BE Magazine - Volume 5, Issue 1 - (Page 36) PLANT savings.” With the final phase commissioned in early 2007, the Lihir geothermal power station reduced carbon emissions by 163,025 tons from Oct. 1, 2006 to Sept. 30, 2007, according to Lihir Gold’s CDM monitoring report. In addition to benefiting the global environment, the plant has also reduced local air pollution from the combustion of fossil fuels. The project demonstrates the viability of geothermal power as a renewable energy source for Papua New Guinea, where 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas with little electricity. Lihir Gold will transfer the knowledge and technology gained from this CDM project to local Lihirians and other Papua New Guinea nationals through a localization program in conjunction with the Papua New Guinea government. In this way, this pioneering effort to develop renewable energy will help Papua New Guinea exploit the geothermal potential in its Ring of Fire. using AutoPLANT to help it more effectively reuse design information and enable a repeatable approach to engineering, thereby reducing costs and project schedules. A highly experienced AutoPLANT operator recruited from overseas helped designers scale the learning curve. BE Award Finalist v 3D models of the geothermal power plant reduced drafting hours by approximately 35 percent Working Smarter Data-centric engineering environment boosts monthly construction progress by 10 percent SMEC relied on the Bentley technology to develop a 3D model of the geothermal power plant and produce deliverables quickly and efficiently. “Using Bentley software on the project reduced drafting hours by approximately 35 percent,” said Dan Reeve, SMEC project manager. With a small team of engineers and one design draftsman located in SMEC’s Australian office, fabricators based in New Zealand, and the construction crew on site several hours away by plane, communication among team members could have been a challenge. Bentley’s software, however, gave the design and construction engineers access to the complete 3D model, which allowed visualization of the design intent. Used in conjunction with the issued drawings, the model became an extremely powerful communication tool. Piping isometrics transferred between the design draftsman and the pipe stress design engineer allowed the pipe design to be stress-checked based on model layouts and materials selected. The ability to generate bills of material lists from the AutoPLANT database facilitated tight control of inventories and assisted in the planning and placing of orders to suppliers. Using the 3D model also made design review sessions more productive. Prior to fabrication, SMEC used AutoPLANT to help resolve potential operational and maintenance interferences between the existing plant and the extension project, saving substantial time on site by avoiding rework. Total design and construction cost savings are estimated at $100,000 for this $10 million project. “Clash detection was new to our team,” explained Reeve. “This was found to be invaluable. Not only was it able to provide a better design, minimizing the field reworks resulted in a huge costs O n Australia’s east coast, expansion of the Queensland Nickel Yabulu Refinery will double capacity to transform ore into metal. In Ontario, Canada, a 10.4-kilometer tunnel under the City of Niagara Falls will divert more water for power generation at the Sir Adam Beck Electric Generating Complex. A $12 billion capital improvement program for South Africa’s rail and port infrastructure will expand commodity export capacity. And at the PROJECT OVERVIEW Hatch workSMART Data-Centric Environment Organization Hatch BE Awards Category Plant Innovation Project Objective Develop an integrated engineering environment that links data from separate design applications Escondida Norte mine in Chile’s Atacama Desert, a new materials handling system will supplement existing facilities where 8 percent of the world’s copper is produced. These mining, energy, and infrastructure projects are among the $20 billion in programs and projects under management worldwide 36 BE MAGAZINE | Volume 5, Issue 1
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