Brownfield Projects Engineering

Detailing the installation of mechanical equipment and conveyor structures is one of the final steps for completing a maingate drive-head design. Installations designed by Orana Engineering for Glencore’s Oaky No.1 underground coal mine included detailing drive arrangements, transfer stations, take-up units, maintenance equipment and the overhead structures supporting the carry belt. Mechanical design must consider a number of factors, including meeting the required operating capabilities, allowing for unimpeded access along travel roads, and maintaining minimum belt curves. Often equipment is relocated from previous installations with minor modifications in transfer angle and number of drives. Orana Engineering has developed unique methods for completing this type of design, enabling us to keep total costs down for our clients.

APA Group released a project for tender comprising electrical and instrumentation for rectification of hazardous area compliance issues.  Condamine Electric Company (CEC) tendered on the work and engaged Orana Engineering to prepare a detailed estimate of costs to complete the rectification works. Orana Engineering undertook a detailed review of the scope and drawings in the tender package to ascertain requirements.  Quotes for non-standard equipment were obtained and a detailed cost estimate was created. Additionally, from the scope review Orana Engineering identified and compiled a comprehensive list of questions which were subsequently raised by CEC during a tender site visit.  Upon provision of responses, Orana Engineering delivered a complete capital estimate to CEC for tendering.

Oaky Creek Coal engaged Orana Engineering to perform electrical and control system design aspects of a 22M Flyover Conveyor to provide an interface between two existing conveyor systems. Orana Engineering’s brownfield engineering expertise was drawn upon to resolve complexities in interfacing two different coal streams, powered from separate substations and controlled from independent process control systems. Should one system need to be shutdown it was necessary that the other system was not impacted. The electrical engineering scope included powering the conveyor and transfer systems and providing lighting designs and power distribution. Control system engineering included selection and specification of instrumentation, specification of control system hardware and development of a functional specification.

Eloise Copper Mine required recommissioning of their No.2 Ball Mill. During recommissioning it was identified that a means of relocating grinding media to the feed chute needed to be designed and engineered, with RPEQ certification. Orana Engineering was contacted to assist and a monorail, complete with electric hoist and trolley, was identified as being the practical solution. Challenges presented themselves while locating the monorail within the existing structure however, Orana Engineering was able work within the constraints of the existing structure to meet client requirements. All elements of the structural engineering review and design of the monorail to were taken into account. RPEQ certified fabrication and installation drawings were produced, ensuring the upgraded structure was fit for purpose.

Vale at Carborough Downs Coal Mine required quantifying of current and possible future capacities of product conveyors at their coal processing plant in Central Queensland and high level recommendations to achieve increased plant tonnages. Orana Engineering completed an initial site visit to gather the necessary information for review of each of the conveyors. Engineering checks were completed to identify ‘bottle-necks’ in the conveyor design such as motor power, drive equipment, belt curves, GTU mass, belt speed, belt capacity, belt tensions and electrical supply. Orana Engineering issued a detailed report at completion of the study and provided concept level equipment modification recommendations for tonnage ranges advised by Carborough Downs Coal Mine.

The mother beam of the 40T ship loading crane at the Port of Townsville was nearing the end of its 30 year service life. Xstrata Copper engaged Orana Engineering to redesign the beam based on the existing beam and to incorporate changes in compliance with latest regulations. After fully modelling the mother beam using Autodesk Inventor, RPEQ approved shop detail drawings were produced. Electrical monitoring systems were introduced to enable crane operators to confirm when the mother beam was fully engaged with various attachments and control wiring to the beam was redesigned to include two cable drums whereas the original had three. Mechanical redesign included a failsafe back-up locking system and design improvements highlighted by feedback from maintenance personnel.

Eloise Copper Mine purchased a Metso dual deck vibrating screen to replace an existing smaller screen and a second Omnicone cone crusher to provide a secondary crushing circuit for increased production and efficiency. Orana Engineering was engaged to develop a design solution and detailed drawings for the secondary crushing circuit which utilised as much existing equipment as possible. Orana Engineering was able to provide an efficient, practical design solution while minimising the associated design costs to provide site personnel with information required to refurbish and install the conveyor equipment necessary for the crushing circuit. Orana Engineering successfully completed the design within a tight project time frame and produced in excess of 100 detailed drawings.

