Aker Kvaerner has over 35 years experience in the methanol business, and has become the world's leading methanol contractor. The Company has engineered and built more than 30 plants in 16 countries, accounting for approximately 75% of the world's large- scale methanol plants.

Aker Kvaerner-designed plants are considered the most reliable with unequalled operating records, such as:

• single streams of up to 1 million tonnes per year
• four years in operation, only one day down
• first year production (from first methanol)
  • 93 % on-stream factor
  • 98 % of annual nameplate
• normal production (after year one)
  • 97 % on-stream factor
  • 105 % of annual nameplate.

OFFSHORE METHANOL JOINT VENTURE AN EQUAL JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN AKER KVAERNER  and WORLEY PARSONS GROUP
MEO has previously announced that it has  appointed the Offshore Methanol Joint Venture, an equal joint venture between Aker Kvaerner and WorleyParsons Group, to provide engineering services to MEO for the Tassie Shoal Methanol Project.

Aker Kvaerner and Worley will work exclusively with each other in providing engineering services as part of the Tassie Shoal Methanol Project's Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies, planned for 2004.

The combined capability and track record of these two companies, particularly in the area of methanol plants and offshore infrastructure, is unmatched. They have a superb track record in the delivery of engineering solutions for complex process plant involving new technology, located in an off-shore environment, requiring innovation and low cost solutions.

WORLEY PARSONS GROUP
WorleyParsons has designed the LNG process module incorporating Air Products Dual Mixed Refrigerant (DMR) technology for the Timor Sea LNG Project, including the IBL and utilities sections of the plant. The design production capacity for the plant is 3 million tonnes per annum.

FLUOR AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
MEO appointed Fluor Australia Pty Ltd as the Program Manager for the proposed $2 billion Tassie Shoal Methanol Project off the coast of Darwin. Fluor Corporation is one of the world's largest, publicly owned engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance and project management companies, with extensive experience in both the offshore oil and gas, and petrochemical industries.

Fluor has been appointed to support overall project management of the Tassie Shoal Methanol Project by Methanol Australia and specifically to act as the program manager. Fluor will assist MEO in the review process of all engineering and design matters, in effect acting as the Project Owner's engineer,

Fluor would be responsible to develop the construction and contracting strategies and would assist MEO and Air Productsduring the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies and supervision of the Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) tenders and the selection of the eventual EPC contractors undertaking the construction and installation of the methanol production facilities on Tassie Shoal.

ARUP ENERGY
Arup is a firm of consulting engineers, planners and managers, providing engineering design, planning and project management services for civil, industrial and building works. The firm is regarded as the world leader in the design, engineering and construction of concrete infrastructure.

This company has been responsible for the conceptual design of the concrete gravity structures or artificial islands that provide the base for the methanol production and storage facilities. Arup is also responsible for the primary design of the load-out jetty facilities. 

Arup manage detailed design studies with a particular focus on substructure design and optimisation, product off-loading facility design and geophysical review of the Tassie Shoal facility site.

Additionally, Arup has designed the LNG tank technology for the Timor Sea LNG project and continues to develop the option to utilize concrete for primary containment of the LNG product. Arup has also designed the substructure for the LNG production module, utilizing the proprietory self installing ACE platform.

CONSULTING AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS PTY LTD
This firm provides specialised engineering and scientific services for the investigation and solution of environmental issues. The group comprises environmental and process engineers, biologists, oceanographers and environmental scientists who have worked together as a team for over 25 years.

The integration of the CEE in-house engineering and scientific skills provides Methanol Australia with technically sound and innovative approaches for the special requirements for our projects.

In November 2000 CEE conducted an extensive and detailed marine habitat survey over Tassie Shoal and surrounds, which formed a significant part of our Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) required for the Commonwealth EIA process. In addition, CEE were appointed as the Project Manager and lead consultant for the EIA process for the methanol project, which included the preparation of the EIS and Supplement. These documents and the successful public consultation process managed by CEE led to the environmental approval for the TSMP granted by the Commonwealth Minister, the Hon. Dr. David Kemp MP. On December 23, 2002.

CEE were again appointed as the Project Manager and lead consultant for the EIA process for the Timor Sea LNG Project, which has included the preparation and lodgement of the Referral and Preliminary Information documents. Environmental approval for the LNG project was granted in May 2004.