N.Z. Firm Has Part Of Oil Refinery Contract

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 17

N.Z. Firm Has Part Of Oil Refinery Contract

A New Zealand construction company. Wilkins and Davies Construction Company, Ltd., has recently secured a half share in a contract for the construction of extensive marine facilities required for the new oil refinery being built by the Standard Vacuum Oil Company, 15 miles north of Adelaide. The estimated cost is about one and a quarter million pounds. The construction of the marine facilities has been let as a separate contract from the oil refinery. The work is being carried out as a joint venture by the New Zealand firm and the Royal Netherlands Harbour Works, which together successfully completed the Freyberg wharf in Auckland. The Dutch firm has constructed wharves and port facilities in many parts of the world. For the New Zealand firm this contract is its first outside the Dominion. Tankers of 80,000 tons capacity will bring the crude oil from the Middle East and discharge their cargoes from moorings three-quarters of a mile from the shore. Heavy moorings, each with two 10ton anchors, will secure the tankers, while the crude oil is pumped through a 34in diameter submarine pipeline 2200 ft long to an approach jetty. The tankers will refuel by means of 12in diameter submarine pipelines. Finished products will be re-exported in 20,000-ton tankers, which will load from special berthing points, consisting of two 50ft diameter reinforced concrete caissons filled with sand and of sufficient weight to withstand

the impact from the tankers while berthing. Apart from the marine facilities, the terminal will consist mainly of a causeway and an approach jetty. The rubble causeway will extend 850 ft from the shore and form a roadway as well as carrying the oil pipes to the berth. An arm at the end will form a shelter for launches. The total amount of rubble required for the causeway is nearly 107,000 tons, and stones weighing five tons each will be placed by mobile cranes on the exposed slopes of the causeway and launch harbour. The approach jetty will extend out to sea a further 1350 ft from the end of the causeway. More, than 200 hollow steel piles will be driven for the jetty. Broad planks, capping beams placed on the piles, will form the trestles for the jetty, and pre. cast concrete deck units will span the 30ft between the trestles to form the roadway. Wilkins and Davies Construction Company, Ltd. has had staff resident in Australia surveying the market, and tendering for selected jobs throughout the last year.