Transporters and Cranes Facilitate Processing Plant Upgrade

The movement and replacement of process plant components are a familiar sight in the Texas Gulf Coast region — though not often to the scale and timeline faced by one EPC contractor. Per the client's request, the EPC contractor was tasked with the haul and lift of two trains of fractionation tower components (one per train: debutanizer, depropanizer, splitter, and deethanizer) over the course of nine months.

Specifically, the job required the transport of the eight components from the fabricator shop to the job site, on and off barges, and along roadways, including across an interstate.

Multiple pieces of equipment were used for the move, including a 9-axle-line Scheuerle Highway Extendable trailer, two 8-axle-line Goldhofer THP/DL “Dual Lane” transport trailers, and two double-wide 18-axle-line Scheuerle SPMT trailers for over the road transport. Before and during the move, Deep South coordinated traffic control and logistics with multiple organizations.

The lift and set of the components at the process plant would take some additional creativity and planning.

Here are the specifics of the components:

Train #1:

• Depropanizer vessel (519,000 pounds): 660T Liebherr LR-1600/2 full super lift (661 kips) and tailing with 1,800T VersaCrane™ TC-28000
• Splitter vessel (542,000 pounds): Liebherr LR-1600/2 full super lift 661kips and tailing with VersaCrane™ TC-28000
• Deethanizer vessel (1,262,000 pounds): 1,800T VersaCrane™ TC-28000 (main 400 kips/aux 960 kips) tailing with Liebherr LR-1600 (441 kips)
• Note: The Debutanizer for train #1 was set by the client.

Train #2:

• Debutanizer vessel (235,000 pounds): 660T Liebherr LR-1600/2 super lift (331 kips)
• Depropanizer vessel (519,000 pounds): 660T Liebherr LR-1600/2 full super lift (661 kips) and tailing client crane
• Splitter vessel (542,000 pounds): 660T Liebherr LR-1600/2 full super lift (661 kips) and tailing with client crane
• Deethanizer vessel (1,262,000 pounds): 1,800T VersaCrane™ TC-28000 (main 400 kips/aux 960 kips) tailing with the 660-ton Liebherr LR-1600 (441 kips)

The depropanizers and splitter vessels were particularly challenging because each weighed over 500,000 pounds, requiring the super lift capabilities of the 660-ton Liebherr LR-1600/2 crawler crane with 661 kips of counterweight as well as the 1,800-ton VersaCrane™ TC-28000 high capacity mobile crane.

The heaviest component was the 185’ long, 1,262,000 pounds deethanizer vessel, which required the VersaCrane™ TC-28000 with the LR-1600. The entire haul and lift job was safely completed within the required nine month schedule.

• Equipment Used

  • Scheuerle SPMT
  • Goldhofer THP-DL Dual Lane (attachments include vessel deck, bolsters, gooseneck, etc.)
  • Liebherr LR-1600/2
  • VersaCrane™ TC-28000

• Services Used

  • Heavy Haul
  • Heavy Lift
  • Rigging Services

• By the Numbers

  • Heaviest Component: 1,262,000-pound deethanizer measuring 185' long