How do you move a critical gas pipeline without disrupting supply to stakeholders ?
It’s not unusual to have to relocate pipes and other utilities when you’re digging on a construction site. But when the pipe in question happens to be one of Melbourne's main gas feeds, the stakes can’t get any higher.
As part of @levelcrossings, our North Western Program Alliance (NWPA) is building a new road underpass in Dandenong to reduce congestion, deliver a more reliable road network and prepare for future development.
Over the coming months we’re relocating a 750mm diameter gas pipeline that runs 2 metres below ground and directly across the planned underpass.
It will mean cutting and removing a section of the existing pipeline, then rejoining it on the new alignment with a 230m-long replacement section. To do that, we’ll first install 6-metre-tall stopples to act as stop valves, then remove any residual gas from the section being removed.
Once the pipeline is repositioned, our welders will go to work connecting the replacement section so the gas can flow again. After that, we’ll resume piling and begin digging out the eastern section of new underpass with the new road opening in 2026, two years ahead of schedule.
Given the pipeline plays an important role in Melbourne and Victoria’s gas supply, the relocation has been years in the planning and timed for when gas demand is at its lowest. Our capable NWPA team has been working closely with all levels of government to ensure every box is ticked.
And with the experience of delivering 17 level crossing removals across Melbourne, we’re confident our meticulous attention to collaboration and detail will see the job done safely and efficiently.
Now, that’s cooking with gas!
#JohnHollandTransformingLives
