Pipeline Transportation Business Guide
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All 29 Documented Cases
Zahlungsverzögerungen durch Streitigkeiten über Tarife und Abrechnungen
Logic-based estimate: Additional 15–45 days DSO on 5–15 % of annual revenue caused by invoice disputes. For a pipeline with AUD 200 million yearly revenue, this implies roughly AUD 5.5–37 million in extra working capital tied up, corresponding to an annual financing cost of about AUD 0.3–3.0 million at a 6–8 % cost of capital.Australian gas pipelines can be either scheme pipelines with regulated reference tariffs, or non‑scheme pipelines where access is governed by negotiate/arbitrate models and tariffs are set by agreement with shippers.[7][8] In both cases, the underlying tariff structures and service classifications (firm vs interruptible, storage, bi‑directional) are complex, as illustrated by APA’s multi‑service tariff tables and Epic Energy’s premium bi‑directional pricing.[3][4] When invoices do not clearly reconcile nominations and scheduled quantities with the exact tariff line items, adjustment factors and CPI escalations, shippers are likely to query charges, especially in a negotiate/arbitrate environment where each shipper’s deal may deviate from standard reference tariffs.[8] While Australian sources do not publish DSO figures specific to pipelines, experience from other network industries suggests that disputed or unclear invoices can add 15–45 days to payment times for 5–15 % of annual invoice value. For a pipeline with, for example, AUD 200 million in annual revenue and average DSO of 30 days, an additional 20 days of delay on just 10 % of revenue equates to approximately AUD 10.96 million extra working capital tied up (200m * 10 % * 20/365). The cost of capital on this tied‑up working capital (e.g. 6–8 % per year) represents a recurring financial drag.
Easement Acquisition Delays
AUD 50,000-200,000 per easement in negotiation/holding costs; 6-12 months process delaysRight-of-Way acquisition involves formal applications (e.g., Form 11 for renewals) and landowner negotiations; refusals trigger Part 5 permissions, extending timelines by 6-12 months per regulation processes.
Spill Remediation Overruns
AUD 100,000 - 1M per major spill remediation; 40+ hours overtime per event.Emergency response for pipeline leaks requires rapid deployment, often resulting in cost overruns from uncontrolled contractor spending and idle equipment during waits.
Erlösverluste durch fehlerhafte Anwendung von Pipeline-Tarifen und Rabatten
Logic-based estimate: 0.5–2 % of annual regulated and contract tariff revenue lost through misapplied tariffs and unbilled services. For a mid‑to‑large pipeline with AUD 150–300 million yearly revenue, this translates to roughly AUD 0.75–6 million per year in revenue leakage.Australian gas transmission operators publish complex tariff schedules covering long‑term firm, short‑term firm and interruptible transport with different charging structures (capacity vs commodity), term‑dependent adjustment values, and service‑specific restrictions.[3] For example, APA Group applies different adjustment values (X) to interruptible day‑ahead and within‑day services and uses distinct charging bases for firm versus interruptible capacity.[3] Epic Energy’s Moomba to Adelaide Pipeline System standing price methodology adds a 130 % premium factor for firm bi‑directional service on top of the firm transportation tariff and uses negotiated discounts for laterals.[4] Many pipelines also offer storage, park and loan services with separate tariff structures and CPI escalation.[3] When these complex rules are managed in spreadsheets and manually interpreted by commercial and billing teams, common failure modes include: applying firm tariffs without the correct premium for bi‑directional flexibility; using the wrong adjustment value for interruptible services by term; failing to charge storage or park and loan services separately; and not updating billing systems when CPI‑linked tariffs are revised. While public sources do not state specific misbilling amounts, global utility and pipeline experience suggests that billing and tariff-application errors in complex multi‑service environments structurally create 0.5–2 % revenue leakage. For a large Australian transmission pipeline earning, for instance, AUD 150–300 million per year in tariff revenue, this implies an annual leakage of approximately AUD 0.75–6 million if controls and automation are weak.