From tropical fabrication to minus 40 installation: How SECURA delivers fire protection where conditions defeat standard infrastructure.
OPERATING IN THE EXTREME
Santos is one of Australia's leading integrated energy companies, expanding oil production in Alaska's North Slope. At minus 40 degrees Celsius, in isolation hundreds of miles from help, infrastructure doesn't get second chances. Equipment, systems, and people have to work the first time, every time. The OSA Pikka Project represents a significant operational investment in one of the world's most extreme environments.
FROM TROPICAL DESIGN TO ARCTIC REALITY
The Pikka sea water treatment plant had to be engineered for conditions most infrastructure was never designed to survive. But there was a critical problem: the platform was already congested with installed equipment. Adding fire protection meant repositioning existing systems, a rework that would derail the handover deadline and compound costs in a location where every delay is measured in operational risk, not just money.
The logistics were equally unforgiving. The facility had to be fabricated in Indonesia, shipped across the world, and installed in Alaska — a journey spanning thousands of miles through customs, extreme weather, and supply chain variables. The engineering team had one chance to get the design right. Field modifications or rework on the North Slope would be extraordinarily costly and logistically infeasible. The site's constrained environment meant every design decision had to be correct before fabrication began.
ENGINEERED FOR ONE CHANCE
The key was understanding that in Alaska's North Slope, you can't iterate. Invicta ANARA's SECURA division engineered the entire fire-rated enclosure system before a single component shipped. Designing around existing equipment layouts, factoring in extreme cold performance, and ensuring maintenance access that accounts for the reality that technicians can't wait for replacement parts.
The technical solution specified 350 Durasteel units with 4-hour fire rating (BS 476 certified, Warrington Certifire approved) and integrated firestopping using Promastop systems. Maintenance access hatches were also incorporated into the design, ensuring the enclosure supported long-term operational flexibility in a location where field replacements would be extraordinarily costly.
The fabrication and delivery strategy was engineered with equal rigor. Materials were manufactured in Malaysia and coordinated through a carefully managed supply chain to meet Indonesia customs clearance and Alaska shipping timelines. An experienced site supervisor was deployed from Dubai and remained on-site for 2-3 months, overseeing fabrication quality, logistics coordination, and real-time problem-solving. Continuous coordination with Santos and VME Process Asia Pacific ensured all components met the handover deadline.
DELIVERED ON SCHEDULE, IN CONDITIONS THAT DEFEAT STANDARDS
The Pikka sea water treatment plant was delivered 3 weeks ahead of schedule. All 350 enclosure units were installed with zero safety incidents and full compliance with certifications. Satisfaction ratings across product quality, service execution, and overall relationship were rated 10/10. The system now protects critical infrastructure and personnel on one of the world's most remote platforms, where equipment must perform reliably in conditions where support is hundreds of miles away.
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