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Karratha

Karratha – Pilbara Operations

Bossong Engineering’s Karratha facility delivers specialist drill pipe machining, cleaning, hardbanding and inspection services for oil & gas and mining operations throughout the Pilbara.

More than a storage yard, the facility is a fully operational processing and repair centre backed by company-wide engineering expertise and rigorous QA oversight.

Our integrated capabilities help clients maintain equipment integrity, minimise downtime, and support safe, efficient operations in demanding field environments.

Specialist Drill Pipe Capability

Karratha is structured to support full drill pipe programs including:

  • Drill pipe inspection coordination (including third-party inspection onsite)
  • Hardbanding application and removal
  • Tool joint and connection repairs
  • External and internal cleaning (OD and ID)
  • Surface preparation prior to inspection or welding
  • Staging, storage and mobilisation

The facility is designed to handle volume while maintaining controlled procedures and QA oversight.

Mining Support – Fabrication & General Machining

In addition to drill pipe specialisation, Karratha provides:

  • Heavy-duty welding and fabrication
  • General machining capability
  • Cutting and preparation equipment (including plasma cutting)
  • Maintenance and repair of mining and site equipment
  • Bespoke fabrication and repair work

This supports local mining operations requiring fast turnaround maintenance and repair capability.

Drill Pipe Machining

On-site machining capability includes:

  • 2 × Puma lathes with dedicated infeed racks
  • 12” bore capacity
  • Specialising in drill pipe connection and casing repairs
  • Manual machine shop including manual lathe and milling machine

Supports precision repair of drill pipe components within controlled workshop conditions.

Laser Cleaning & High-Pressure Cleaning

Two dedicated contained wash bays support both laser cleaning and high-pressure systems.

Laser Cleaning (6kW Enclosed System)

  • 6kW fully enclosed laser cleaning system
  • Integrated extraction system
  • Controlled surface preparation prior to welding or inspection
  • Reduced grinding and improved surface consistency

High-Pressure Cleaning (OD & ID)

  • 10,000 PSI pressure washer
  • 7,500 PSI pressure washer
  • Hot wash pressure washer
  • Internal diameter pressure washing system:
    • 3,000 PSI
    • 50 litres per minute
    • Interchangeable specialist heads

Supports both external and internal pipe cleaning prior to inspection, repair or coating.

Testing, Staging & Mobilisation

Karratha supports:

  • Equipment staging and preparation
  • Testing coordination
  • Inspection readiness
  • Program mobilisation for drilling and mining operations

The yard capacity and handling equipment allow large-scale drill pipe programs to be processed and staged efficiently.

Robotic Hardbanding (Grinding & Removal Capability)

  • Robotic hardbanding system for consistent, repeatable weld application
  • Precision weld height control to ±0.2 mm (program dependent)
  • Integrated cylindrical grinding for smooth finish where specified by the customer
  • Hardbanding removal capability as part of repair or rework programs
  • Procedure-controlled welding supported by QA oversight

This enables controlled hardbanding programs with finish quality aligned to client specifications.

Handling, Storage & Yard Capacity

Karratha is built to handle volume and heavy components.

  • 18 tonne forklift
  • 2.5 tonne forklift
  • 10 tonne jib
  • 3.2 tonne overhead crane (dedicated bay)
  • Additional lifting equipment and skates

Storage and staging capability includes:

  • Extensive pipe racks
  • Indoor and outdoor storage
  • Significant hardstand area
  • Capacity to facilitate inspection, cleaning, machining and welding of 1,000+ drill pipe at a time (program dependent)

Additional site infrastructure includes:

  • Manganese phosphating bath (up to 15m pipe lengths)
  • Painting and surface preparation
  • Induction heating
  • Parts washer
  • Scissor lift access equipment
  • Onsite generator capability for yard or mobile power requirements

Site Footprint

  • Total land area: approximately 10,421 m²
  • Workshop (factories total): approximately 1,494 m²
  • Office footprint: approximately 154 m²
  • Dome shelter footprint: approximately 439 m²
  • Usable yard area: approximately 8,334 m²

Why Karratha Matters

Pilbara operations require responsiveness, coordination and controlled execution.

Karratha provides:

  • Regional processing and repair capability
  • High-volume drill pipe handling
  • Integrated cleaning, machining and hardbanding
  • Controlled QA oversight
  • Efficient mobilisation and staging

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