Supporting Chevron with award-winning quarantine compliance on Barrow Island

Coates has been recognised for maintaining environmental standards at Chevon's LNG operations

The project

Barrow Island is a Class A World Heritage nature reserve in WA which is home to 24 native species of animal found nowhere else on earth. In order to develop the $65 billion Gorgon gas project on this 234 square-kilometre island – and not disrupt the unique flora and fauna – Chevron developed the Barrow Island Quarantine Management System.

As the world's largest non-government quarantine initiative, it provides an unprecedented level of quarantine intervention across all operations and sets new benchmarks for environmental protection.

The challenge

All Coates equipment destined for Barrow Island must be thoroughly cleaned, inspected and certified before being transported to the island, 60 kilometres off the Pilbara coast of Western Australia.

As part of the stringent quarantine process, all workers travelling to the island have their shoes and pockets checked for environmental compliance before departing from the mainland.

The solution

Coates Industrial Solutions operates a tool store and branch facility with a number of staff on Barrow Island, to supply a comprehensive range of hydraulic, torque and specialised tools, as well as other equipment such as generators, compressors, lighting towers and elevated work platforms.

Anton de St Pern, National Key Account Manager at Coates, says that due to the strict quarantine requirements, and since Coates is the Master Contractor for the services contract and equipment lease, the company has implemented internal processes to ensure that quarantine standards are honoured.

“Every piece of equipment we hire to Chevron is inspected, cleaned, fumigated where necessary and certified before leaving for the island,” says Anton. “Not a single seed, insect or cob web can be brought from the mainland. We take our compliance to quarantine standards very seriously.”

The impact

The Coates team has been recognised for maintaining environmental standards at one of the world’s most unique and pristine wilderness parks. They received a Quarantine Excellence Award from Chevron Australia in December 2018, relating to Coates’ work in helping to honour the quarantine requirements that Chevron enforces on its Barrow Island LNG operations.

“Our award was in the culture category, recognising the work we do in ensuring that Coates is committed to the environmental goals of Chevron for Barrow Island,” says Anton.

Coates has partnered with Chevron under contract since 2013 and has successfully had the contract extended to 2020.

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