BHP has awarded Worley contracts to provide study and engineering, procurement and construction management services for expansion projects at Olympic Dam and Carrapateena as part of its South Australia copper projects growth plans. The contracts cover EPCM services across multiple project phases, with initial early-phase activities already underway. Both the Olympic Dam and Carrapateena expansion projects remain subject to BHP’s final investment decision, but the award of these contracts moves the potential developments forward through critical study and planning stages that span underground mining, processing and infrastructure.
The scope of work is structured around a connected “cave to concentrate” programme, linking underground mining operations with processing and supporting infrastructure across both sites. For Olympic Dam, the potential work includes block cave development and associated infrastructure. At Carrapateena, the scope covers the potential expansion of underground operations and processing infrastructure. Worley will deliver study and EPCM services concurrently across these project phases, supporting the design and planning work required to advance the South Australia copper projects toward readiness for a final investment decision.
Olympic Dam and Carrapateena Expansion Scope
The contracts awarded to Worley reflect the scale and complexity of what BHP envisions for its copper operations in South Australia. At Olympic Dam, one of the world’s largest known copper ore bodies, the potential block cave development represents a significant component of BHP’s longer-term copper production growth ambitions. Block caving is a large-scale underground mining method that requires extensive planning, engineering and infrastructure development before operations can begin.
At Carrapateena, the potential expansion of underground operations and processing infrastructure would build on the existing mine, which has been operating since 2019. The EPCM services being delivered cover study work and early-phase activities that are essential for defining project parameters, engineering requirements and infrastructure needs across both locations.
It is important to note that while initial EPCM services have commenced for early-phase activities, neither the Olympic Dam nor the Carrapateena expansion has received a final investment decision from BHP. The projects remain in study and planning stages.
Advancing Copper Production Growth Plans
The South Australia copper projects form a central part of BHP’s plans to sustainably grow copper production in the region. By awarding study and EPCM services contracts that cover underground mining, processing and infrastructure concurrently across multiple phases, BHP is progressing the engineering and planning work needed to evaluate these potential expansions comprehensively.
The programme structure, connecting cave development through to concentrate production, reflects the integrated nature of the work required across both sites. Worley’s role encompasses the study and EPCM services that support this planning across Olympic Dam and Carrapateena simultaneously.
As copper demand continues to be driven by global electrification and energy transition requirements, BHP’s advancement of these South Australia copper assets through study and EPCM stages represents measured progress in its growth strategy. The work advances the projects through their current phases while final investment decisions on both the Olympic Dam and Carrapateena expansions remain outstanding.