INDUSTRIAL SERVICES - QGC

QGC is a leading coal seam gas explorer and producer focused on establishing the world's first project to convert coal seam gas into liquefied natural gas - Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG).

QGC is wholly owned by BG Group, a leading player in the global energy market. Veolia works with QGC to provide a number of vital services: vegetation management; total waste management; and water treatment plant operations.
 

Vegetation Management

In December 2015, Veolia was awarded a contract to provide QGC with vegetation management services covering all their upstream assets. Veolia was chosen for its innovative approach to vegetation management that delivers cost efficiencies while meeting strict environmental compliance requirements.

Due to the large area being serviced across the Surat Basin, Veolia employed a project management model where all manual field work was subcontracted. Subcontractors were engaged under commercial terms that ensured the seamless integration and compliance with the head contract conditions.

The subcontractor model uses Veolia systems where live field data updates are available to Vegetation Management Advisors to monitor and regularly audit ongoing operations ensuring vegetation objectives and compliance are met.

Total Waste Management

QGC required a consolidated waste management solution for its numerous operations in the Surat Basin stretching from the south-west of Chinchilla through to the north-west of Wandoan.

Since 2015, Veolia has provided QGC with a total waste management solution with an approach based on the following key characteristics:

• Structured resource recovery program that focuses on each individual segregating waste at the disposal source. The program also includes the identification of reuse, recovery, recycling, treatment and disposal options locally and throughout QLD.
• Standardised operational model applied across QGC’s entire upstream operations and service area.
• Specialised regulated and liquid waste collection vehicles to support well engineering operations, and multi-skilled labour.
• ​Tailored waste management services for the various operational requirements of both QGC’s fixed facility assets and well-engineering rigs and drill camps.

• ​Veolia’s approach that takes into account the desirable steps of the waste management hierarchy for avoiding, reusing, recycling and recovering waste. The end goal of the process is to minimise waste going to landfill

Water Treatment

In April 2013, Veolia was awarded a 20-year contract to operate and maintain QGC’s three water treatment plants which treat groundwater produced alongside natural gas. Veolia was chosen for its unique expertise in managing the complete production water treatment cycle in the complex field of unconventional oil and gas.

Utilising a highly skilled team of 55 employees including electricians, instrument technicians, plant operators and water engineers, Veolia operates and maintains the water treatment plants ultrafiltration, ion exchange, reverse osmosis and brine concentration equipment in addition to pump stations and electrical substations.

The gas field operated by QGC spans 4,500 square kilometres. Plans call for drilling of 6,000 wells by 2030 and Veolia will treat the production water of each new well brought on stream. In all, close to 200,000 cubic metres will be treated per day (the volume of 80 Olympic swimming Pools) and a very high-quality end product will be guaranteed on a long-term basis. The production water, which is pumped up from the wells at the same time as the methane, has high salt content and must undergo complex treatment before it can be reused in industry or agriculture.