The following is an extract from the April 2007 Chevron Gorgon Project Update Newsletter:
"A pilot drilling project on the west coast of Barrow Island has provided the Gorgon Project with valuable data on how it can reduce environmental impacts on the island.
The drilling project will help to optimize the design of the underground shore crossing of gas pipelines which will feed gas to the proposed LNG plant.
A Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) rig was used to drill a 6.5 inch wide, 480 metre long hole under the shoreline to an exit point on the seabed at a depth of 12 metres.
It is the first time a HDD rig was used on the island and the data gathered has provided the Gorgon Project with some practical insights on reducing environmental impacts through good planning. Perth-based drilling contractor Underground Services Australia worked closely with Gorgon Project Operator Chevron Australia and Gorgon Upstream Joint Venture (GUJV) to minimise the impact of the project. Underground Services Australia's Project Manager Rob Tindall said careful planning resulted in a reduction of land clearance of 50%. "This helped us to develop a compact working site and even retain vegetation within the work area that was originally going to be cleared," he said. Three weeks were spent preparing the access to the drilling site, with an emphasis on providing safe access to the beach for the project team and the wildlife that use the area. Chevron Australia Project lead for the HDD pilot hole, Garret Logan, said specialised matting, combined with advice from environmental specialists on the most appropriate routes, helped the team get on and off the beach each day with minimal environmental impact. The HDD project also achieved an excellent safety performance, achieving 6500 hours with zero safety incidents. Mr Logan said the lessons learned from the pilot project, such as the reduced land clearing, would be made available to other Gorgon Project activities."
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