Carpentaria Gold identified that bunding around their Ravenswood cyanide storage tank was inadequate. Sodium Cyanide, used in the gold recovery process, is potentially lethal to humans and animals and detrimental to the environment. It is necessary to ensure it can be safely contained in an emergency. Orana Engineering provided an innovative solution comprising a smaller tank fitted inside the existing tank. The design minimised loss of storage capacity by providing a smaller tank for primary storage whilst maintaining the existing external tank to act as the bund. Utilising the existing tank as a bund, Orana Engineering delivered a design that met the client brief while re-using the majority of major tie-in points and providing improved access for maintenance.

Orana Engineering was engaged by MMG's Century Mine to review a proposed reagent dosing system within the concentrator. An investigation was conducted which included hydraulic modelling for various reagent dosing system philosophies. Results were presented for a range of design and operating conditions and three solutions were proposed meeting the client's requirements. Factoring in control system complexity and cost, Orana Engineering recommended a preferred option and a back-up option requiring only minor system modifications. The engineering review was completed within a short timeframe and a detailed report provided to MMG detailing hydraulic modelling results and required operational settings for the offered options. MMG was able to use the results to make a decision on the solution ultimately implemented.

To increase the efficiency of their concentrator, Eloise Copper Mine enlisted Orana Engineering to provide engineering and design assistance with installation of three copper concentrate scavenger cells within the existing plant. 3D models created by Orana Engineering designers were used to visually communicate solutions for new and existing equipment locations and structure arrangements. Detailing of these concept models enabled Orana Engineering to identify key tie-in locations within the plant for survey during the detailed design phase. A multidisciplinary approach during detailed design ensured improved efficiency, with brownfield engineering challenges in relocating / connecting to existing equipment successfully achieved. Upon design completion the client was provided with an installation drawing set and scope of work.

Orana Engineering was engaged to design new sampling equipment for improved sampling effectiveness at Carpentaria Gold’s Ravenswood operations. A site visit was undertaken by Orana Engineering design staff to accurately record critical data. This enabled designers to produce a detailed 3D model which was used extensively during interactions with the client and ensured a fluent understanding of the project scope by both parties throughout the design process. Orana Engineering was able to integrate new sampling equipment into the existing plant whilst minimising any impact on the operation. Various challenges were overcome with the result being successful delivery of drawings for fabrication and installation of equipment, allowing improved sampling and production reconciliation whilst minimising impact to operations.

MMG's Karumba Port Facility engaged Orana Engineering to design a heavy vehicle washdown facility to assist with management of concentrate for site vehicles and machinery. The time frame was short due to operational requirements, such that Orana Engineering worked from concept to IFC drawings in just seven days. The design needed to accommodate a number of different vehicles from fully laden container trailers to a 30 tonne forklift, whilst also ensuring ease of facility maintenance and capture of runoff for environmental compliance. Concept sketches were prepared, from which a detailed design was developed to meet client requirements. Through effective communication with the client Orana Engineering was able to deliver the design in a compressed timeline, to specification and budget.

Orana Engineering was engaged by MMG's Century Mine to design an upgrade within the concentrator for increased flow from a flotation cell to a tailings trough. Orana Engineering conducted a concept investigation of available options to increase the flow rate. Results were presented for a range of design and operating conditions, and a preferred option was selected for detailed design. Orana Engineering design staff created a 3D model of the new pipeline using Autodesk Inventor. The 3D model was used to produce fabrication drawings for pipe supports, new platform and new pipe bridge. Drawings also included isometric pipe spool drawings and revised P&ID drawings.

