Tag: ANZ

Designing racing circuit in New South Wales

New South Wales racing circuit Australia APEX circuit design Bathurst racing circuit dubai autodrome sydney motorsport park
APEX Circuit Design has engaged SMEC, a member of the Surbana Jurong Group, to assist with the design and environmental assessment of a proposed new second circuit at Bathurst’s iconic Mount Panorama.

SMEC Australia has been appointed by a leading international motor racing circuit designer, UK-based APEX Circuit Design, to assist with design and environmental assessments for a racing circuit. The circuit will create a year-round multipurpose automotive destination, the second international race circuit facility near the iconic Bathurst Racing Circuit at Mount Panorama.

SMEC’s extensive NSW and Australian multi-disciplinary major infrastructure experience was recognised and sought by the consortium to provide the right blend of international expertise and local people with deep working knowledge of specific projects to ensure a timely and high-quality product.

Apex Circuit Design boasts an impressive history in the market, having designed international venues such as the Dubai Autodrome and China’s Zhejiang Circuit in addition to upgrades to Sydney Motorsport Park. SMEC, a member of the Surbana Jurong Group, is preparing the detailed circuit design, which is targeted for completion by mid-2019.

Major dam and irrigation feasibility study secured in Queensland

Hell’s Gate Dam
Aerial view of the Hell’s Gate Dam project site

ANZ’s Northern Team has been engaged by Townsville Enterprise Limited (TEL) to undertake the Hell’s Gate Dam and Irrigation Scheme Feasibility Study in the Upper Burdekin catchment of Northern Queensland. The 12-month study will determine the dam’s engineering, environmental and economic feasibility.

The Hell’s Gate Dam project has been in discussion since 1938 and has been the subject of a number of investigations in the 1970s through to 2014. This project will produce the first fully investigated feasibility study into the dam and irrigation scheme, and is a precursor to attracting investment for the construction of a multi-billion dollar project over the next 10 years.

SMEC, member of the Surbana Jurong Group, will lead a team of sub-contractors to complete the feasibility study into the one million megalitre dam and 100,000ha irrigation scheme.

SMEC Regional Manager Graeme Pollock said the company was proud to be leading a consortium of local businesses. “We have specifically partnered with leading local businesses to not only achieve the project objectives but also provide high-level expertise in areas such as cropping analysis, water resource modelling, environmental assessments and economic analysis which will be key to achieving the project,” he said.

SMEC has had a long association with Townsville and the North Queensland region and had conducted some of the original preliminary studies into Hell’s Gate Dam.

The scope of work includes:

  • Water resource and cropping assessments
  • Agronomy and field studies on soil conditions
  • Concept engineering of Hell’s Gate Dam, Big Rocks Weir, irrigation infrastructure, power supply, road and associated infrastructure
  • Water delivery to the City of Townsville
  • Ecology and environmental assessment
  • Stakeholder relations
  • Economic assessments

There is also a strong possibility to follow the project through further development, detailed design and construction.

 

SMEC secures Snowy 2.0 feasibility study

Snowy 2.0 feasibility study
Up to 2,000MW of hydroelectric energy could be added to the grid to act as rapid response back-up during periods of high demand and fill the gaps in energy supply

12 May 2017 – SMEC, a member of Surbana Jurong (SJ) Group, has been engaged by Snowy Hydro to assist with the feasibility study of proposed Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme expansion project (Snowy 2.0), the first major expansion of the Scheme since its completion in 1974.

The objective of the proposed expansion is to increase the capacity of the Scheme in order to address current power shortages and help to stabilise electricity supply in the future.

SMEC and Snowy Hydro have a long and proud history, having worked together to develop the iconic 4,100 megawatt (MW) Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme under the auspices of the Snowy Mountains HydroElectric Authority, established in 1949.

The feasibility study will first review existing proposals to expand pumped hydro storage on the Scheme, many of which have existed since the 1960s. Under the most prospective proposal, up to 2,000 MW of hydroelectric energy could be added to the grid to act as rapid response back-up during periods of high demand and fill the gaps in energy supply. The pumped hydro capability means the water utilised for electricity generation can be recycled to provide supply when it is needed most.

Said Snowy Hydro’s CEO Paul Broad, “This project has the potential to deliver one of the largest pumped hydro schemes in the world and underscores the importance of the Scheme’s existing role as the battery of the National Electricity Market.”

Mr Andy Goodwin, SMEC’s CEO and SJ Group’s CEO International (Africa, Americas, ANZ, SAME) said: “Snowy Mountains are part of our namesake and the backbone of our heritage, so the chance to be involved in this project again is a unique ‘twice-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity, both for our organisation and those engineers who worked on the original scheme.”

“We are honoured to be part of the project and looking forward to resuming our presence within the Cooma community again,” he added.

SMEC’s appointment will deliver significant benefits to the local Snowy Mountains community. As part of its commitment to the project, SMEC will reopen its offices in Cooma, which will see more than 30 people based permanently in the town.

