Keeping things cool

A live pipeline, scorching heat, oversized loads rolling into site and four massive cooling tower cells rising into place. It sounds like the opening scene of an action film, but for our team at Roxby Downs, it was just another day getting the job done.

The project centred on boosting the cooling capacity of the smelter and acid plant cooling system. To help support future production growth, four new modular cooling tower cells are being added to the existing circuit.

The work was split into two major stages, each bringing its own challenges.

The first step was one of the most technical. The existing cooling towers could not be shut down, which meant the team had to connect new pipework into a live system using a hot tap method.

Working on large-diameter piping while water continued to flow required careful planning and precise heat control during welding to protect the line's integrity.

Once the welding and installation of the new valve were verified, a specialised tapping rig was brought in to complete the connection. It was a complex operation, and the team’s control and execution received great feedback from our customer.

From there, the focus shifted to the main construction works. Our team at RTW helped fabricate the structural steel, pipe supports and pipe bridges needed to support the new cooling tower cells. The installation was then completed by the team in Roxby.

New cooling water lines, potable water pipework and site service lines were installed across the area, along with platforms, access structures and equipment supports.

The four cooling tower cells were then lifted, assembled, and connected to the system, alongside a network of valves, instruments, and service lines.

Fabrication work was delivered from multiple locations to keep the project moving quickly, while crews on site installed structures and piping and prepared the system for commissioning.

Project Manager Mitchel Cavanagh said the hot tap component was particularly unique for the team due to the size of the pipework involved.

“This scale of hot tap work is unusual for us, but the experience on site meant we had the right expertise to take it on,” Mitch said.

While the core mechanical and piping activities are familiar work for the onsite team, the scale and pace of the project set it apart.

“It has been impressive to see how everyone came together across workshops, engineering and construction to keep things moving,” he said.

The project was awarded in September 2025, with site works beginning in November. Since then, teams across engineering, fabrication and construction have worked through demanding weather conditions and a tight schedule to bring the project close to the finish line.

For Mitchel, the biggest highlight has been the people behind the work.

“The collaboration across the team has been outstanding,” he said.

“Seeing everyone step up and deliver together has been the most rewarding part of the project.”