The maintenance department of Eloise Copper Mine contacted Orana Engineering with a requirement for design of an access platform for their jaw crusher, including engineering certification and drafting. The client provided site measurements and a basic concept of the design they were looking for. Being a brownfield engineering project, the design had to consider the surrounding area and existing structures to minimise modifications. Autodesk Inventor was used to create a basic 3D model of the area. Once the physical data was established the detailed design of the platform was able to be performed efficiently. Orana Engineering was able to produce both detailed shop drawings for fabrication and site installation drawings, all of which were provided with structural engineering certification.

Carborough Downs is an underground operation utilising conveyors to transport mined coal to the surface. As new longwall headings are mined, new conveyor installations are also required. Orana Engineering was engaged to complete a drive-head chamber design, ensuring adequate sizing for installation of conveyor equipment. During initial mining of the chamber, a coal seam fault line was discovered. Carborough Downs requested that Orana Engineering develop a chamber design that maximised product mined through the fault area, while working within conveyor installation constraints. Using AutoCAD, Orana Engineering produced several design options and sketches for client approval and reference during mining processes. Orana Engineering provided final chamber excavation drawings, which were developed into mine designs and sequence plans, by site mining engineers.

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation utilising conveyors to transport mined coal to the surface for processing. As operations progress and new longwall headings are mined, new conveyor installations are also required. Orana Engineering was engaged to design a new longwall drive-head chamber and conveyor installation, initially providing a drawing set detailing required drive-head chamber dimensions to suit the conveyor installation. Using AutoCAD, a civil design and conveyor equipment arrangement was produced. The conveyor design had to consider several constraints, including available equipment, transfer tie-in to existing trunk conveyor, maintenance access, drainage, minimum clearances and belt curves. Upon layout approval, AutoCAD drawings were produced detailing civil and mechanical design aspects, enabling site engineers to complete installation with efficiency while ensuring regulatory compliance.

The purpose of the Reagent System Upgrade at Oaky Creek was installation of new reagent storage tanks, discharge / delivery pumping systems and automated flow control distribution manifolds for the delivery of each reagent to the nominated process connections. Orana Engineering performed mechanical, electrical and control systems design, drafting and engineering for the project. The primary deliverables included scope of works, construction drawings, functional specification, BOM, spares lists and equipment / instrument data sheets. Orana Engineering managed the onsite commissioning of the system and provided a system handover to operations for implementation. An Operation & Maintenance Manual and Hazardous Area Dossier were provided on project completion.

For personnel safety and compliance with Queensland’s Coal Mining Safety & Health Regulation it is a requirement for mine sites to provide electrical workers with access to up-to-date drawings for electrical equipment and electrical installations. To improve the maintainability of plant electrical systems and personnel safety, Hail Creek Mine engaged Orana Engineering to create bound books of electrical drawings for Draglines 1 and 7 and Shovel 14. Multiple books were made for each machine in both A4 and A3 sizes and using waxed (water proof) paper to ensure longevity. Using vendor drawings from the client, Orana Engineering produced bound books containing all electrical power, control and termination diagrams associated with the respective mobile plant.

To ensure the CHPP reagent tank farm lighting protection systems complied with Australian Standards, Moranbah North requested Orana Engineering to undertake a review and design an upgrade of the lightning protection systems for the tank farm area. With the area encompassing fuel storage tanks, it was classified as having structures with "explosive or highly flammable contents" and was therefore required to comply with AS1768 : 2008 Lightning Protection. Orana Engineering’s audit of the installation and its lightning protection systems confirmed that an upgrade of the facility was needed to comply with current lightning protection standards. Using its team of detailed draftsmen Orana Engineering created a set of drawings detailing the work required to comply with AS1768 : 2008 Lightning Protection.

To improve the maintainability of plant electrical systems and personnel safety, Hail Creek Mine employed the drawing revision services of Orana Engineering to redraw electrical power, control and termination diagrams associated with its Dragline 7 into AutoCAD format. Having electrical drawings in CAD (computer aided design) format, is one of the most efficient ways to capture site electrical modifications, installations or as-building changes for ready access by site personnel involved in maintenance and operations. Working closely with site contacts and onsite electricians, Orana Engineering was able to accurately reproduce 247 electrical drawings into AutoCAD for Dragline 7.

