“Mr Moretti brings to the board, considerable expertise in the form of engineering, procurement, finance and construction management of major projects within Australia in both the private and public sectors,” said Beach chairman Robert Kennedy.

Moretti was inaugural chief executive officer of Asia Pacific Transport Pty Ltd – the owner of the new $1.36 billion Alice Springs to Darwin rail line, and Beach described him as the executive who spearheaded the development of one of the largest ever infrastructure projects undertaken in Australia.

“The engineering scale of the BMG project – operated by 75% owner, Anzon Australia Limited - is well above anything we have achieved to date and Moretti’s appointment brings to the board the skills needed by Beach at this time in determining its input into the project’s financing, management, contract and procurement,” said managing director Reg Nelson.

The BMG joint venture recently commissioned the Crystal Ocean, a floating production storage and offtake vessel, to work on the Basker-Manta fields from mid this year.