Taking advantage of the developing oil and gas hub of Darwin, ASCO Group took over management of Shell’s operations and maintenance logistics and supply base in late June, further expanding its Australian footprint.

ASCO will provide warehouse and yard services, local and domestic trucking services, and coordinating port services as part of the contract.

Speaking to Oil & Gas Australia, ASCO general manager of Northern Australia, Jason Howe said being a new concept and project there are a lot of unknowns but the company is excited to have a part in working with floating LNG technology.

“Essentially we need to make sure the materials they require are in the right place, at the right time, in the right working condition,” he said.

Due to the remoteness of the field, a significant lead time was needed with respect to cargo requirements, meaning that any mistakes made would be costly, Mr Howe said.

“The accuracy, efficiency and effectiveness of our service delivery is critical to ensuring the Prelude facility receives the equipment it requires, as it requires it, in the condition it requires it to maintain safe and efficient operations.”

Mr Howe said working with a new concept will require ASCO to have the systems in place to respond to changing project requirements. “This will no doubt present some exciting challenges along the way,” he said.

Shell’s Prelude project’s Darwin onshore supply base comprises 6,500 square metres of warehouse, 1,500 square metres of which is climate-controlled storage, three hectares of work and storage yards and office facilities.

Located within the East Arm Logistics precinct, the supply base is two kilometres from the ASCO managed marine supply base at Darwin Port from where equipment and supplies will be loaded onto vessels and taken to the Prelude facility.

Shell’s floating LNG project is located in the Browse basin and is expected to produce 5.3 million tonnes per annum of LNG, LPG and condensate.

The news came as Darwin’s marine supply base (DMSB), managed by ASCO under a 20 year contract, recently celebrated its one year anniversary.

DMSB is located in the Port of Darwin in the Northern Territory, with Mr Howe saying this further cemented Darwin’s position as a major oil and gas hub.

Mr Howe said the downturn in the oil and gas sector resulted in decreased demand but acknowledged the resources sector as a cyclical market and expects demand to improve over the next 12 to 24 months.

“With the current outlook of activity, with Ichthys and Prelude soon to commission and commence production, the availability of ancillary services required to support oil and gas activities in the Darwin market is consistently growing.”

“No other facility within a reasonable distance can currently offer this package within the region,” he said.

“Geographically, Darwin is well places to service operations from the Browse region in the west, to Timor in the north, to the Gulf of Carpentaria to the east.”

Source: www.ascoworld.com

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