Tag Archives: WorleyParsons

Standard Lithium engages WorleyParsons’ Advisian for LANXESS PEA

Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral exploration, Mineral project development, Mining services, Water management, , , , , ,

Standard Lithium has engaged Advisian, the consulting arm of WorleyParsons Canada Services, to carry out a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on its flagship LANXESS project in the south-central region of Arkansas, the US.

The AACE Class 5 PEA on the 150,000-acre (60,703-ha) lithium brine project will be established using a baseline production of around 20,000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent. It is expected to be completed towards the end of the June quarter.

Dr Andy Robinson, Standard Lithium President and COO, said: “Myself and the Standard Lithium team are very familiar with the high level of quality and technical rigour that Advisian will bring to this PEA. Their deep experience in the lithium brine processing and crystallisation world, combined with a long track record of working in the US Gulk Coast region, is ideal for evaluating Standard Lithium’s unique and advanced lithium brine project in southern Arkansas.”

Advisian and WorleyParsons have carried out many lithium studies for brine and produced-water projects in North and South America for a range of operating and development-stage clients, according to Standard Lithium.

Standard Lithium’s patent-pending rapid lithium extraction process has the potential to reduce the recovery time of extracting lithium from brine from the current industry method that takes years to as little as several hours, according to the company.

“The process may also prove to be much more environmentally-friendly with a significantly smaller footprint than the conventional processes,” Standard Lithium said.

The company has a signed agreement to locate a demonstration-scale plant in Southern Arkansas, in 2019, with a processing approach that has not yet been used to extract and process lithium from brines at a commercial scale anywhere globally.

WorleyParsons enters 3D printing JV with Aurora Labs

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , ,

Australian engineering company WorleyParsons has entered a 50:50 joint venture with Aurora Labs aimed at furthering the development of 3D printing in the mining, oil & gas and major infrastructure sectors.

The JV, to be named AdditiveNow, will seek to provide a “complete additive manufacturing based engineering service” for those industries, according to Aurora.

AdditiveNow will focus on developing a service offering envisaged to include:

  • Consultation – assisting clients with additive manufacturing plans and conducting optimisation studies to improve efficiency, operability and manufacturability;
  • Engineering – providing clients with additive manufacturing related engineering services, such as parts design, bespoke metal 3D printing, parts optimisation and parts certification services;
  • Agile manufacturing (short run productions) – providing clients with parts design/analysis services through to final production and deployment of those parts, allowing for optimal part design to reduce costs and improve overall performance.

Aurora said these service offerings and the timetable for deployment will, in part, be dependent on the continued development of Aurora’s products, systems and technology.

Up until this point, Aurora has specialised in the development of 3D metal printers, powders, digital parts and their associated intellectual property.

WorleyParsons to buy Jacobs Engineering ECR for $3.3 billion

Base metals, Coal technology, Energy minerals, Environmental, High tech minerals, Industrial minerals, Mineral project development, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Precious metals, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , , ,

WorleyParsons Ltd has paid $3.3 billion to acquire Jacobs Engineering Group’s energy, chemicals and resources (ECR) business as it looks to create a “pre-eminent global player across hydrocarbons, chemicals and minerals and metals”.

The transaction is expected to deliver approximately 50% earnings per share accretion on a financial year 2018 pro-forma basis after factoring in run-rate cost synergies, according to WorleyParsons.

This deal continues the trend of consolidation in the engineering sector. Jacobs acquired CH2M Hill Cos ltd for $3.3 billion last year and Amec Foster Wheeler took over John Wood Group for some $2.9 billion around the same time.

WorleyParsons CEO Andrew Wood said: “The transaction will bring complementary capabilities in key business lines, including a best-in-class onshore and downstream maintenance, modifications and operations capability, allowing customers to benefit from an expanded integrated solutions offering.”

Following the completion of the transaction, Jacobs will be focused solely on two of its higher growth, higher margin lines of business – aerospace, technology, environmental and nuclear and buildings, infrastructure & advanced facilities, Jacobs said.

Jacobs Chairman and CEO Steve Demetriou said: “For Jacobs, this transaction marks an inflection point in our portfolio transformation focused on more consistent, higher-margin growth as a leader solving the world’s critical challenges.”

The transaction will see Jacobs receive $2.6 billion in cash and 58.2 million shares of WorleyParsons, equivalent to $700 million, or 11% of the company.

Jacobs ECR had aggregated revenue and pro-forma EBITDA of $3.4 billion and $286 million, respectively in the 2018 financial year.

Should all go according to plan, WorleyParsons expects the deal to be complete some four to six months from now.