Felix Project News | Australia's Favourite Construction Blog

Downer secures contract for works at Olympic Dam operations in SA

Written by Monica Gameng | May 12, 2021 1:30:12 AM

Downer EDI Limited's Asset Services business has secured a new major contract from BHP to provide works as part of the Smelter Campaign Maintenance 2021 Project (SCM21) at the Olympic Dam operations in South Australia. 

The contract includes two work packages, which covers: 

  • Non-hot metals structural, mechanical and piping work consisting of feed preparation, gas and dust, acid plant, utilities and non-process infrastructure 
  • Refurbishment and overhaul of the Waste Heat Boiler 
  • Coordination of specialist subcontractors 

“Downer has over 50 years’ experience in the industrial sector, delivering complex maintenance, capital programs, shutdown, turnaround and outage services to our customers. 

“We have a strong relationship with BHP, and have worked closely with them to plan, prepare and deliver maintenance events and major projects in the past, including assembly of an electrostatic precipitator at Olympic Dam in 2017. 

“This contract award is a strong endorsement of our capability and demonstrates the importance of our long-term relationships focusing on our customers’ needs,” Downer Asset Services business Executive General Manager Pat Burke said. 

The work packages will involve specialist welding, boiler engineering and planning as well as scheduling services. 

This project will run for eight months until December of this year and Downer is expecting to employ over 350 people at its peak. 

Olympic Dam is located approximately 560 kilometres north of Adelaide and it is comprised of underground and surface mining operations and a fully integrated processing facility. This mining operation is known to contain one of the world's most significant deposits of copper, gold, silver and uranium. 

Source: Downer Group; BHP