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September 2009 News


Thursday 1st October 2009


Australasian Oil & Gas Expo 2010: register now - Oct 1st
The 2010 Australasian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference (AOG) will take place in Perth, Western Australia on 24–26 March next year, bringing together Australia’s biggest players in the petroleum industry under one roof. Click here for full story

LNG and government to keep construction afloat - Oct 1st
Australian construction firms hope that a long downturn in construction volumes can be avoided. LNG projects and the second phase of the Federal Government stimulus measures are expected to have a positive impact on demand in the construction industry. Click here for full story

Engineering Construction Data Positive - Oct 1st
Engineering construction activity data released today shows strong investment in Tasmanian infrastructure is set to continue. Premier David Bartlett said the data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics reflected very high levels of activity over 2008-09 and encouraging signs for the year ahead. Click here for full story

Double Bay blocks blocked - Sep 30th
Double Bay residents have won their fight to stop construction of an 11- and a 14-storey apartment block, with NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally ruling the development "unacceptable". Click here for full story

Power station construction row resolved - Sep 30th
A dispute threatening the construction of a gas-fired power station in southern Lake Macquarie has been resolved. Click here for full story

Building more with less - Sep 30th
BubbleDeck, a new building system designed to reduce concrete usage in building, has made its construction debut on the $1.88 billion Gateway office project in WA. Click here for full story

Monadelphous wins $100m in ore contracts - Sep 29th
Engineering firm Monadelphous Group Ltd has secured two new three-year maintenance services contracts with Rio Tinto Ltd worth about $100 million in total. Click here for full story

PPPs to stay despite tunnel sale - Sep 29th
Both sides of NSW politics still support public private partnerships (PPP), despite the sale of Sydney's Lane Cove Tunnel after an alleged billion dollar loss for its investors. Click here for full story

Proposed coal project to bring jobs to the Valley - Sep 28th
A PROPOSED 550 megawatt power station demonstration project to be built in the Latrobe Valley is expected to create up to 350 jobs during construction and 35 direct operational jobs. Click here for full story

China approves coastal nuclear plant - Sep 28th
China has approved the construction of a new nuclear plant in its eastern coastal region, as part of Beijing's plan to provide cleaner energy. Click here for full story

Yanzhou eyes opportunities in Australia - Sep 28th
CHINESE miner Yanzhou is on the lookout for further investments in Australia as it awaits a decision from regulators on its $3 billion takeover of Felix Resources. Click here for full story

World’s Largest Bridge To Stretch 40km Long - Sep 27th
Construction on what would become the world’s longest marine causeway, connecting Qatar and Bahrain, is due to begin next year, and what a project it is: We’re talking about a bridge more than 40km long, costing around $US3 billion. Click here for full story

Infigen Targets $2.2 Billion Sale of Wind Power Unit - Sep 26th
Infigen Energy, the Australian wind power producer formerly known as Babcock & Brown Wind Partners, said it wants to sell its U.S. business for about $2.2 billion to focus on Australian assets. Click here for full story

Thursday 24th September 2009


Balfour Beatty to buy major infrastructure firm - Sep 24th
A planning and infrastructure specialist with 2,500 staff in Australia and New Zealand is being bought by construction giant Balfour Beatty. Click here for full story

Jailhouse rocks with new $67 million project - Sep 24th
A new 60-bed youth centre is being built on Greenfield land in South Australia. The secure youth justice facility will be constructed on a 7.7ha greenfield site at Cavan and a nearby existing 36-bed centre will be upgraded to care for the youngest offenders in the system. Click here for full story

Japan cancels $5b dam project - Sep 24th
Japan's new centre-left government has already started to shake things up on the home front. It's cancelled construction of a massive dam north-west of Tokyo. Click here for full story

Contractor row angers unions - Sep 23rd
Unions say they are angered that construction workers on a $400 million gas-fired power station in southern Lake Macquarie are being used as pawns in a financial dispute between contractors. Click here for full story

$49 million rail duplication boosts Queensland coal industry - Sep 23rd
Queensland’s coal industry was given a major boost last week with the completion of a $49 million rail duplication project in the Central Bowen Basin. Click here for full story

Watpac scoops five national building awards - Sep 22nd
Watpac’s Construction division won five prizes at the Australian Institute of Building National Professional Excellence in Building Awards in Brisbane over the weekend. Click here for full story

