World’s largest PDH plant construction project streamlined

During construction on the congested site, a customised lifting system ensured efficient use of space.

With Saudi Arabia looking to diversify its economy, the petrochemicals sector is poised for considerable growth. Forecast to allocate more than a third of its oil output to chemical production by 2030, several new facilities are now being built across the Kingdom.

One of the largest of these new facilities is a vast propane dehydration plant being built by Samsung Engineering for Advanced Polyolefins Company (APOC) in Jubail Industrial City. Producing more than 840 000 tpy of propylene, it is set to be the largest PDH plant in the world, increasing Saudi Arabia’s total propylene output by more than 60%.

With a project of this type, the challenges are immense. A constant flow of prefabricated components must arrive onsite in exactly the right sequence to be installed safely into position.

Recognising the project’s complex requirements, Mammoet proposed a carefully planned and integrated, all-in-one solution to streamline operations and minimise risks, driven by the company’s firm commitment to efficiency and safety. Its team of experts took charge of the full scope of factory-to-foundation logistics, marine and land transport and heavy lift requirements. In doing so, it was necessary to choreograph many domestic and international shipments, handle some of the largest prefabricated components ever constructed, and deliver a series of spectacular heavy lift operations – while overcoming some unexpected challenges along the way.

Mammoet’s expertise in inland and marine transportation played an essential role in transporting 15 vast pipe rack modules, measuring up to 46 m long and 33 m high, and weighing up to 1900 t, from a fabrication facility in the UAE, to Saudi Arabia. By organising six consecutive voyages and utilising its nearby yard as a laydown facility, Mammoet optimised the sequencing, reduced onsite congestion and streamlined the operations.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/04102023/worlds-largest-pdh-plant-construction-project-streamlined/