Submission 6 Don Scott-Kemmis, Pacific Innovation Major Project Development Assessment Processes Commissioned study
Appendix 1: Individuals Interviewed or Consulted for the Study
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- Appendix 2: Reviews of Australian Participation in the North West Shelf.
Appendix 1: Individuals Interviewed or Consulted for the Study
Appendix 2: Reviews of Australian Participation in the North West Shelf.Australia North West Shelf Gas Projects House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology (1989) The North West Shelf. A Sea of Lost Opportunities? First Report. Australian Industry Participation in the Second Stage of the North West Shelf Project. Parliament of Australia The North Rankin field developed in the first stage of the overall project (mid 1980s) was then the largest offshore gas extraction facility in the world and the level of investment ($14b) was unprecedented in Australian resource development. The Committee argued that non-renewable resources must contribute to the development of Australia’s infrastructure and skills and industry – and that government had a responsibility to ensure that this happened. However, the Committee was “bewildered at the apparent lack of any real concern or consideration ... to the broader significance of Australian industry participation in resource development project. (p.xi). The report concluded that Commonwealth Departments tended to pursue narrow sectional approaches. It recommended that the then DITAC take a more pro-active role, that an overall benefit assessment framework be developed and that the lessons of the project be captured for future projects. It recognised, in particular, that the more specialised and skill intensive areas were those with the greatest potential for contributing to “industrial technological capability, export growth, and import replacement”, and that these areas were primarily linked to conceptual design, project management and the supply of specialised services and equipment (p. xiv) . However, the report recommended that levels of local content should not be mandated and that Australian suppliers must compete on their merits, and that interventions by Government should not add to project costs. It did recommend that:
Local Content Overall aggregate Australian participation in the North West Shelf projects – based on information provided by the project managers - to mid 1989 were: Phase I 72% Phase 2 73% Phase 3 75% ( with a higher level in operations than construction.)
Most of the estimates were provided by Woodside Australian firms involved in mechanical erection: Electric Power Transmission Pty Ltd and Eglo Engineering Barriers To Australian Industry Participation Australian industry perspective:
Project Managers (Woodside and the Joint Venture Partners) perspective on factors which restrict Australian industry competitiveness:
Other factors identified:
Project Management Project management and design – where specifications, standards, scheduling and tender procedures are determined - is seen by many as the key to increasing Australian industry participation. The key project management positions for Phase III were held by staff seconded by Shell. However, many of the project managers used in Phase I and II were Australian and most had prior experience in the Bass Strait. The major foreign engineering design firms involved in the project, Davy McKee/McDermott and KJK, and also Woodside itself, while carrying out some design work in Australia drew heavily on overseas engineers brought into Australia: “The principal categories of work in which there was a low level of participation by Australian industry in Phases I and II were in the fabrication of major structural components of the North Rankin platform, conceptual design work and the supply of topsides equipment. Much of the 74 per cent Australian content comprised civil construction, the fabrication of items that could not be imported (such as the LNG storage tanks) and the supply of on-site labour, both skilled and unskilled. The impression that remained with the Committee was that Australian content was relatively poor in most of the areas where overseas supply was an option.”p69
Up to 1996 issues of plans and commitments for local sourcing and knowledge transfer were never used to assess applicants for permits. (pxvii). In addition the report found that there was little clarity of the definition of ‘local content’ and no collection of detailed information on local sourcing. The report recommended that plans for local sourcing, knowledge transfer, undertaking local R&D and design activities and a preparedness to provide detailed sourcing information should be required for all bidders for exploration permits. A number of consultative bodies have been formed to promote local sourcing: The National Liaison Group for the North-West Shelf Project (ceased operation in 1993); the Oil & Gas Consultative Group on Local Content (formed in 1990 but by 1998 appeared to be non-functional); the WA Local Content Advisory Group. However, at least up to 1998, none of these had in place even a useful monitoring of levels. The report was particularly critical of the role of DIST (now DIIRSTE). Not surprisingly the report recommended that unambiguous information on local content be collected and reported, and that more pro-active and effective measures be pursued to promote local content (Recommendations 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8). Factors Affecting Australian Participation The report noted significant improvements in Australian content and performance (winning open competitive tenders and exceeding quality and delivery standards) in Phase III of the NWS. However, it noted that, due to the level of outsourcing of engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) to large overseas firms and their sub-contracting to firms with which they have existing alliances or relationships, the Industrial Supplies Office (ICN) is not given the opportunity to identify potential local suppliers. This observation led to a view that Australian participation and capability development will be pursued more effectively if more Australian firms become prime contractors. The report noted that new technologies have been incorporated into each stage of the NWS project. It noted also that some trends in technology may shift requirements to areas in which Australian firms are not competitive and so reduce opportunities for local firm – eg floating production, storage and offloading facilities (FPSO), and modularisation. These trends are one of the drivers for the development of the Marine Heavy Engineering Facility at Henderson in WA. Overall the report recommended a far more proactive approach, by the Commonwealth (particularly the then DIST), the ISO (now ICN) and industry associations, to ensuring and pursuing opportunities for local content and to reporting on performance in that respect. It also recommended a strategic approach to ensuring that potential future skill shortages were overcome, including project management skills . Other sources for NWS Developments:
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