Monadelphous awarded $85m Rio contract - Sep 22nd
Engineering company Monadelphous Group Ltd has secured a significant construction contract with Rio Tinto Iron Ore for $85 million. Click here for full story

Completed rail duplication project to boost QLD coal industry - Sep 21st
TRANSPORT Minister Rachel Nolan has announced a major boost for Queensland’s coal industry with the completion and opening of a $49 million rail duplication project in the Central Bowen Basin. Click here for full story

Work starts on $90m rail link - Sep 18th
Auckland is about to gain its first rail network extension since 1930 as a $90 million branch line for Manukau's city centre moves into its main construction phase. Click here for full story


Thursday 17th September 2009


Monadelphous wins $70m contract at BHP's Yandi mine - Sep 16th
PERTH-based Monadelphous Group has won a $70m contract at BHP Billiton's Yandi mine in the Pilbara as part of the miner's Rapid Growth Project 5. Click here for full story

Which companies will win from the Gorgon gas deal? - Sep 16th
The scrambling for a slice of the biggest ever resources project in Australian history has started. Click here for full story

Dirty Kev is top of the league - Sep 16th
Last week, Australia found itself officially perched at the top of the world's worst polluters league. Dirtier than China, dirtier than all of Europe, dirtier than even the good ol' US of A. We are #1: the undisputed heavyweight polluter of the world. Click here for full story

Shane Condon plans Project Iron Boomerang - Sep 16th
The project is what Shane Condon claims will be the biggest construction challenge in the nation's history, a 3370km rail line across the country from the central Queensland coalfields to Western Australia's Pilbara iron ore fields with steel smelters at both ends of the track. Click here for full story

Sydney transport: the rail plan they've been sitting on - Sep 15th
As the Government reaffirmed its commitment to the $5.3 billion metro project in the CBD - criticised by inner-west residents, transport planners and rail unions - the Herald has learnt that Rail Corp has been sitting on plans for at least six years that would extend the heavy rail network to Sydney's north-west. Click here for full story

UGL awarded BHP Port Hedland contract - Sep 15th
United Group yesterday announced its subsidiary, UGL Resources, had secured a $165 million contract from BHP Billiton Iron Ore for work at Port Hedland, Western Australia. Click here for full story

Sydney transport: the rail plan they've been sitting on - Sep 15th
As the Government reaffirmed its commitment to the $5.3 billion metro project in the CBD - criticised by inner-west residents, transport planners and rail unions - the Herald has learnt that Rail Corp has been sitting on plans for at least six years that would extend the heavy rail network to Sydney's north-west. Click here for full story

Clough Wins 20% Share of Largest Gorgon LNG Contract - Sep 15th
Clough Ltd. won a 20 percent share of a A$2.7 billion ($2.3 billion) engineering and construction contract awarded by the Chevron Corp.-led Gorgon liquefied natural gas venture, the largest for the project to date. Click here for full story

UGL awarded BHP Port Hedland contract - Sep 15th
United Group yesterday announced its subsidiary, UGL Resources, had secured a $165 million contract from BHP Billiton Iron Ore for work at Port Hedland, Western Australia. Click here for full story

KBR Australian unit wins $2.3 billion contract from Chevron - Sep 14th
A unit of KBR Inc. has been awarded a $2.3 billion engineering, procurement and construction management contract by Chevron Australia Pty Ltd. Click here for full story

South Australia's surge continues - Sep 14th
South Australia (SA) has reversed the downturn in mineral exploration spending – rising by 16.1% in the June quarter. Click here for full story

Hunter set for $15bn spend - Sep 14th
THE Hunter is positioning itself for an economic boom, with infrastructure giants Australian Rail Track Corporation, EnergyAustralia and Hunter Water ready to spend $15 billion on projects over the next 10 years in preparation for the region's projected population of 800,000 by 2030. Click here for full story

Austal wins $75m tender to build four 41m ferries - Sep 14th
AUSTAL has won a $75 million tender for four high-speed passenger ferries for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Click here for full story

Gorgon gets go-ahead - again - Sep 14th
Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell received the necessary government approvals and have now made the final investment decision for the Gorgon Gas project. Construction of the 40-year project will begin later this year and will generate 10,000 jobs at its peak. Click here for full story

