Roy Hill Fuel Facility Layout

PROJECT : ROY HILL FUEL FACILITY LAYOUT

Location : Port Hedland

Roy Hill’s independently owned and operated railway is a 344km standard gauge, single line, heavy haul railway built to transport 55Mtpa of iron ore from the Roy Hill Mine to the dedicated Port stockyard facility, in the Boodarie Industrial Estate south of Port Hedland.

Five ore trains per day operate from the Roy Hill Mine, each consisting of two diesel electric locomotives hauling 232 ore cars with a total payload of 31,132 tonnes of ore. Roy Hill needed large bulk diesel facilities to rapidly fuel all ore trains to meet production and delivery schedules.

Roy Hill Rail Site is in Port Hedland and Roy Hill Mine is 115km north of Newman, Western Australia

THE CHALLENGE

The challenge was to deliver an integrated diesel fuel supply system, with two large bulk fuel facilities, 500km apart and in remote locations.

The outcomes the client was looking for included:

• One diesel fuel facility at Roy Hill Mine
• One diesel fuel facility at the port
• Integrate with Roy Hill’s state-of-the-art train loading system controlled from Remote Operations Centre (ROC) located in Perth
• Rapid refuelling capabilities
• Reduced costs, aiming to reduce labour onsite over time
• Lowering risk of project
• Provide an easily maintainable system facilitating full redundancy
• Reduce on-site construction works and associated risks, and
• Allow full functional testing and performance verification off site.

The challenges included:

• A project like this had never been completed before in the world
• Remote locations
• Harsh environment
• Complex diesel fuel distribution network, at port and minesite locations
• Facilities are located 500km apart, and
• Communication interface with Decmil Australia.

HOW WE WERE APPROACHED

We have an excellent existing relationship with the client based on our successful completion of critical projects in the past. We also have an excellent relationship with Decmil Australia.

In addition, we are known by reputation for our ability to innovate and find incredible solutions for highly-challenging situations.

OUR SOLUTION

Traditionally fuel facilities have pumps for unloading, loading and other refuelling activities located around the site and are wired back to a Motor Control Centre building.

Our approach was to consolidate the pumping, compressed air equipment and Motor Control Centre onto a single super skid to be pre-fabricated, assembled and tested at our facility and lifted into place on site where only a single lift was required.

THE OUTCOME

We delivered a top quality product, pre-tested at our manufacturing facility, which meant reduced site works in running pipework and cables, and reduced site commissioning time and rework.

Our highly successful project outcomes included:

• Delivery of project was on time and on budget
• Two large skids – one on the port, one at the mine site top unload & load the locomotives
• Delivered ancillary fuel transfer pumps and train loading equipment
• Delivered on skids, reducing site labour significantly, and
• High efficiencies achieved from Blackmer Pumps

These successful outcomes resulted in an ongoing and long-term commitment to our equipment by Roy Hill Rail.

“I’d like to thank you and your team for their efforts in getting the Rail Pump Skid over the line and on its way to site yesterday. This is a fantastic achievement and a tribute to your organisation”