Geraldton depot makes a mark for ATCO

Pierre Najar has a growing collection of gas pipes pierced by star pickets and pneumatic drills, strangled by tree roots and otherwise deformed.

They illustrate a few of the maintenance tasks his company has performed since it took over from the State Energy Commission six years ago.

He works for Canadian private company ATCO, which owns $26 billion worth of infrastructure world wide, including the natural gas network that extends from Geraldton to Busselton and east to Kalgoorlie.

That includes a lot of metres that have to be checked regularly and replaced when they reach the end of their useful life, as well as the pipes that connect them.

Mr Najar said ATCO’s new Geraldton depot, which opened last week, would be the “blueprint” for future regional depots in WA.

He said the company had three local employees and engaged about eight full-time contract workers.