Power to the Pipeline

Allight, an Australian equipment engineering, manufacturing and distribution company, have been providing complete equipment solutions for over twenty years and are the recognised Australian distributor for FG Wilson power generators. The FG Wilson XD Rental range has been designed and manufactured with the durability, strength and reliability to withstand the most challenging of applications.

After upfit in Allight’s manufacturing facility, three 80kVA and six 60kVA XD generating sets will be supplied by Allight to McConnell Dowell Corporation. The Australian based engineering, construction and maintenance company will use the power generation sets in the process of replacing sections of the 1600km natural gas pipeline between Bunbury and Dampier, under stage 5B. Stage 5A, completed in April 2008, saw the duplication of over 50 percent of the mainline. This next stage sees further expansion with an additional 400kms of loop line to be added; avoiding running a completely new pipeline adjacent to the line, ten 40 kilometre ‘loops’ will be constructed.

McConnell Dowell is manufacturing large platforms to be mounted on the rear of Caterpillar Challengers with welders and large air compressors on either side. The XD generators will stand on the platform base and provide power for the welders and air compressors. The fully bunded, sound attenuated sets feature reinforced System 4 alternators with protection against water ingress, and 4 pole breakers with earth leakage protection, suitably rated with thermal and magnetic overload defence.

The initial base unit plans by McConnell Dowell incorporated gas and electrical switchboards on the tractor platforms, however the Allight supplied XD Rental sets feature electrical outlets as standard thus eliminating the need for the two switchboards and delivering a considerable cost saving and weight reduction on each of the units.