THE operator of the North West Shelf joint venture, Woodside, has awarded a site preparation and temporary facilities contract for the train 5 liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion, worth $50 million, to local engineering firm Macmahon Contractors, a division of Macmahon Holdings.Site preparations will commence near Karratha in August, with the contract to be managed by train 5 engineering and procurement joint venture partners Foster Wheeler and Worley Parsons.The scope of work for the 12 month contract includes earthworks to prepare foundations for the train 5 expansion, design and construction of water and sewer systems as well as structural steelwork and road relocations and construction. Macmahon chief executive Nick Bowen said the contract added to its existing strong order book, which now includes over $625 million of secured work for the 2006 year.Another Perth-based engineering firm, Monadelphous Group, has been awarded a major construction contract worth $65 million by BHP Billiton Iron Ore for structural and mechanical works at the Nelson Point and Finucane Island facilities in Port Hedland.
