On Iraq’s Karbala refinery project, ALE mobilised a heavylift crane to install three tank roofs, enabling the company to optimise the overall project schedule
The new facility is expected to have a refinery capacity of 140,000 bbl crude oil per day, and this operation had a tight deadline to keep the US$6.04bn project on track.
The tank roofs were built inside the tanks, and the customer initially planned to raise them by air, the company said.
ALE’s ability to reconfigure one of Iraq’s largest capacity cranes presented an alternative option that would save time and enable the client to proceed to their next phase ahead of schedule.
The company added that ALE’s early involvement saved operating costs as the client did not have to purchase heavy-duty turnbuckles or additional lifting tackle. During the design of the lifting tackle arrangement for each roof’s 20 lifting points, ALE worked closely with the client. It also provided recommendations for the client’s design and fabrication of the specialist lifting device that would ensure equal loading of all slings.
Additional time was saved on the operation as ALE was able to perform the lifts from only two crane positions instead of three after a lifting study. Due to the high on-site temperatures, movement times were limited, but the experience of the team enabled them to reduce the operation from 21 to 15 days.
The company used a crawler crane with a capacity of 1,600 tonnes to hoist each roof, weighing 209 tonnes and measuring 53 m in diameter once they were welded in place at the required height.
The Karbala facility was commissioned to help fulfil Iraq’s growing domestic demand, as well as assisting in the country’s transition to become a net exporter of oil products. Production at the refinery is expected to start in 2022.
ALE is a solution provider for lifting, transporting, installing, ballasting, jacking and weighing large, heavy loads.