Leighton to build $200m highway realignment - Sep 14th
Australian construction company Leighton Holdings has has been selected by the Victorian government to construct the $200 million Western Freeway route between Melton and Bacchus Marsh, west of Melbourne. Click here for full story

Go-ahead likely for $50bn Gorgon gas export plan - Sep 14th
A FINAL investment decision on the go-ahead for the $50 billion Gorgon gas export project is imminent, much to the delight of the Federal Government which is banking on the project to add to its own economic stimulus package. Click here for full story

Coal seam gas - the case against ... - Sep 13th
Eureka Report recently interviewed Don Voelte, chief executive of Woodside Petroleum. Click here for full story

Melbourne's CBD rail link a critical connection - Sep 11th
Today's announcement of the tenders for engineers and designers for the Melbourne metro rail tunnel is a welcome step and shows a focus on delivering the project said Infrastructure Partnerships Australia – the nation’s peak infrastructure body. Click here for full story

Oakajee boss, Chris Eves announces shock resignation - Sep 11th
OAKAJEE Port and Rail boss Chris Eves, who led the successful bid for the $4 billion Mid-West project, has announced his shock resignation. Click here for full story

NAB, Westpac Said to Market A$1.7 Billion AquaSure Project Loan - Sep 11th
National Australia Bank Ltd. and Westpac Banking Corp. plan to market a A$1.7 billion ($1.5 billion) loan to help fund construction of Australia’s biggest desalination plant, said two people familiar with the matter. Click here for full story

Thursday 10th September 2009


Dubai Metro Commences Operation; World's Longest Driverless Rail System - Sep 10th
The Dubai Rapid Link (DURL), an international consortium including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), has completed the construction of Dubai Metro Red Line, a fully automated, driverless metro system, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Click here for full story

Construction recovery 'likely in 2010' - Sep 10th
The construction sector is unlikely to recover for least another six months although residential building will experience a major upturn in 2010 which will continue for another three years, an economic forecaster says. Click here for full story

New Iron Cove bridge project $15m over budget - Sep 9th
THE construction of a new Iron Cove Bridge at Rozelle is likely to be bonanza for some of the country's big construction, engineering and management firms, newly uncovered documents reveal. Click here for full story

Melbourne Metro Train Tunnel, and New Parkville Station, Announced by Government - Sep 9th
PLANS to unveil a $100 million underground rail line that would better link the Melbourne CBD to the northern and western suburbs, were unveiled today by the State government. Click here for full story

Gindalbie May Start A$1.8 Billion Mine Construction Next Month - Sep 9th
Gindalbie Metals Ltd., planning a A$1.8 billion ($1.5 billion) iron ore mine in Australia with Anshan Iron and Steel Group, expects to start construction next month after winning state government environmental approval. Click here for full story

ConnectEast hits back at Leighton legal claim - Sep 9th
TOLL-ROAD operator ConnectEast yesterday came out fighting against the legal challenge launched by major shareholder construction giant Leighton Holdings, declaring the dispute will not result in a material pay-out. Click here for full story

Metro plan warnings kept out of cabinet - Sep 8th
THE state's top transport official and senior bureaucrats from Treasury and the Department of Premier and Cabinet have been warned that a second rail tunnel through the city will be needed by 2020 even if the $5.3 billion CBD Metro is built. Click here for full story

InterOil Submits Project Agreement to Build LNG Plant in Papua New Guinea - Sep 8th
Australia-based InterOil and its joint venture partners, Petromin PNG Holdings and Pacific LNG Operations, have submitted a project agreement to the government of Papua New Guinea for the construction of a proposed liquefied natural gas plant in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Click here for full story

$400m stoush over EastLink - Sep 8th
CONNECTEAST is facing a $400 million-plus legal battle with Leighton Holdings, one of its biggest shareholders, over claims the toll-road operator misled the construction giant with inflated traffic forecasts. Click here for full story

Campbell calls for third party rail access as condition of BHP-Rio tie-up - Sep 7th
Mining giants BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto Ltd are "dogs in a manger" afraid of competition in the Pilbara, former Howard government minister Ian Campbell says. Click here for full story

Job ads rise after 16 months - Sep 7th
The Federal Government may be warning that we're only part of the way through the economic crisis but there are more signs today that Australia's economy is strengthening. Click here for full story

