Woodside dishes out its ‘largest-ever’ traditional owner construction contract

Woodside Burrup, a subsidiary of Australia’s Woodside Energy, has awarded what it says is its largest-ever traditional owner construction contract to a 100% Karratha-owned and 50% Indigenous-owned company for the delivery of civil works for the Pluto LNG Train 1 Modifications project located near Karratha, Western Australia.

Woodside noted that its Scarborough Energy Project had awarded over A$3.6 billion in contracts to Western Australian businesses since the project began, and together with its contractors, invested approximately A$115 million with Karratha-based businesses.

The contract award to Winyama Contracting Group followed a commercially competitive bid process based on criteria including experience, local content and HSE performance. The company will be working alongside Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), Woodside’s engineering procurement and construction management contractor for the project.

“By engaging a local Indigenous led and owned contractor, we’re securing the delivery of an important service while contributing to the local economy. The contract will also support the growth of Winyama Contracting Group, increasing the company’s capacity to deliver services to other industries across the Pilbara,” said Woodside’s Pluto Expansion Project Manager Paul Baker.

According to Woodside, the award will deliver additional opportunities for Indigenous participation through employment and training.

“This project will allow our team to grow by about another 65 new employees, with the majority being residential employees,” Arthur Ramirez, Winyama Contracting Group Chairman and Indigenous Business Manager, said.

“Being engaged on the Pluto Train 1 Modifications project will help fulfill Winyama Contracting Group’s vision to increase its footprint in the region, which will enable us to increase our focus on outcomes for Aboriginal people through our Reflection Reconciliation Action Plan.”

The Pluto Train 1 Modifications project is part of the Scarborough Energy Project, which further comprises the Scarborough Joint Venture (JV) and the Pluto Train 2 Joint Venture. The Scarborough JV includes the Scarborough field, located approximately 375 kilometers off the coast of Western Australia.

The gas from Scarborough will be processed at the Pluto LNG facility, where Woodside, as the operator, is currently constructing Pluto Train 2.

JERA, a JV of Japanese electric power companies TEPCO Fuel & Power Incorporated and Chubu Electric Power Company, recently entered the Scarborough JV.