Natural gas in pipeline for region

Five months and about 22,000 bright yellow steel pipes later the gas line linking Tamworth with Dubbo is almost complete.
After commencing the project in Tamworth in late October, a team of 170 Delco workers from across Australia has been laying, drilling and welding pipes for 273 kilometres.

With only 21 kilometres left as of yesterday until they hit the finish line in Dubbo's Yarrandale Road, the team is right on track to met its late March deadline.

All going well AGL gas is due to be flowing through the freshly positioned pipes by the end of April.

"We have worked 151,000 hours to date on this project and haven't had any lost time in injury," Delco safety adviser and paramedic Alex Drapow said.

No road, railway or riverbank has halted this operation and the team of precise drillers has delved down to eight metres to keep the pipes on target.

Dubbo was chosen to flow gas through to Tamworth, according to Mr Drapow, because it was the main gas-storing facility in the region.

While the direct gas link-up between the two regional centres has been planned for years, there is now talk of pipe-splintering out to other smaller towns such as Mudgee on demand.




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