Extreme Circumstances Call for Extreme Measures: A Narrow Canal Requires a Side Roll-Off

Deep South Crane and Rigging was contracted to transport and set a 750,000-pound reactor at a refinery in northern Illinois. This turnkey project had its share of specialized challenges, specifically space limitation during transportation and lifting.

The refinery was set adjacent to a narrow and heavily-trafficked canal, measuring only 125 feet wide. The barge of choice for transporting the vessel was 54 feet wide and 250 feet long, making a traditional "end" roll off impossible. Despite this restriction, the canal remained the most efficient way to deliver the vessel to the refinery, so Deep South performed a side roll off. A side roll off maneuver is more complex than a traditional "end" roll off, requiring additional engineering and monitoring to keep the barge properly ballasted and maintain proper position. Despite the operational challenges - temperatures never rose above freezing - Deep South used an 18-line double-wide Scheuerle SPMT to successfully transport the vessel into the refinery. But the challenges did not end there.

The refinery presented more space limitations. Deep South lifted and set the reactor with the 1,760-ton Demag CC8000-1. The reactor was upended by utilizing a custom engineered and fabricated tailing frame set upon Scheuerle SPMTs. The tailing frame prevented the need of an added crane that would have required other refinery activities to stop. The tailing frame also reduced the ground bearing pressure on-site and created a cost savings for the client by eliminating more equipment.

Despite the logistical requirements and space concerns, Deep South successfully completed this project on time and without incident, meeting the client’s expectations.

Whether you are dealing with tight spaces and heavy traffic in a refinery or maneuvering a massive piece of infrastructure down a confined waterway, Deep South has the right strategies, expertise, and resources to tackle infrastructure challenges and natural obstacles. Contact Deep South today.