Thiess Bags $1.66B Construction Deal for Queensland Curtis LNG Project

QGC Pty Limited awarded a contract for construction of gas processing facilities to Australian construction and resources contractor Thiess Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Limited.

The $1.66 billion (AUD 1.8 billion) contract involves the construction of 18 field compression stations and four central processing plants in the Surat Basin to service QGC's Queensland Curtis LNG (liquefied natural gas) Project by October 2014.

The agreement replaces and extends a $300.3 million  (AUD 325 million) contract signed in February 2012 for construction of six field compression stations and one central processing plant.

The facilities, near Dalby, Chinchilla and Wandoan, will process gas which will be transported through an underground pipeline network to Gladstone, where the gas will be liquefied.

Thiess will increase the number of workers on the project from 1,000 to 2,600 by early 2014 as the contractor undertakes all civil, mechanical, piping, instrument and electrical work in constructing and pre-commissioning the facilities.

QCLNG Project Director Mitch Ingram said QGC and Thiess were proud to be creating a further 1,600 jobs as well as providing opportunities for local communities to benefit wherever possible.

"This is a milestone contract which involves construction of the remaining gas processing facilities to have our LNG plant operating at capacity," Ingram said.

"More broadly this work will continue to provide opportunities for qualified local contractors to supply associated services, which increases the capacity of local industry.

"The contract also includes a plan that ensures local workers have access to jobs and training opportunities."

About 12,000 people are working with QGC and its Queensland Curtis LNG Project. The company has invested more than $13.76 billion (AUD 14.9 billion) since 2010, 64 percent of which - or $8.87 billion (AUD 9.6 billion) - has gone to Queensland firms.