Dimension Data wins Chevron Wheatstone LNG contract

Dimension Data will be providing the designs for networks and telephony systems for Chevron's Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia.

The IT service provider said it is the single largest professional services contract for its Australian business.

Construction of Chevron's AU$29 billion LNG plant in Western Australia began in late 2011, and is one of the largest resource projects in Australia.

Dimension Data is specifically providing detailed design and design assurance for Wheatstone's business and telephony networks across three segments: The project's platform network, plant network, and social infrastructure.

"Across the three environments, we are developing the detailed design for the LAN, the WAN, security, IP telephony, and also network management services," Dimension Data CEO Rodd Cunico told ZDNet. "Scope also includes validating all of the designs in fairly substantial test environments."

Dimension Data will be keeping other sub-contractors that are involved with the IT networks for Wheatstone in check, including Alcatel-Lucent.

The contract initially runs for two years, but has the potential to be extended to five years. The first phase will see Dimension Data spend 24 months testing out the network designs. At any given time, 30-50 members of the IT provider's staff will be assigned to the Wheatstone project, with the company expected to hire new staff as a result of winning the contract.

Dimension Data refused to disclose the value of the contract.