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Wheatstone Project LNG Plant Non Process Infrastructure Buildings

Resources & Energy

Project Type / Category
Feature Projects
End Client
Chevron
Architect
Peter Hunt Architects
Contractor
John Holland
Project Value
$240M
Project Location
Onslow, Western Australia
Project Completion
2015
Value Engineering Solution
  • Refining substructure with localised geotechnical and structural engineering to reduce piling.
  • Refined fire engineering and structural engineering to reduce fire rating requirements for steelwork.
  • Refined blast engineering to reduce internal blast pressures on open structures.
  • Ritek walls substituted for masonry to reduce wet trades.
Unique Design Items
  • Blast Engineering up to 270 kPa.
  • Region D IL4 cyclonic conditions.
  • Piling for ground conditions and shear resistance from blast loads.

Wheatstone LNG plant is a Chevron operated onshore liquid natural gas processing facility 12km south of Onslow.

Pritchard Francis completed the structural design and documentation of the Non-Process Infrastructure Buildings for the plant, which incorporated a total of 12 buildings and other miscellaneous structures, with a value of $240M. The buildings include:

  • Operations Centre (5,700m2)
  • Plant Laboratory (1,400m2)
  • Maintenance Centre (5,600m2)
  • Plant Warehouse (3,300m2)
  • Vehicle Maintenance Shop (1,550m2)
  • Fire Station
  • Main Gate Guard House
  • Product Loading Facility Guard House
  • Train 1 & 2 Field Operations Buildings
  • LNG Tank Farm Field Operations Building
  • Waste Management Building

Pritchard Francis completed the documentation in BIM, with full clash detection and a significant coordination role. A high degree of review and validation was required from Chevron and third party reviewers, which meant for a challenging balance between design justification and economical design.

In conjunction with the subcontractors, Pritchard Francis facilitated Research and Development of cladding materials simulating cyclonic wind and blast loading, resulting in a less conservative design.

Although the buildings were designed for some of the strongest cyclonic wind pressures in Australia, the structures were governed by blast pressures up to 50 times larger than wind. Pritchard Francis’ expertise in Blast Engineering ensured maximum value was produced for a typically conservative area of design. The quality of work in a niche field has resulted in additional Blast Engineering work from Chevron.