Hot Tapping, Squeeze Off, Butt Fusion and Electrofusion for HDPE (PE100).

The new HDPE (PE100) Centre of Excellence at TAFE Queensland SkillsTech’s Acacia Ridge Training Centre features first class facilities and modern welding equipment with trade qualified teachers delivering practical, hands-on skills using industry’s best practice. These skills will provide opportunities to work in industry sectors that require the installation of HDPE (PE100) piping systems, such as the growing Coal Seam Gas (CSG) sector, mining and mineral processing along with the building and construction trades, including plumbing.

Programs include:

                 Butt weld polyethylene plastic pipelines (PMBWELD301 B)

                Electrofusion weld polyethylene pipelines (PMBWELD302B).             

                Non Accredited: Hot Tapping and Squeeze Off

TAFE Queensland SkillsTech’s HDPE (PE100) Centre of Excellence is also offering field-based Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessments which has attracted interest from all major CGS proponents.  The latest training program deals with the important process of Hot Tapping and Squeeze Off. Hot Tapping usually entails cutting in to live Gas or Water main to “T off” to supply other services.  In the CSG market this Hot Tapping process is usually facilitated by single or double Squeeze Off.   Squeeze Off means the polyethylene pipe is squashed to form a Gas or Water isolation.

Squeezed Off HDPE 

T Joint - +GF+

Hot Tap and Valve - +GF+

For further information or to visit the TAFE Queensland SkillsTech’s HDPE (PE100) Centre of Excellence Acacia Ridge Training Centre, please email Garry Hargreaves at: garry.hargreaves@tafe.qld.edu.au

Pipeline Technician training with PETRONAS in Malaysia

TAFE Queensland SkillsTech, Queensland’s largest public provider of trade and technician training, will soon launch Australia’s first large-diameter pipeline training.   Business Manager Mr Malcolm Garrick spent a two week visit in Gladstone with Santos GLNG, followed by six weeks of pipeline training across the Malaysian Peninsular with joint venture partner PETRONAS.  Malcolm up-skilled with several of Santos GLNG’s pipeline technicians at the PETRONAS training facility,

 
“Accompanying the technicians from Santos GLNG into the field with PETRONAS was a wonderful learning experience I will take away from my training,” Malcolm said.

“I learnt three new words a day so that I could communicate more easily with my Malaysian teachers and this in itself has proven to be a highlight."Malcolm spent time in local villages in rural Malaysia while undertaking pipeline surveillance, right of way operations, and pipe digs, surveys and repairs.“I particularly enjoyed four-wheel driving through jungle, seeing wild animals, meeting the Kampong [locals] in their villages and eating wonderful food with the pipeline technicians,” he said. “I have drawn on the knowledge of PETRONAS and Santos GLNG’s pipeline operators, who answered my questions and contextualised our learning’s within the Australian regulatory environment.”

Malcolm will begin conveying his new-found knowledge of pipelines to SkillsTech Australia teachers in June. “Thanks to Santos GLNG and PETRONAS, SkillsTech Australia can now build a concise team of teachers who can travel to site to conduct large-diameter pipeline training,” he said.

“We will also be offering Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) in UEG40206 Certificate IV in Gas Industry Transmission Pipeline to people in the field who are working as pipeline technicians but do not hold a current qualification.”

For more information please email Garry Hargreaves at: garry.hargreaves@tafe.qld.edu.au