NEWS / LATEST EVENTS (continued)

December 2006
RefMet have been awarded the third party inspection role for the refurbishment of the BHP Billiton Chinook field subsea tree at the Cameron Australasia facility in Melbourne.

November 2006
RefMet are finishing off a third party inspection assignment for Alpha Petroleum’s Tui Development in New Zealand.  The inspection assignment was based at Cameron Australasia’s facility in Melbourne and involved the assembly and test of gimbals, CVC goosenecks, permanent guide bases and other subsea completions equipment.

RefMet conducted a one day refractories training seminar in Western Australia.  Michael presented this course in the training facility of Cockburn Cement in East Munster.  A group of 12, drawn from the hosts, Tiwest, Iluka and Phoenix refractories spent a very fruitful ay exchanging information and experiences on rotary kiln issues, before retiring to the Little Sisters brewery in Fremantle for refreeshments

October 2006
Paul made a flying trip to Darwin to review the condition of the subsea tree running tools, risers and completions equipment at the Upstream Petroleum yard in Pinelands.  The equipment had recently been used offshore to complete a well at the AED Oil Pty Ltd Puffin field in the Timor Sea and was to be returned to the owner of the equipment, Coogee Resources Ltd.  Paul was acting as the independent certifier for the equipment and was charged with the responsibility of ensuring the equipment was returned in a suitable working condition

RefMet, with Carmagen Engineering Inc (New Jersey USA), successfully ran a three-day training course on the Design, Inspection and Maintenance of Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tanks to API 650/653 at the Alcoa Western Australia training centre in Fairbridge.  The small training centre close to the Pinjarra Alumina Refinery made for a relaxing setting for Carmagen’s David Thornton to present the course to 25 Alcoa, Hatch and Attar engineers.  Everyone completed the course with a good understanding of the design considerations important when building, inspecting and maintaining the 600+ tanks across the three Alcoa sites in Western Australia.

May 2006
RefMet has recently commenced work on the Nexus Energy Longtom field development.  Services include development of the fracture control plan, materials selection design for the subsea pipeline and production equipment, and writing linepipe specifications.

Comalco have commissioned RefMet to conduct an in-house Refractories training course.  Michael will present this in early June.

Michael also attended the S. E. Asian Iron and Steel Institute’s 35th anniversary Conference and Exhibition on Cebu island, Philippines.

April 2006
RefMet commenced work on the Basker Manta Gas Pipeline development for WorleyParsons and Upstream Petroleum.  Services include provision of linepipe specifications, review of supplier technical bids, and development of the pipeline fracture control plan.  Paul will soon be attended the pre-production meeting with Sumitomo at their Wakayama works in Japan.

Michael completed a two month assignment at Zinifex Hobart smelter during major repairs to their #6 Fluid bed Roaster.

February 2006
Paul recently made a flying trip to New Zealand to do a market review of the areas in which RefMet offer services.  Visits were made to the New Zealand Refining Company, Golden Bay Cement, NZ Steel and others.  The kind hospitality of those who met with us is greatly appreciated.

Michael completed a small assignment for Kimberly Clark’s Tantanoola mill, with advice on repairs to boiler refractories.  The plant was successfully recommissioned this month after a short shut.

January 2006
Paul was back in Tanggu, China with Kerr McGee China Petroleum to review the fabrication and materials application for the Well Head Platform ‘D’.  Very chilly conditions made work at the COOEC construction yard very difficult.  While temperatures at home in Melbourne were soaring to 42°C, Paul was experiencing the complete opposite end of the scale at -15°C.  A visit to South China Marine of Wuzhou in China’s Southwestern corner during the visit provided some relief to the cold.

November 2005
Paul’s work in China has continued with a recent visit to some of Kerr McGee’s local Chinese vendors.  Visits were made to the Bohai Oil Pipeline Coating Company in Guangzhou, South China Marine in Wuzhou and a number of smaller local fabrication companies in the Tanggu and TEDA district where KMG is based.

24 October 2005
In conjunction with the Australian Foundry Institute annual conference at Panther World of Entertainment in Western Sydney, The Australasian branch of the Institute of Refractories Engineers held a one day technical conference and exhibition on Monday 24th October.. RefMet was a bronze sponsor of this event, and exhibited in the main exhibition area for the day. The attached photo shows Paul at the RefMet stand, discussing issues with Joe Krusic from Loy Yang Power in the Latrobe Valley.

At the IRE annual meeting, held after the technical sessions, Michael was elected Vice-Chairman of the Branch for 2006.

July 2005
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.

4 May 2005
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.

March 2005
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.
Details of the seminar content can be found in the training section>>