Client
Debswana Diamond Company
Location
Botswana

Debswana Mining Morupule Colliery Expansion - Procurement & Construction Management

Phase 1 expansion of the Morupule coal mine increased production to approximately 3.2 million tons per annum.

The coal supplies Botswana Power Corporation's Morupule power station. In 2010, Fluor Daniel Holdings Botswana (Fluor) began managing the engineering, procurement, and construction management for the project.

The main target was to complete the relevant facilities to support meeting the “first coal” milestone by mid-November 2011. Fluor achieved this significant milestone ahead of schedule.

This milestone was preceded by an intricate five-week shutdown to dismantle existing facilities and tie-in, test, and commission the required new process facilities and systems to enable coal to be conveyed to Morupule ‘B' power station.

All new facilities were built around the existing plant while it was still producing coal for the Morupule ‘A' power station and other clients.

Fluor worked closely with Debswana to set up a collaborative joint Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) team to monitor, support, and ensure the well-being of all project related personnel.


Client's Challenge

The Morupule Coal Mine is owned by Debswana Diamond Company, a joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Botswana and De Beers. Morupule's principal customer is the state owned utility, Botswana Power Corporation (BPC), which is constructing a new 600-megawatt power station next to the existing Morupule ‘A' power station, situated near the town of Palapye.

The Morupule Project involved the upgrade and expansion of the mine's process facilities and infrastructure in order to supply coal to the new Morupule ‘B' power station as well as its existing customers.

It included the upgrade of existing conveyors, providing additional coal storage and surge capabilities, a new crushing and screening plant and a second coal conveyor stream to feed the ‘B' power station, which increased the mine's production from 1 million to 3.2 million tons a year.


Fluor's Solution

Since 2010, Fluor managed the engineering, procurement, and construction management for the project.

The main target was to complete the relevant facilities to support meeting the “first coal” milestone by mid-November 2011. Fluor achieved this significant milestone two weeks ahead of schedule.

This milestone was preceded by an intricate five-week shutdown from mid-September 2011 to dismantle existing facilities, and tie-in, test, and commission the required new process facilities and systems to enable coal to be conveyed to Morupule ‘B' power station.

All new facilities were built around the existing plant while it was still producing coal for the Morupule ‘A' power station and other clients.

Completion of the infrastructure portion of the project, e.g., administration building, workshops, central control room, fire station, clinic, laboratory, change rooms, was achieved in mid July 2012.

Fluor hired local labor and local subcontractors for work such as IT infrastructure, civil construction, and transmission lines. Supervision and craft numbers peaked at 465, with local content above 75 percent. Skills were transferred in the areas of contract administration, field supervision, document control, and warehouse management, to name a few.


Conclusion

Fluor worked closely with Debswana to set up a collaborative joint HSE team to monitor, support, and ensure the well-being of all project related personnel, which has also elevated the HSE awareness of the Mine personnel.

Fluor left behind a legacy of safe work practices, and a culture of “Safety is the Top Priority” and “Zero Harm” is achievable.

Fluor also made a positive contribution to the community by getting involved in the building and fund raising activities of a number of the Palapye secondary schools and colleges.