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Debswana Mining Morupule Colliery Expansion - Procurement & Construction Management
Client: Debswana Diamond Company
Location: Botswana
Business Segment: Urban Solutions
Industry: Mining & Metals
Executive Summary
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. We worked closely with Debswana to set up a collaborative joint health, safety and environmental (HSE) team to monitor, support and ensure the wellbeing 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 was 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
Starting in 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. We 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, including the administration building, workshops, central control room, fire station, clinic, laboratory and change rooms, was achieved in mid-July 2012.
We 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%. Skills were transferred in the areas of contract administration, field supervision, document control and warehouse management, to name a few.
Conclusion
We worked closely with Debswana to set up a collaborative joint HSE team to monitor, support and ensure the wellbeing of all project-related personnel, which has also elevated the HSE awareness of the mine personnel.
We left behind a legacy of safe work practices, and a culture of “Safety is the Top Priority” and the belief that “Zero Harm” is achievable.
Fluor also made a positive contribution to the community by getting involved in the building and fundraising activities of a number of Palapye secondary schools and colleges.
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