East Coast Pipeline has scooped a $150 million contract to install polyethylene pipe for phase 1 of the Australia Pacific LNG project.

More than 600km of high density polyethylene pipe will be installed for 145 wells at Spring Gully, northeast of Roma.

East Coast Pipeline, which has been working alongside Origin Energy in the gas fields since 2004, said it would employ up to 80 new staff as a result of the contract.

It has also opened a new construction headquarters in Redcliffe, northeast of Brisbane, to service the contract and the growing CSG industry.

“The new contract – over three years – with Australia Pacific LNG is the first we’ve undertaken for the major CSG to LNG projects and provides a level of certainty for our business and employees,” East Coast Pipeline managing director Barry Waldron said.

“It’s not only good news for us but also for local businesses in the communities surrounding Spring Gully and Roma because they may have opportunities to support the work we’ll be undertaking.”

APLNG chief executive officer Page Maxson said he was pleased to award a major contract to another local Queensland business.

“Late last year we awarded the HDPE pipe supply contract to a Toowoomba-based company [Vinidex] so we are pleased to have another home-grown business putting this locally made pipe into the ground,” he said.

The APLNG project is expected to boost the Queensland economy by $2 billion annually.

This article first appeared in ILN's sister publication ConstructionIndustryNews.net.