To increase productivity and maintain compliance with legislative standards, Glencore Coal employed the services of Orana Engineering to design and manage the electrical aspects of an upgrade to their existing sewage treatment plant. The project was managed on-site by others, with Orana Engineering providing electrical engineering, design, project management and construction / commissioning assistance. Upon completion of installation, Orana Engineering updated all drawings to reflect any changes made, thus providing Glencore Coal with as-built drawings which will make any future maintenance or fault-finding work more efficient and cost effective, as well as providing legislative compliance.

At the completion of Tailings Pumping Upgrades of the Main CHPP and Module 4 CHPP at Oaky Creek Coal, Orana Engineering received As Built drawings from site and was requested to make electronic revisions for upload into the client’s Drawing Management System. Over 80 drawings had received red pen site mark-ups indicating either that the design had been constructed as per the drawings, or highlighting design changes made during the construction phase of the project. Orana Engineering reviewed these mark-ups and formally revised all drawings to As Built status, incorporating the site mark-ups. The final set of drawings was uploaded to the client’s Drawing Management System ensuring site personnel had access to the latest As Built drawings.

Management at Carpentaria Gold’s Ravenswood Operation enlisted Orana Engineering to design a fall arrest system that could be easily removed and repositioned above multiple leach tanks, allowing for safe removal and servicing of tank agitators. From a site visit, Orana Engineering identified the need for an arrangement that could be easily disassembled and relocated to each leach tank. The design was challenging due to the varying nature of access structure members above tanks. Orana Engineering designers proposed an assembly utilising a common set of supporting columns with struts of varying lengths depending on the work location. A full set of shop fabrication and assembly drawings were issued with the final design providing safety for personnel working above open tanks.

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation utilising conveyors to transport raw material to the surface for processing. As operations progress new trunk conveyor extensions are required. Orana Engineering was engaged to assist with the process of extending an underground trunk conveyor. This involved using survey data of the conveyor heading and designing a suitable belt profile, utilising minimum conveyor curves identified in the conveyor power and tension analysis. Orana Engineering produced a set of drawings detailing the belt profile, conveyor structures and locations for roof bolts that the structures would be suspended from. These drawings enabled site engineers to complete the conveyor structure installation and conveyor extension with minimal risk of error and conveyor tracking problems.

The Glencore Port Operations in Townsville operate an export facility for minerals concentrate and refined copper within the Port of Townsville precinct. The concentrate in-loading rotaside tippler was identified as being at end of life and a feasibility study was commissioned to review a like-for-like replacement option for refurbishment of the tippler. To facilitate feasibility-level costing, Orana Engineering was asked to provide electrical engineering and mechanical engineering assistance with provision of a concept design for the proposed refurbishment and upgrade. By working closely with Glencore, and other consultants engaged on the project, Orana Engineering was able to contribute as part of a collective "owners engineering team" to the feasibility assessment of a significant engineering project in the Townsville Region.

When tasked with a major repair to one of their leaching tanks, personnel at Carpentaria Gold, Ravenswood enlisted the assistance of Orana Engineering to develop a solution that would allow process operations to continue whilst leaching tank TK102 was out of service. A site visit and discussions with the client suggested a bypass line be installed around TK102. By utilising site information, Orana Engineering designers were able to detail a new bypass line through the existing processing plant area. This involved minor modification of existing structural steel and addition of pipe supports for the new HDPE bypass pipeline. Bypass piping was successfully installed during normal operation with only tie-ins needing to be installed during a single shut down.

Oaky Creek Coal uses an onsite RO plant to provide treated recycled water to various site operations. An opportunity was identified to use this recycled water for supply to critical equipment such as horizontal belt filters. Improving the equipment water quality resulted in a reduction in equipment downtime and lowered maintenance requirements. Orana Engineering reviewed the performance of two existing boost pumps intended to provide high pressure treated water to a new HBF. Hydraulic modelling was performed to predict future demand and thus determine the suitability of the existing pumps for use in the new application. Orana Engineering also prepared a control philosophy for use by systems engineers to ensure safe operation of the pumps under all operating conditions.

