As work on the Cameron LNG liquefaction-export project draws near, those responsible for hiring its workers and vendors announced their procurement schedule Wednesday, adding that initial work on the project is expected to begin in August.

Gerald Humphrey, senior vice president of oil and gas for CB&I, outlined the schedule to more than 70 prospective workers and suppliers who packed the Cajun Ballroom at SpringHill Suites in Lake Charles. Procurement will be done by CCJV, the Houston-based joint venture between CB&I and Chiyoda International Corp. that was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the Cameron LNG project in March.

Humphrey broke the project’s procurement schedule into several categories:

l Equipment and manufacturing — supplying the project’s main processing equipment — will be in procurement between August and March. Sempra has given CB&I an approved vendors list.

l Temporary facilities, which include construction buildings, ice machines and warehouses, will be in procurement beginning in the fourth quarter this year.

l Site supplies and office supplies will be in procurement in the third quarter this year.

l Site services — those things that will help serve workers during construction — will be in procurement during the second quarter of 2015. Humphrey said food and beverage services will not be procured. The project, however, will need vending machines and occasional catering services for the workers.

Fabrication and construction work will be done primarily by CB&I workers. Humphrey said, however, that there will be “some major subcontracts on the project.” Areas that may be subcontracted, he said, include paint, insulation and piling.

Humphrey said prospective vendors need to get on Sempra’s vendor list. Interested vendors can sign up at www.cameronlng.com.

He said site preparation work on Cameron LNG’s expansion is expected to begin next month.

“That will allow us to mobilize also in August to begin site preparation work,” Humphrey said. “We’re very happy to actually be able to get inside the fence out there and start moving dirt and actually get this project underway.”

Earlier this month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorized Sempra Energy to begin site clearance at Cameron LNG. FERC’s permit will allow workers to remove bushes and trees and bring construction equipment and trailers into the construction area.

Humphrey said CCJV will have craft training programs on site during construction. He added that CCJV will look at the safety statistics of all its workers.

“It’s the price of admission,” he said. “If you don’t operate safe, if you don’t operate in accordance with our safety standards, our environmental standards, you won’t get on the job. It’s that simple. If you don’t perform to those standards, you won’t stay on the job.”(American Press Archives)

Frank DiCesare