Megaprojects of Asia

Timon Singh

With the Dubai debt crisis temporarily setting back Middle East construction projects, the region looks like it could potentially lose its moniker as the 'home of the megaproject'. However, megaprojects (generally large scale construction and investment projects that costs more than USD$1 billion) are springing up all over the world, or in some cases, have been in progress for years. As such, we look at five of the large construction projects currently happening in the Asian-Pacific region at the moment.

The Pagcor Tower, Philippines - Resembling Seattle's Space Needle, the Pagcor Tower is a tower that will serve as an observation post as well as part of the Bagong Nayong Pilipino-Entertainment City - a Las Vegas-esque resort complete with hotels and casinos.

Currently under construction in Manila, it will be the country's largest and premier entertainment city, with the tower standing 2,182ft (665m). In comparison, the Burj Dubai is 2,684ft tall (818m)

 

 

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The South-to-North Water Transfer Project, China - Under construction by the Chinese government and due to be completed in 2050, this UDS$62 billion (445 billion yuan) megaproject is based around diverting water from the Yangtze (a southern river known for its rising tides) to the dry rivers of the north which is currently facing water shortages.

Once completed, the extensive pipeline will send 12 trillion gallons of water to the northern part of the country. Unfortunately, the scale of the project is expected to lead to the displacement of around 400,000 people.

 

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Jakarta Tower, Indonesia - If finished, the Jakarta Tower will be the tallest freestanding tower in the Southern Hemisphere, standing 1,831ft (558m). Unfortunately, the tower has been long-delayed; construction began originally in 1997 but stopped during the Asian economic crisis. Currently, plans are underway to finish it, but this is not expected to happen until 2012.

The design calls for the tower to have three cylindrical legs, 13.2m in diameter. These will rise up 500m. Two of the legs will have three elevators each, travelling 7m per second. The third leg will contain eight elevators, dedicated for visitors. According to the developer, the Jakarta Tower will use more than 20,000 workers for the development and more than 40,000 manpower after the building is in fully-operation.

When finished, the tower will feature a rotating restaurant, a mega-mall, an amusement park, a museum, office space, exhibition centres, hotels and a sport centre.

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Three Gorges Dam, China - Long thought to be finished, but always seemingly being worked on, the Three Gorges Dam is the world's biggest hydro-electric project and has been worked on for almost 20 years. Approved in 1992 with construction beginning in 1994, the dam was 'completed' in 2006, but six additional generators in the underground power plant are currently being installed and are not expected to become fully operational until around 2011.

The project was deemed to be the best way to end centuries of floods along the basin of the Yangtze and to provide energy to fuel the country's booming economy.

 

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Chevron's Gorgon Project, Barrow Island - The Gorgon gas project is, at USD$43 billion, one of the largest petroleum projects currently happening in the Asia Pacific region. It will see a liquified natural gas plant construction on Barrow Island, situated off Australia's north western coast, in order to develop the Greater Gorgon gas fields.

The Greater Gorgon gas fields contain resources of about 40 trillion cubic feet of gas, Australia's largest-known gas resource. If the Gorgon Project progresses according to schedule, it will become Australia's third LNG export development.

 

 

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