Southern Oil Refining

About Southern Oil Refining Project

Southern Oil Refining (Southern Oil, SOR) is a 100% Australian owned company based in Wagga Wagga, NSW that re-refines waste lube oil for reuse as lube oil. Southern Oil provides a cradle-to-cradle solution that creates no waste, reduces the need for oil imports, and has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than crude base oils. Southern Oil’s Wagga Wagga plant and Northern Oil Refinery at Gladstone are the only facilities in Australia producing fully re-refined lube oil accredited for use by a major international oil company for global applications. https://www.sor.com.au/about-us/

Pipe Infrastructure Capabilities

The Southern Oil Refining Project saw the expansion of the oil re-refining plant, which included the installation of new oil storage tank farm facilities. Over 4,000m of Surepress Pressfit pipe, thousands of valves, fittings and pipe supports were supplied by Allmach for the project. Surepress Pressfit System was ideally suited to this complex piping system install that required a light weight, site-fit system. Mr. David Onions, the Refinery & Plans Manager, said that the project’s “..complex piping system requiring a site-fit rather than pre-fabricated assembly in a short time frame.

Being lighter and far easier and quicker to install and modify, while providing acceptable temperature, pressure, fluid compatibility and fire ratings, the Surepress range has become a preferred option of SOR in these types of installations over the alternative of fully welded piping systems”.

Challenges and Solutions

Key challenges for the Southern Oil Refinery Project included the installation of a complex piping system requiring site-fit rather than pre-fabricated assembly within a short time frame. Surepress Pressfit piping system met these installation criteria. Surepress is ten times faster to install and has the capability of on-site modifications, requires no welding, is reliable with a leak-detection and press check sleeve, is compliant, and is German engineered with a 25-year guarantee. In addition, Mr Onions said that Allmach supported the project by: “..excellent customer service with prompt pricing and response to queries, speedy deliveries, (including the supply of chupa chup lollies to keep the installers happy), the provision of non-standard fittings to suit mating equipment and the supply of additional tooling”.