Stretching 36.5 km from the Haughton Pump Station to the Ross River Dam in Townsville, QLD, the Haughton Pipeline Duplication Project will provide a vital bulk raw water supply link to the Burdekin Haughton Water Supply Scheme. NQ Excavations has been selected as the principal contractor for the construction of the final section of the pipeline and is relying on the reliability of a Vermeer T955 trencher to facilitate the installation.

NQ Excavations was first established by Eric Lollo in 1997 under the name Lollo Pipelines, starting as a specialised contractor for pipelines and sewerage pump station construction. Since 2008, the company has operated as NQ Excavations under the joint ownership and directorship of Eric Lollo and Phil Brennen. Over the years, the company has built a reputation for reliability through the completion of high-quality projects, enhanced by its implementation of an integrated management system.

Constructing the pipeline 

The company is currently working on a section of the Haughton Pipeline Duplication Project; the overall project includes the installation of approximately 36.5 km of DN1800 glass reinforced plastic pipe. Once completed, the pipeline will facilitate the transfer of up to 234 ML/day of raw water from the Upper Haughton Irrigation Channel to Toonpan Creek at the head of the Ross River Dam.

“NQ Excavations is the principal contractor for the final 9 km of the overall project,” says NQ Excavations Site Construction Manager Greg Huntriss.

“Alongside the pipe laying, our works include construction of in-ground concrete structures (valve pits and thrust blocks) and above ground pipe towers.”

To complete the pipe laying preparation in areas of sandstone and granite, NQ Excavations is using the Vermeer T955 Track Trencher before bringing in the excavators.

“Due to large volumes of cemented sandstone, the Vermeer T955 trencher is being utilised to profile the trench sides in the hard material ahead of our pipe laying crew,” says Mr Huntriss.

“We make a cut 1,050 mm wide with the trencher, backfill it for safety and productivity reasons, then later we come in with an excavator to open up the trench to size, ready for the DN1800 pipes.

“During this project, the Vermeer customer service team has also been very helpful. They came to the site to do an initial inspection of the T955 upon its arrival and have been supportive throughout its operation on site.”

Equipment reputation

Mr Huntriss says the company chose to invest in the Vermeer T955 Track Trencher due to its performance, specifications, how well it complements NQ Excavations’ existing fleet and Vermeer’s reputation, thereby adding value to the company.

“Vermeer is a well-known brand with a great reputation for its durability and performance,” says Mr Huntriss.

“The T955 trencher’s specifications suit our business well in regards to the width and depth of trench cut and performance in hard material. With the 1,050 mm width cut, the T955 can create trenches for pipes up to DN450 in a single pass.

“As much of NQ Excavations works involves laying pipes DN450 and smaller, the T955 trencher will become an invaluable part of our excavation fleet.”

Click here to read the full article in the April edition of The Australian Pipeliner.