Alcan Engineering Pty Ltd,
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The "Spider" spent air capture system for main export airlift at Gove
Senior Engineer Smelting - 2003 – 2008
Role Description: 2IC of the team responsible for delivering specialised materials handling technologies throughout Australasia both within Alcan and to external customers.
Projects/Duties:
General Engineering
Design Leader responsible for multiple projects at various stages of their life cycle including:
Typical Projects:
Gove alumina refinery G3 project – Alumina Handling system upgrade
I was the Area Design Leader for alumina handling element of the ~$2 Billion G3 plant upgrade during which time I:
The system upgrade was both brownfield and greenfield with significant engineering and design challenges in upgrading the brownfield without disrupting plant production.
Project Management
Appointed project manager for a suite of alumina related projects required by one of the group aluminium smelters to address environmental risks.
These projects had been failing due to issues with prior project management, I was able to recover the situation and take them through to completion.
I won additional orders giving an 18-month pipeline of work before leaving the organization.
Study Leader for alumina handling for proposed Ma’aden Refinery/Smelter complex in Saudi Arabia
Realised significant project synergies for these normally unrelated installations.
Pre-feasibility for African and Australian Magnesium Smelters
At various times completed feasibility studies for potential magnesium producers using fly ash from power stations in Victoria and solution mined salts in Gabon.
Outcome: In each case though the technology had been demonstrated the project economics were unfavourable due to low cost (and polluting) production from legacy plants in China.
Ship loader upgrade
I developed a tender package for an upgrade to the Gove alumina ship loader to eliminate environmental losses of alumina.
Outcome: The obtained price was used by plant management to support their bid for the replacement of their aging shiploader (Alumina production at Gove has now been suspended with only Bauxite being exported).
Laboratory characterisation of intermediaries for new organic removal circuit at Gove
Alumina refinery circuits receive “organics” from sources such as tree roots in the mining process but do not historically have a method for removing them. Over the operational life of the plant, these organics accumulate and degrade plant performance.
The design of a novel flash calcination plant was well advanced for this duty when it was identified that the materials handling properties of the main intermediary chemical (a material described as “Dehydrated Caustic Soda”) were unknown.
I carried out a campaign of laboratory trials at the CISRO campus to generate these data and then went on to include them in the design.
Outcome: The plant was included as part of the Gove G3 upgrade however it equipment was not installed due to project cost overruns.
Other:
Role Description: 2IC of the team responsible for delivering specialised materials handling technologies throughout Australasia both within Alcan and to external customers.
Projects/Duties:
General Engineering
Design Leader responsible for multiple projects at various stages of their life cycle including:
- Pre-feasibility for African and Australian Magnesium Smelters (Chinese Mg too cheap),
- Concept design for Indian Alumina Refineries,
- Performed laboratory characterisation at, a CSIRO Research Centre, of intermediaries for new organic removal circuit at Gove,
- Developed tender package for dust-free ship loader upgrade,
- As one of only two Metallurgists within the Alcan Pacific Offices, I respond to technical queries from current and past customers of Alcan including operating units either divested or closed.
- Study Leader for alumina handling for the Ma’aden Refinery/Smelter complex in Saudi Arabia
Typical Projects:
Gove alumina refinery G3 project – Alumina Handling system upgrade
I was the Area Design Leader for alumina handling element of the ~$2 Billion G3 plant upgrade during which time I:
- Led a multidisciplinary engineering team from board approval to the end of design of the pneumatic transfer systems, (air lifts and air slides)
- Provided ongoing technical support to the overseas yards fabrication the Pre-Assembled Modules,
- Performed field engineering in support of construction,
- Joined the owners commissioning team through start up and ramp up.
The system upgrade was both brownfield and greenfield with significant engineering and design challenges in upgrading the brownfield without disrupting plant production.
Project Management
Appointed project manager for a suite of alumina related projects required by one of the group aluminium smelters to address environmental risks.
These projects had been failing due to issues with prior project management, I was able to recover the situation and take them through to completion.
I won additional orders giving an 18-month pipeline of work before leaving the organization.
Study Leader for alumina handling for proposed Ma’aden Refinery/Smelter complex in Saudi Arabia
Realised significant project synergies for these normally unrelated installations.
Pre-feasibility for African and Australian Magnesium Smelters
At various times completed feasibility studies for potential magnesium producers using fly ash from power stations in Victoria and solution mined salts in Gabon.
Outcome: In each case though the technology had been demonstrated the project economics were unfavourable due to low cost (and polluting) production from legacy plants in China.
Ship loader upgrade
I developed a tender package for an upgrade to the Gove alumina ship loader to eliminate environmental losses of alumina.
Outcome: The obtained price was used by plant management to support their bid for the replacement of their aging shiploader (Alumina production at Gove has now been suspended with only Bauxite being exported).
Laboratory characterisation of intermediaries for new organic removal circuit at Gove
Alumina refinery circuits receive “organics” from sources such as tree roots in the mining process but do not historically have a method for removing them. Over the operational life of the plant, these organics accumulate and degrade plant performance.
The design of a novel flash calcination plant was well advanced for this duty when it was identified that the materials handling properties of the main intermediary chemical (a material described as “Dehydrated Caustic Soda”) were unknown.
I carried out a campaign of laboratory trials at the CISRO campus to generate these data and then went on to include them in the design.
Outcome: The plant was included as part of the Gove G3 upgrade however it equipment was not installed due to project cost overruns.
Other:
- Defibrillator trained First Aider
- Member of internal ISO audit team.
- Six Sigma white belt with participation in projects within area of expertise – ie Yarwun Refinery export system de-dusting.
- HAZOP trained
- Confined Space & Working at Heights Certified
- Maritime Security Identification Card [MSIC] holder (Expired but renewable)
