Stage 5B involved 440 kilometres of looping, adding over 110 terajoules per day (TJ/d) of firm full haul capacity plus additional part haul capacity to the 1,600 kilometre, 600 mm DBNGP.

DBP Transmission Chief Executive Officer Stuart Johnston said that forecast total expenditure to completion is estimated to come in under the approved budget of $690 million by at least $15 million.

The company said that during the course of the project, over two million man hours were worked and over ten million kilometres driven without any significant injury or vehicle accident.

Commenting on the Stage 4, 5A and 5B DBNGP projects completed to date, Mr Johnston said “As a result of these three projects, the firm haul capacity has been increased by more than 300 TJ/d and around 85 per cent of the DBNGP between the North West Shelf and Bunbury is now duplicated, effectively creating a second pipeline to further improve reliability of supply.”

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Construction of the Stage 5A expansion, which increased firm full haul capacity by approximately 100 TJ/d, commenced in February 2007 and involved the installation of 570 kilometres of parallel pipe.

Diversified Utility and Energy Trusts (DUET) Group has a 60 per cent interest in DBP Transmission, while Alcoa and Babcock and Brown Infrastructure each hold a 20 per cent interest.