RefMet has been appointed materials’ consultant for Upstream Petroleum, with Paul being seconded to their South Yarra office on an almost a full time basis. He will assist their materials effort for their offshore projects.

Due to Paul’s efforts, RefMet has also won a significant project to assist Kerr McGee Petroleum in China, initially to audit materials, coating and fabrication practices for the KMGCP Bohai Bay projects.

Michael, on the other hand has been assisting Zinifex at their Hobart smelter with procurement of replacement refractories for a major roaster shutdown scheduled for later this year. This involved an audit of the successful tenderer’s production facility in Thailand. The attached photo shows Michael, together with Zinifex staff and local management. A second trip will be made in early August to conduct QA on the product prior to shipment.

RefMet recently sponsored a major training course, given by Vince Carrucci, CEO of Carmagen Engineering Inc of New Jersey USA, entitled “Design and maintenance of Aboveground Atmospheric storage tanks”, to API specifications 650 & 653.

The course was attended by representatives of all major refining companies, many NDT inspection companies, minerals industry operators and other interested engineering groups.

The course gave an in depth understanding of the principals behind these specifications, detailing their very pragmatic background, and dealt  specifically with the major problems to be found with factors such as ground subsidence, corrosion and wind stresses.

The feedback from attendees was very positive, so much so that an additional course is being planned for Q3/4 this year.

RefMet is indebted to Vince Carrucci, Carmagen’s CEO, for making his first  trip to Australia to present the course.  His positive response to both Australia, and his audience, has prompted him to make himself available for a further course, subject to adequate demand.

RefMet recently held a further successful one day refractories seminar in Notting Hill, Vic.  This was attended by 10 senior engineers from significant local resource companies, and a representative of a refractory supplier.