Gorgon LNG Project Barrow Island
Chevron Australia
Project Overview
The Mermaid Marine Dampier Supply Base (DSB) is the primary mainland supply base on the North West Shelf for the Gorgon construction project. Operations on the base commenced in late 2009 with a team of 25 MMA employees providing stevedoring & supply base services to the project.
MMA's stevedores, logistics and marine support personnel conduct material control, freight movement and loadout operations at the DSB. Barge loading & RORO operations are performed at our purpose built landbacked Barge Berth where MMA personnel load up to 3 LCT Barges per day.
MMA also conducts final quarantine preparation, including; remediation, washdown and consolidation of freight to Gorgon quarantine specifications.
MMA commenced supporting the Gorgon project with a full marine spread in January 2010. The initial scope included berthing and unberthing 300ft cargo barges at the Mermaid Marine DSB Barge Berth. Soon after this scope commenced, MMA began towing 250ft cargo barges between the DSB and Barrow Island.
September 2010 saw the mobilisation of two 250ft water carrying barges and a support tug to tow the barges. MMA has now mobilised a total of 17 vessels into the project to carry out various functions, including; supply, fuel transfer, cyclone contingency, accommodation and desalination services.
Project Snapshot
| Project Name | Gorgon LNG Project |
| Project Operator | Chevron Australia |
| Location | North West Shelf, Australia |
| MMA's Involvement | December 2009 to present |
| Scope of Work | Dampier stevedoring & supply base services; Vessel services |
| Equipment at DSB | Vessels in field | |
| 2 x Maffi Tow Trucks | 1x cargo tug | 2x anchor handlers |
| 2 x Volvo L 150 Loaders | 2x cargo barges | 2x cyclone contingency tugs |
| 32 Ton Forklift | 2x water tugs | 1x accommodation barge |
| 16 Ton Forklift | 2x water barges | 1x Multicat desalination |
| 6 Ton Forklift | 1x fuel barge | vessel |
| 2.5 Ton Forklift | 1x LTC | 2x pusher tugs |
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Acheivements and Results
MMA is privileged to contribute to the enormously significant Gorgon project from both a supply base and marine services perspective.
The Mermaid Marine DSB is a hub of activity and the tonnage of freight processed through the facility and shipped to Barrow Island has steadily increased since 2009.
MMA personnel have also showed particular resourcefulness in adopting and executing Chevron's stringent Environmental and Quarantine procedures including taking the lead on remediation, washdown and final inspections.
The MMA fleet dedicated to Gorgon has increased from an initial 2 vessels in 2010 to 17 vessels currently.
On a number of occasions MMA has conducted difficult international mobilisations and complex vessel modifications to solve specific challenges faced by the project. For example, MMA project managed the modification of the Toll Sandfly such that it met the particular project requirements for a fuel LTC. MMA also sourced and installed a desalination plant on the back of the Mermaid Vision, effectively mobilising a water-making and transporting vessel into the project.
