Modern Mining June 2019

COMPANIES

to Worley’s mining business

years having been executed by Worley. “The deep-level skills we have are particularly rel- evant to the copper and gold mine in Mongolia, and already we have some personnel from South Africa assisting with the contract.” Hull, a Wits mining graduate who joined TWP (later acquired by Worley) in 2007, is now responsible for Worley’s mining activi- ties throughout Africa. He has managed some of Worley’s biggest mining projects in South Africa such as, amongst others, the Bakubung Platinum Mine and the Venetia Underground Project (VUP) and, most recently, was Executive Manager of Projects for all projects delivered from the South African office locally and globally (including those in the Chemicals and New Energy sectors). He reports to Denver Dreyer, previously CEO of WorleyParsons RSA, who has now assumed the role of Senior Vice President MM&M for Europe, Middle East and Africa. The Jacobs ECR acquisition – worth A$4,55 billion – was announced in October last year and completed in April this year. It has resulted in the creation of a combined engineering and professional services business that ranks as one of the largest of its kind globally, with nearly 60 000 employees and operations in more than 50 countries. Interestingly, although WorleyParsons and Jacobs ECR operated in the same sectors, their activities were largely complementary and the acquisition, as Dreyer recently pointed out, represents “a merger of two equals in terms of capabilities and compe- tencies, strong records of delivering projects, and ethical codes of conduct.” Hull says that the company has seen an upswing in activity compared to a year ago. “We’re very busy with studies, which is always a positive sign, and we’ve also secured some significant execution contracts, notably in plat- inum – both in South Africa and Zimbabwe – and other resources. Greenfield and brown- field work – including ‘stay-in-business’ and life extension projects – is picking up nicely.” Hull notes that the Venetia Underground Project remains Worley’s flagship mining con- tract in Africa. Worley has been involved in the project since the feasibility stage and was awarded the full EPCM contract by De Beers in 2016. The US$2 billion project will extend the life of the Venetia mine into the 2040s and involves the creation of a new under- ground mine – accessed by two vertical shafts

and a decline system – underneath the current open pits. With much of Worley’s work in Africa’s mining sector currently focused on the south- ern African region, part of Hull’s brief is to expand the company’s footprint to other areas of Africa. “There’s no doubt that there has been a great deal of mining work on offer in Africa in recent years, and we are certainly keen to expand Worley’s penetration of these markets,” he states. “We view Africa as a major growth area for our mining business and, broadly speaking, we are prepared to work anywhere on the continent as long as our ability to work in an ethical, safe and transparent manner is not compromised. Each project opportunity, of course, must be assessed on its individual merits and we have standard procedures in place for this which are applied throughout the Worley Group.” Hull makes the point that the study and ‘front-end’ work that Worley carries out for

De Beers’ Venetia mine with the twin headgears of the Venetia Underground Project (VUP) in the distance. The VUP remains Worley’s flagship mining contract in Africa.

June 2019  MODERN MINING  23