Wärtsilä Engines To Power Electrified Compression At Moomba

Wärtsilä will supply engines for a 59 MW power plant extension in Moomba, in South Australia’s Cooper Basin. The expanded plant is part of an energy infrastructure upgrade by one of Australia’s major oil and gas producers, which Wärtsilä did not name. The project will modernize aging gas field infrastructure by replacing compression at seven gas-driven compressor stations with a single centralized, electric-driven station.

The power plant will use five Wärtsilä 31SG engine-generator units running on gas from the local Moomba fields. The engines are scheduled for delivery in mid-2027, and Wärtsilä will also provide advisory services to support the project. Wärtsilä booked the order in the third quarter of 2026.

Wärtsilä Energy says it has installed 81 GW of power plant capacity in 180 countries.

“Used in numerous installations worldwide, the Wärtsilä 31SG has high efficiency and is particularly suited to applications where optimizing the cost of gas production is a priority,” said Kari Punnonen, energy business director, Australasia, at Wärtsilä Energy. “Our broad portfolio and proven track record of Wärtsilä 31SG installations certainly add to its attractiveness. As our client progresses their strategy, the flexibility of the Wärtsilä 31SG engine may provide future opportunities to operate on sustainable fuels and support the integration of renewable energy sources into the site’s energy mix.”