was able to successfully complete the project over a three month period, in between and including two shut down periods.