Rio Tinto - the world's second-largest metals and mining corporation - is targeting a 50% reduction in scope 1&2 emissions by 2030 and is looking for solutions throughout their business to reduce their carbon footprint. Rio Tinto defined a section of a DN 550 mild steel cement lined potable water pipe that supplies the remote mining town of Paraburdoo in Western Australia as a high risk due to the pipe condition. The one-kilometer-long section of the pipeline crosses a creek and runs through areas of cultural heritage sensitivity. Instead of replacing the main by traditional dig and lay, Rio Tinto decided to look for a non-invasive, more ecofriendly approach. The trenchless relining technology Primus Line® was the perfect fit for the project. By inserting Primus Line’s flexible aramid-reinforced pipe-in-pipe system into the existing main, the life expectance of the asset will be extended by at least 50 years. Primus Line’s Australian partner Interflow was awarded the delivery of the project. Interflow is one of Australia’s leading pipeline infrastructure companies and a specialist in trenchless pipeline rehabilitation.