At Glencore’s Oaky No.1 underground coal mine, transportation of vast quantities of coal over long distances requires significant power. Often drive-head power is insufficient or constrained by allowable belt tension and an additional drive/power source is required to meet operating capacity. Additional power is commonly sourced from a driven conveyor tripper installed along the conveyor with appropriate excavation for the tripper. Using the client’s existing mine plan to position the new tripper chamber, Orana Engineering design drafting personnel worked with site engineers to assess required chamber dimensions while simultaneously minimising the excavation of material. Orana Engineering used AutoCAD to produce a drawing set detailing the mining required, and an overlay showing future equipment installations within the new chamber.

Engineers at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine engaged Orana Engineering to determine civil work requirements to install tripper equipment on the MG32 longwall conveyor. On completion of chamber mining, finished surfaces (rib and floor) may require modification for the installation of conveyor tripper equipment. The civil design must determine concrete grades for drainage, safe access and reinforcing for conveyor equipment, while minimising trimming and concrete required. Manipulating “as-cut” survey data using AutoCAD, Orana Engineering design staff could accurately determine where tripper equipment could be installed with minimal trimming and concreting. A drawing set was produced detailing civil aspects of the tripper design, including chamber trimming, equipment mounting locations, configuration of reinforcing and relative concrete levels for drainage.

Orana Engineering was engaged by Glencore to design and install a detailed arrangement of tripper drives, brakes, pulley frame and load station for the MG32 conveyor at its Oaky No.1 underground coal mine. Mechanical design considerations included operating capabilities, unimpeded travel road access and minimum belt curves. The design was dependent on the civil installation previously detailed by Orana Engineering. Often equipment is simply re-located from previous installations with minor modifications. Orana Engineering has developed unique methods for completing this type of design efficiently and at reduced cost to our clients. AutoCAD was used to develop a mechanical design, from which a drawing set was produced that detailed out the mechanical aspects of the tripper installation

Mining millions of tonnes of material requires significant infrastructure and planning. Orana Engineering has been engaged on multiple occasions at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine, to design new conveyor drivehead chambers to install equipment for longwall mining. Using the client’s existing mine plan, Orana Engineering design drafting personnel worked in tandem with engineers to assess required chamber locations and dimensions, with consideration to the size and orientation of equipment to be installed and minimising the material to be excavated. An AutoCAD drawing set was produced detailing the extent of mining required along with an overlay showing future equipment installations, enabling the client to efficiently complete chamber mining with a design suitable for future installations and minimal rework.

Engineers at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine engaged Orana Engineering to determine civil work requirements to effectively utilise drive-head equipment in newly mined chambers for conveyor installations. On completion of chamber mining, finished surfaces (rib and floor) may require modification for installation of the conveyor drive-head equipment. The civil design must determine concrete grades for drainage, safe access and reinforcing for conveyor equipment, while minimising trimming and concrete required. Manipulating “as-cut” survey data using AutoCAD, Orana Engineering design staff could accurately determine where equipment might be installed with minimal trimming and concreting. A drawing set was produced detailing civil aspects of the conveyor design, including chamber trimming, equipment mounting locations, configuration of reinforcing and relative concrete levels.

Since 2005, Orana Engineering has provided 24/7 support for Oaky Creek Coal control systems. At the coal handling and preparation plant, a Yokogawa DCS installed in 1998, is used as the primary control system. With existing CentumCS Unix software no longer supported by Yokogawa, it was essential to complete an upgrade to the CentumCS3000 system. Orana Engineering developed conversion tools to allow configuration data to be extracted from the CentumCS Unix platform and imported into the CentumCS3000 environment. These tools provided efficiency and accuracy for the conversion and delivered a significant cost saving. The quality of conversion tools and simulation programs developed by Orana Engineering resulted in highly efficient site commissioning, completed without plant downtime.