Construction decline continues but eases - Sep 7th
Australian construction activity was still shrinking in August, but at a much slower pace than earlier this year according to a private survey. Click here for full story

Gorgon poses risk to Barrow Island - Sep 6th
Only the most ardent of conservationists could describe Barrow Island's appearance as anything but a large expanse of unexciting scrub. Now comes the ultimate test of that effort - the construction of the $50 billion Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. Click here for full story

Victoria closes world's largest PPP since GFC - Sep 5th
The successful procurement of Victoria’s Wonthaggi desalination plant PPP shows that public private partnerships will remain a key option to governments for the delivery of infrastructure said Infrastructure Partnerships Australia – the nation’s peak infrastructure body. Click here for full story

Thursday 3rd September 2009


Sydney Metro in CBD buying spree - Sep 3rd
The first stage of Sydney Metro’s multi-billion dollar rail system will see it buy up to $300 million worth of prime property in Sydney’s CBD. Click here for full story

Negotiations off after coal loading deal collapses - Sep 3rd
The operator of Newcastle's coal loaders has ruled out renegotiating the terms of a coal allocation system after BHP Billiton walked away from the deal. Click here for full story

Australian firm builds bridges with Vietnam (Ministerial) - Sep 2nd
Minister for Trade, Simon Crean congratulated NSW-based construction company Baulderstone on today’s opening of Ho Chi Minh City’s largest bridge, the landmark Phu My Bridge, on Vietnam’s National Day. Click here for full story

John Holland to deliver Devil Creek Development Project - Sep 2nd
John Holland has secured the $160 million contract to deliver Apache Energy’s Devil Creek Development Project (DCDP). The contract is for construction of a new onshore gas plant in WA’s Pilbara region. Click here for full story

Financing new Conquests - Sep 2nd
Conquest Mining yesterday received an indicative term sheet and detailed debt financing proposal from a senior bank to fund construction of a mine at its Silver Hill gold, silver and copper project in northern Queensland. Click here for full story

Leighton negligence claim dismissed - Sep 2nd
THE High Court has dismissed a negligence claim against construction firm Leighton, ruling the company had no common law duty to train sub-contractors to do their job. Click here for full story

Rail mega project just a ‘matter of timing’ - Sep 2nd
Shane Condon is man with a big vision. His infrastructure proposal, project Iron Boomerang would see a 3370 kilometre heavy-haul railway cut across Australia, east to west, connecting the Pilbara iron ore mines in Western Australia (WA) with coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin. Click here for full story

CRC for Rail Innovation gaining traction - Sep 2nd
With a $100 million research program over seven years and over 30 research projects underway since it began in 2007, the CRC for Rail Innovation (CRC) is Australia’s largest ever rail research program. Click here for full story

Al Habtoor Leighton wins infrastructure construction contract in Qatar - Sep 1st
LEIGHTON Holdings, Australia's largest construction company, today said its Al Habtoor Leighton business was awarded a QAR750 million ($244.5m) infrastructure project to connect two communities in Qatar. Click here for full story

Leighton's Al Habtoor Unit Awarded A$245M Qatar Water Project - Aug 31st
Leighton Holdings Ltd. (LEI.AU), Australia's largest construction company, said Tuesday that its Al Habtoor Leighton business was awarded a QAR750 million (A$244.5 million) infrastructure project. Click here for full story

A1 Minerals edges closer to gold production at Brightstar gold project - Aug 31st
A1 Minerals' (ASX: AAM) gold plant at the Brightstar gold project is now 77% complete, located 30km southeast of Laverton infrastructure and 15kms from the BrightStar Beta Resource. Click here for full story

Babcock & Brown Power outline plans for salvaging value for investors - Aug 29th
SHAREHOLDERS in Babcock & Brown Power will have to approve any agreement struck in last-ditch talks between the ailing energy business and bankers on a $398 million loan. Click here for full story

Rio Tinto hires 150 new workers at Hail Creek coalmine - Aug 29th
RIO Tinto is recruiting 150 new staff at a coalmine that was threatened with closure earlier this year when the company was pushing its deal with Chinalco. Click here for full story

Downer EDI to acquire Western Construction - Aug 28th
Downer EDI Limited has signed a conditional agreement to acquire Western Construction Co., a provider of mechanical fabrication, construction, and mechanical maintenance services. Click here for full story




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