About SMEC

SMEC is a professional services company providing high-quality consultancy services on major physical and social infrastructure projects. SMEC provides consultancy services for the lifecycle of a project, ranging from feasibility studies and detailed design, through to construction supervision and commissioning. SMEC services a broad range of industry sectors, ranging from transport and energy, to water and built environment.

SJ acquired Australian-based, SMEC Holdings Limited in August 2016 to be one of Asia’s largest consultancy powerhouses in urban & infrastructure development.

About Snowy Hydro Limited

Snowy Hydro Limited has a long and proud history as an Australian company. The corporatised Snowy Hydro was established in 2002 to operate the Scheme in the National Electricity Market and has grown into an integrated energy company with more than 5,500 MW of generating capacity across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia including the 4,100 MW Scheme, 1,287 MW of gas-fired generation in NSW and Victoria and 164 MW of diesel generation in South Australia. Snowy Hydro recently finalised an offtake agreement for 100 MW of large-scale solar generation in South Australia. Snowy Hydro is one of Australia’s largest renewable generators, the third largest generator by capacity and is the proud owner of award-winning retail energy companies – Red Energy and Lumo Energy, which together make up the fourth largest retailer in the NEM. Snowy Hydro’s retail business serves more than one million customer accounts in the NEM including households, Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Commercial and Industrial customers (C&I) across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.

In conversation with SMEC’s General Manager Transport, ANZ, Dan Reeve

transport Dan Reeve

Dan Reeve is General Manager for SMEC’s Australian Transport Group and is responsible to the Managing Director, Australia. He coordinates SMEC’s Transport team (Roads & Highways, Rail, Ports, Structures and Traffic & Transport Planning) across Australia and is the Market Sector leader for the Highways & Transport business.

In this role, Dan is responsible for the winning and successful delivery of transport infrastructure, roads & highways and related projects.

With more than 35 years’ experience in Civil Engineering, Dan has direct expertise in the delivery of large design and construct transport infrastructure projects. Through his engineering background, training and experience he has gained extensive experience in, project management, engineering construction, traffic management, design, documentation and cost estimating of roads, bridges, rail construction and civil engineering infrastructure works. Dan is also experienced in the management of civil engineering and transport projects both onsite and in a senior off-site management role.

In recent years, Dan has gained significant experience in the leadership and governance of a number of Highway Projects for the RMS. He has been on the Alliance Leadership Team and SMEC’s Project Director on the Ballina Bypass Project, Banora Point Upgrade, the Northern Hume Alliance and Tarcutta Hume Alliances.

Dan also has experience in the governance of design joint venture boards having been a member of the DJV Boards for the Pacific Highway – Sapphire to Woolgoolga, Hunter Expressway – Kurri Kurri to Branxton, Pacific Highway- Oxley Hwy to Kempsey Upgrade and Princess Highway – Foxground & Berry Bypass and the NorthConnex Projects.

See below a brief exchange with Dan Reeve.

To date, what is the most interesting project you have worked on at SMEC?

The Pacific Highway – Banora Point Upgrade Alliance at Tweed Heads in Northern NSW was an interesting and challenging project. This was a design & construct project completed under an alliance agreement with the Roads & Traffic Authority of NSW, Abigroup Contractors (now Lend Lease Engineering) and Seymour Whyte. This project won the SMEC ANZ Project Award at the annual SMEC Awards in 2014.

I was a member of the Alliance Leadership Team for this project working with senior managers from the RTA and Contractors to provide leadership and governance. I was also the Design Director and had an active role in the delivery of the design for this fast tracked design & construct project, which involved the upgrade of approximately 2.5km of the Pacific Highway through a heavily trafficked, urbanised section at Tweed Heads and had a construction upper limit budget of $322M.

Key aspects included:

  • Construction of six-lane motorway standard upgrade for the through traffic, whilst keeping four lanes of the existing highway open at all times
  • A 330m long viaduct, a 500m long 20m deep cutting with major retaining walls and 75m wide land bridge over the top of the cutting
  • Graded separated interchanges at both ends

As a team, we delivered this project on time and under budget.

ANZ transport

What opportunities are you excited about for SJ Group within your function?

With the support of SJ, SMEC has the opportunity to double the size of our transport team in ANZ in the next 5 years.

SMEC ANZ has a strong Transport team with significant experience in large design and construct projects, and this experience could be utilised by SJ in Singapore and elsewhere.

SJ has a strong Underground Engineering team, and Sydney and Melbourne have major Rail Metro and underground motorway projects coming up in the next few years. To be successful, we will need the support of the SJ expertise to deliver these projects.

What makes you tick? (Professionally, of course)

I have been with SMEC for 21 years and I enjoy my job. I enjoy working with our people and having oversight of a great team. In SMEC’s Transport Group, our people are the reason for our success. I try hard to look after our people, and empower our people to look after our business. I also enjoy working on complex infrastructure projects and seeing multi-disciplined teams working together to deliver great results.