RefMet is an independent Materials Engineering consultancy specialising in professional services focussing on Refractories and Metallurgical applications in the minerals and process industries.  Founded in 1996, as Refractory & Metallurgical Services, the business boasts a wide range of high profile industrial clients for its services.  The Principals have, collectively, over 45 years experience in the metals, minerals, oil & gas, and other process industries.

NEWS / LATEST EVENTS

November 2007
Refmet was awarded a design assistance assignment by Unimin P/L for the strategic upgrade of their Shaft kiln linings throughout Australia.

As part of his ongoing shutdown planning assistance to Nyrstar Hobart, Michael visited the site of Siam Refractories near Saraburi in Central Thailand, to inspect the latest consignment of bricks, prior to despatch to Tasmania.

Paul has commenced the third party validation of all of the Safety Critical Equipment to be used as part of the BHP Billiton Chinook-1 completion equipment.  Paul has made several visits to the work shops of Helix Well Operations in Jandakot, W.A to witness testing of riser piping, flow-heads and running tools.

October 2007
In his position as President of the Australian branch of the Institute of Refractories Engineers, Michael attended the Annual conference of Manufacturing Skills Australia, the Industry Training board with relevance to the Training of Refractory Installers.  The conference was attended by both the Minister and Shadow minister for education and Training, and highlighted the different approach from the two main parties.

Paul conducted a corrosion and materials study for the Roc Oil China Zhao Dong Extended Reach Area project.  The study consisted of the review of corrosion conditions and selection of materials of construction of the process equipment on-board two weld head casing platforms that are bridge-linked to a central pipeline terminal platform.  The work also included the selection of materials for some of the brown-field updates to the Zhao Dong platform.

September 2007
Michael attended the Biennial UNITECR refractories conference in Dresden, Germany where he presented a technical paper, co-authored by Paul.  While in Europe, Michael also visited several engineers of interest, and a major refractories production plant in the Czech republic, near Brno.

August 2007
August was a very busy month for Paul with a short trip to South Korea at the start of the month.  Paul visited the Husteel Linepipe Mill in Mokpo (at the southern tip of South Korea) on behalf of Nexus Energy for the Longtom Field Development Project.  Paul attended the plant with Mr Allan Wright of the Trident Darwin Joint Venture to discuss Husteel’s exceptions to the project linepipe specification and to assess Husteel’s capability to manufacture DNV OS F101 compliant HFW linepipe.

At the end of the month Paul attended a Pre-production meeting at Tenaris Coiled Tubing in Houston, Texas.  The meeting was attended with Mr Andrew Bourke of AGR Asia Pacific and the coiled linepipe is for the Anzon Basker Manta Intra-Field Development Project.  A total of 90,000’ of 4.5” OD x 0.308” WT (sorry for the imperial units, it’s fromTexas!) coiled linepipe is to be supplied by TCT for the project.  Milling of the linepipe commenced in September.  Paul has worked closely with the mill to overcome a number of technical difficulties experienced during the manufacture of this size pipe (TCT’s first time for this size).  The linepipe has since been milled, coated and tested ready for delivery to Australia.

July 2007
RefMet presented the first of three of its 2007 conference papers this month.  Michael presented a paper co-authored with Mr Graeme Quigley, of Dynamic Structures Pty Ltd, titled “When a Refractory Failure Isn’t! - More Anchor Issues”.  The paper was presented at the IRE Annual Conference in Sydney.

Paul, later the same week presented a paper, also co-authored with Graeme Quigley, titled “Material Characteristics That Have the Greatest Influence on the Survival of Refractory Anchorage Systems” at the IMEA and ACS conference Austceram and Materials 2007.  The conference was also in Sydney.

These papers will be on our “Technical Pages” section soon.

June 2007
Paul’s work for the month consisted of corrosion and materials selection studies for British Gas India’s Hydra Project and Chevron Thailand’s Platong Gas II Project.  On-going welding and manufacturing support was provided to the Nexus Energy Longtom Project.

May 2007
RefMet has various on-going design activities with the Anzon Basker Manta Integrated Field Development Project, Nexus Energy Longtom Field Development and the British Gas Exploration and Production India Limited Hydra FEED project.

April 2007
Michael has been retained again by Zinifex Hobart Smelter to provide technical and procurement support for this client’s next major Roaster shutdown

Paul attended, on behalf of Nexus Energy, the Pre-Manufacturing for the Nexus Energy Longtom linepipe order in Japan.  The linepipe is being manufactured by Nippon Steel Corporation at their Hikari City Works HFW linepipe plant.  Members of the Sumitomo Corporation trading team, Nippon Steel staff and the third party inspection personnel from NECO QA attended the pre-manufacturing meeting.  Paul  Has conducted many of these meetings in the past.

April was a very busy month with RefMet also overseeing the factory acceptance testing and delivery of the BHP Billiton Petroleum subsea tree #21 from the Chinook 1 field.  Cameron Australasia refurbished the SST in Melbourne.

March 2007
RefMet completed a review of the Alcoa World Alumina Western Australia tank inspection operations.  From this review a tank inspection procedure was developed to cover the routine and major tank inspection requirements for the Kwinana, Pinjarra and Wagerup Alumina Refineries.

RefMet has recently taken on the review and update of the Kipper Tuna Gas FEED Project material selection report on behalf of the WorleyParsons/Intec Joint Venture.

February 2007
RefMet provided independent validation services for well production testing and clean-up equipment for the AED Puffin-8 well development and the Nexus Energy Crux-2 well development in the Timor Sea.  The validation exercises involved the review of manufacturing and test records for equipment intended for use on the drilling rigs working over the wells.  Equipment included heat exchangers, inlet separators, flowheads and rigid and flexible piping.  The outcome of the review was incorporated into the drilling safety case for each well development.

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Last updated: 3 December 2007