Bechtel, a leading global engineering, procurement and construction firm today announced that its Curtis Island LNG program was recognized as the “Construction Project of the Year” at the Platts Global Energy Awards earlier this month. Hosted by S&P Global Platts, a leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, the annual awards event honors companies and individuals in the energy industry who are dedicated to achieving excellence. Through the Curtis Island LNG program, Bechtel undertook an unprecedented project--three simultaneous construction programs comprising the largest concentration of private-capital investment in Australia’s history.
“We are thrilled to have received the Platts Construction Project of the Year award for the massive scale of engineering and construction work on Curtis Island,” said Alasdair Cathcart, president of Bechtel’s Oil, Gas and Chemicals business. “This award is a testament to our talented team who worked collaboratively with our customers, the excellence of our extensive global supply chain, and the commitment and support of the local community. Our combined efforts and innovative approach to megaproject execution resulted in the delivery of reliable gas liquefaction facilities as well as sustainable local benefits.”
“We congratulate Bechtel for its win of Construction Project of the Year award,” said Martin Fraenkel, president of S&P Global Platts. “The independent panel of judges was impressed with Bechtel for its stand out performance on the Curtis Island LNG program and for its commitment to the energy industry’s advancement.”
Queensland Curtis LNG (a joint venture of QGC - now a Shell-owned business, China National Offshore Oil Corporation and Tokyo Gas), Australia Pacific LNG (a joint venture of ConocoPhillips, Origin and Sinopec), and Santos GLNG (a joint venture of Santos, Petronas, Total, and Kogas) each hired Bechtel to design and build liquefied natural gas facilities side by side on Curtis Island, off the shore of Queensland, just north of the city of Gladstone. The three facilities, including a total of six trains, are now complete and can produce more than 25 mtpa of LNG, accounting for roughly 8% of global LNG production.
At peak, the three plants employed more than 30,000 people across seven countries on four continents. Execution of the program involved a 24-hour engineering effort from three global execution centers, direct-hire construction on Curtis Island and modularization of major plant components in Bechtel-operated yards in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Bechtel achieved best-in-class safety results by delivering progressive and engaging safety programs.
A leader in sustainability and stakeholder relations, Bechtel engaged with the local community and Australian authorities to develop and implement a number of programs targeted at developing Australian craft workforce and increasing local participation in the construction of the Curtis Island LNG plants. These efforts included a program to deliver the largest intake of adult apprentices in Australia with more than 400 being hired on the program, and some 11,000 people receiving accredited training.
Bechtel is the global leader in the LNG industry and is responsible for about a third of LNG liquefaction capacity under construction today, including the Chevron-operated Wheatstone LNG project in Western Australia, and the first LNG export facility in the United States in some 40 years, Cheniere’s Sabine Pass Liquefaction project.
