BHP Awards Worley Copper Expansion EPCM Contract

The awards, which remain subject to a final investment decision by BHP, sit within BHP's Copper South Australia growth plans, designed to lift production as global demand for copper continues to rise on the back of electrification and the broader energy transition.

Worley will deliver services concurrently across multiple project phases.

Backing copper's role in electrification

Copper is a foundational material for electrification, renewable power generation and electric vehicles, making it a priority commodity for companies positioning themselves for the energy transition. BHP's new CEO noted that copper will be one of the mining major's strategic focuses before entering the role in March.

"We are proud to be partnering with Worley to help deliver the next phase of Copper South Australia's growth,” says Pedram Ittehadi, Head of CuSA Major Projects at BHP.

“These projects are focused on improving capital intensity and unlocking additional value from our world-class assets through targeted expansions of material handling and concentrating facilities at both Carrapateena and Olympic Dam. Worley's capability and experience will be important as we progress our plans to sustainably grow copper production and meet increasing global demand for this critical commodity."

"Delivering projects of this scale requires access to the very best expertise and delivery capability. We look forward to our partnership with Worley as they leverage their global scale and specialist capabilities in delivering large, complex programs in order to underpin our long-term growth ambitions in South Australia," says Nathan McGuire, Vice President Projects Commercial Minerals Australia, BHP.

About Copper SA

BHP’s Copper SA asset is a world-class copper province in the far north of South Australia. Copper SA has three underground mines at Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena, that feed a centralised smelter and refinery at Olympic Dam, and an exploration project at Oak Dam.  

BHP’s has ambitions to grow production out of South Australia from 317,000t per annum (tpa) to 500,000tpa in the 2030s, and potentially up to 650,000tpa by the end of the 2030s.

BHP has more than AUD$2 billion of projects underway to build the Copper SA province, including a 1.3-kilometre deep haul shaft at Prominent Hill and the new Southern Mine Area underground access tunnel at Olympic Dam.

In July 2026, BHP has awarded a design and supply contract to China Nerin Engineering Co. Ltd (Nerin) for key processing facilities as part of the proposed smelter and refinery expansion project in South Australia.

For Worley, the BHP awards extend a relationship built over several years of consulting support across BHP's growth planning.

"This contract reflects Worley's continued focus on energy transition materials, such as copper, as a priority growth market,” says Chris Ashton, the company’s CEO. “We are pleased to provide ongoing support for BHP's ambition to grow its copper production in South Australia. Our team brings experience in underground mining, processing and major project delivery, and we look forward to working with BHP and the local businesses in South Australia to progress these mega projects."

Worley's consulting teams across the Asia-Pacific region have supported BHP's growth planning through development option studies, techno-economic modelling, logistics assessments and broader project planning activities, giving the company deep familiarity with the assets ahead of this next phase of work.

Delivering integrated project services

The scope of the potential Olympic Dam and Carrapateena projects covers underground mining, processing and infrastructure across a connected "cave to concentrate" programme, spanning potential block cave development and associated infrastructure at Olympic Dam and the potential expansion of Carrapateena's underground operations and processing infrastructure.

Initial EPCM services have already commenced for early-phase activities at both sites.

Key facts

• Worley is a global professional services company serving the energy, chemicals and resources sectors, headquartered in Australia and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
• Olympic Dam and Carrapateena are both established copper operations in South Australia, with Olympic Dam among the world's larger copper-bearing orebodies
• Block cave mining is a large-scale underground method in which ore is undercut so it collapses naturally under its own weight, with the broken rock collected through tunnels below for processing
• Worley's delivery model draws on specialist engineering service providers alongside its Globally Integrated Delivery team
• Additional technical support for the programme will be provided from Worley's operations in China and Chile

Worley's key business partners:

bp

Worley holds a global strategic alliance with bp spanning site projects across bp's operations business, focused on improving safety, reducing emissions and supporting high-value, lower-cost project activity. It reflects Worley's long-standing, multi-decade relationship with bp across engineering and project delivery services in the energy sector, spanning multiple geographies and asset types.

Chevron

Chevron is one of Worley's longstanding customers, with a partnership spanning more than two decades. Worley supports Chevron across engineering, project delivery and asset services, reflecting its broader positioning as an accountable delivery partner across the full lifecycle of complex energy assets, from concept through to operations.

Shell 

Worley counts Shell among its longest-standing customer relationships, with more than 20 years of partnership. This spans consulting, engineering and project delivery services supporting Shell's asset portfolio, consistent with Worley's model of providing integrated support across the full life of a customer's assets.

Woodside 

Woodside is another multi-decade Worley customer, drawing on Worley's project delivery and engineering expertise. The relationship reflects Worley's positioning as a long-term partner for major energy companies operating complex, large-scale assets, offering continuity of support from early planning through to operations.

INPEX

Worley maintains a strategic services partnership with INPEX, providing engineering and project support services. The relationship illustrates Worley's approach of forming long-term, embedded partnerships with resources companies, offering integrated technical and delivery expertise across their operating assets.