Vistek provided the structural design services for the development of the site works buildings at the Wheatstone LNG plant in North-Western Australia.

The total construction costs for this component of the Wheatstone works was in excess of $100 million.

Central to the project’s success was Vistek’s ability to work closely with ATCO and their supply chain to develop a construction system that could achieve the required level of blast resistance (up to 20 kPa) by utilising ATCO’s expertise in manufacturing with thin-walled cold-formed steel (steel stud). All design work was required to be compliant with ASCE 41088, Design of Blast-Resistant Buildings in Petrochemical Facilities.

Key structures designed for this project included:

  • 12x3m Transportable Blast Resistant Modules capable of resisting up to 20 kPa blast overpressure on the front wall.
  • The large central dining building.
  • Highly blast resistant structures fabricated from folded steel plate.