Western Australia: 33,000 workers needed by 2012

The skills shortage across resource and construction industries is continuing to worsen, with Western Australia alone needing to fund an extra 33 000 skilled workers by the end of 2012. The Chamber of Minerals and Energy have compiled a report on the growth outlook for the state, which found that if the positions aren’t filled, it could have dire consequences for projects in terms of budget and timeframes and may ruin Western Australia’s reputation as a competitive mining market.

The West Australian is reporting that the 10-year forecast of labour and infrastructure report, to be released today, shows an extra 34 000 skilled workers need to be employed in resource projects in the Pilbara alone and says direct employment in the sector will soon pass 120 000 across WA, making up 10 per cent of the state’s workforce. The shortage is expected to be most dire when projects including Gorgon, Pluto and BHP Billiotn’s Pilbara expansion reach their peaks and.

As many as 90 per cent of the workforce will be employed on fly-in., fly-out contracts, which is sure to further add to the already hot debate about FIFO work.About 85 per cent of the additional FIFO workers will be based in Perth or Peel and the remainder interstate.Most of the positions will need to be made up from foreign workers, as nearly all WA residents are already employed.

In January, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced pthe government is considering assisting 20 000 skilled migrants to enter Australia and the rates of Irish relocating here is at record levels."Our ability to address these significant labour issues will impact directly on the ability to deliver these projects on time and on budget," CME chief executive Reg Howard-Smith tole The West Australian yesterday. He went on to say the ability for companies to meet deadlines impacts on its reputation and future investment. Earlier this month an online forum was unveiled to allow for discussion about the skills shortage and attempt to fimd solutions.

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/33-000-workers-needed-in-wa-by-next-year

Gorgon Project Jobs

Gorgon investment in Australia is generating more and more jobs and supplier opportunitiesas local companies get involved with Australia’s single largest ever resource project.

The project is expected to spend about $20 billion on Australian goods and services over the next 4 to 5 years.

And early indications are confirming the independent modeling conducted by ACIL Tasman which showed that Gorgon will spend $33 billion on local goods and services in the first 30 years.

John Holland wins Gorgon contract

John Holland has secured a significant contract with Chevron to carry out the design and construction of permanent buildings on the Chevron-operated Gorgon Project, one of the world’s largest natural gas projects and the largest single resource natural gas project ever undertaken in Australia.

With a contract value of over $180 million, John Holland’s Design and Construct package will deliver essential infrastructure in the buildings-operations and administration areas, including the construction of the Gorgon Project’s operations centre and laboratory buildings on Barrow Island.

John Holland Group Managing Director, Glenn Palin, said: “This is a significant project for John Holland, aligned to the long term strategy of our business and our continued expansion into the oil and gas sector. John Holland has a strong commitment to safety, the environment and its people, and I look forward to this being the start of a mutually beneficial partnership.”

General Manager of John Holland’s Western Region, Adam Harry, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for John Holland to be involved in Australia’s largest single resource project. For many of our people this will be a once in a lifetime job and I am confident our expertise and focus on delivering safe and quality works will see the successful delivery of this project.”

Chevron has appointed John Holland for the design and construction of several permanent buildings including:
- Workshop;
- Warehouse;
- Fire Station;
- Dangerous Goods Store;
- Installation of LV Switch Room and transformers;
- Laboratory (construction only);
- Operations Centre Building, containing the Central Control Room and Clinic (construction only);
- Utilities & Services, Civil Works including roads and lay down areas.

Works on the project are due to commence on Barrow Island in late 2011, with completion expected in 2013. The Gorgon Project, which will develop the Greater Gorgon Area gas fields located about 130 kilometres off the north-west coast of Western Australia, includes the construction of a Liquefied Natural Gas plant on Barrow Island and a domestic gas plant to supply gas to Western Australia. Barrow Island is located 56 kilometres off the north-west coast of Western Australia. The Gorgon Project is operated by an Australian subsidiary of Chevron and is a joint venture of the Australian subsidiaries of Chevron (approximately 47 percent), ExxonMobil (25 percent) and Shell (25 percent), Osaka Gas (1.25 percent), Tokyo Gas (one percent) and Chubu Electric Power (0.417 percent).

Gorgon Project Australia - Video Overview

The Gorgon gas project is a natural gas project in Western Australia, involving the development of the Greater Gorgon gas fields, subsea gas-gathering infrastructure, and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on Barrow Island. The project also includes a domestic gas component. It is currently under construction and once completed, will become Australia's fourth LNG export development.

Overview of the Gorgon Project in Western Australia

Gorgon, Browse and Wheatstone Projects require Construction Workers and Engineers

Australia will need to import workers if it wants to take full advantage of its abundant natural resources, the nation's largest private construction company says. Daniel Grollo, chief executive of Grocon Group, wants the federal government to start planning for the massive skills shortage the country faces as private investment in infrastructure and construction recovers from the global financial crisis. Huge gas developments off the northwest coast of Australia alone require a more mobile workforce and more skilled migrants, he says.

JobContax will be recruiting experienced civils professionals for numerous large LNG Projects in Western Australia, on an ongoing basis.

US energy giant Chevron is using thousands of workers to construct the A$43 billion (US$42.49 billion) Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project on Barrow Island off the northwest coast of Western Australia. Also in WA, Chevron is planning its Wheatstone LNG project, while Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) aims to expand its Pluto LNG project, construction of which is nearing completion.

"I think we've got a really, really big challenge up in the northwest. You've got to see this to believe it," Mr Grollo told an Australia-Israeli Chamber of Commerce lunch in Sydney on Tuesday. "We've heard a lot about Gorgon, and the reality is another two or three projects of the same scale are coming in the very near future. "Australia just does not have the mobility in its workforce to go and solve that issue. "If we want Australia to be a prosperous country, if we want to take advantage of the natural resources we have, if we want to participate in the growth of China in the resources sector, then we're going to have to do something about people, and that's going to need a lot of foreign workers."

Courtesy of:  http://www.downstreamtoday.com/news/article.aspx?a_id=24935