Ballera Camp Accommodation Upgrade Concrete Works

Project overview

Santos’ Ballera plant is located in southwest Queensland, approximately 90km east of the South Australia-Queensland border and about 950km north of Adelaide. Ballera contains 45 gas fields with 130 producing gas wells pumped through approximately 450km of pipelines and flowlines. Gas is then compressed and pumped to Mt Isa via an 800km pipeline while natural gas liquids and condensate are sent to Moomba via a 180km pipeline. Crude oil is sent to the Jackson facility 65km to the southeast for processing. The plant is serviced by a jet-capable sealed airstrip.

In 2013 Santos undertook significant Cooper Basin Field and infrastructure upgrades which required additional accommodation units for site personnel. Ballestrin were engaged to undertake concrete works for the 69-bedroom extension to the existing Cooper Basin remote accommodation facility. Ballestrin delivered concrete footings, footpaths, veranda slabs, services pads and footings for a new package waste water treatment facility using Ballestrin’s own skid steer mounted concrete pump.

The team of nine poured over 250m³ of concrete in a tight seven-week program completing over 3,000 work hours.

Extreme environmental factors such as heat and 100% humidity posed a significant issue to the project. To overcome this, the team worked early morning shifts commencing at 6.00am when temperatures were more favourable and used a Sikafilm additive, a moisture loss retarder, during finishing to ensure appropriate conditions for curing. The Ballestrin team also supplied precast concrete footing pads which were formed in Adelaide, and then transported to site and placed. This produced project program savings and ensuring footing blocks achieved the required strength through curing in more favourable conditions.

The team used a Bobcat mounted concrete pump to place concrete accurately in tight spaces, reducing the need for manual handling.

Ballestrin supplied pre-cast concrete footing pads which were formed in Adelaide, and then transported to site and placed resulting in an accelerated program.