Skilled Group wins US$ 200 million pipeline contract

Labour hire and workforce services Skilled Group has won a US$ 200 million contract from Italy-based Saipem to provide labour for a pipeline linking Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia, with offshore Western Australian gas deposits.

The contract includes the provision of construction and marine crews for pipelay vessels on the 889 km gas export pipeline, forming part of the US$ 34 billion Ichthys LNG project. The total value of the contract is US$ 200 million. This value includes provisions for the supply of technical professional roles to the project, which could increase the contract’s value.

Employment of Australian staff

Mick McMahon, Skilled Group Chief Executive, said the company would focus on recruiting and training Australian staff for the project. “We are very pleased that Skilled Offshore will be supporting Saipem and the Ichthys LNG project with the provision of highly qualified personnel and a focus on Australian jobs and training opportunities.”

He added that Skilled Group would be working in “close collaboration with Saipem by providing an innovative approach to recruiting for these positions. This contract win reflects Skilled’s capacity as an Australia’s leading provides of flexible labour solutions, the development of an innovative solution to match client requirements and builds on our expanded presence in Darwin following our recent acquisition of Broadsword Marine Contractors.”

Construction work to begin late 2014

The contract will not be fully finalised for another four weeks, but planning is already underway. Construction work is expected to begin towards the end of the 2014 financial year. Skilled expects to put staff on the ground before 2015, and should complete their part of the project by mid-2015.

Edited from various sources by Hannah Priestley-Eaton

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/25092013/skilled_group_wins_us_200_million_pipeline_contract/