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EDL honoured for its revamp engineering services

EDL again received two orders for the 2010 refinery shutdown at PCK Schwedt. The scope of work of both projects included detail engineering, construction and installation supervision, procurement and expediting for the revamp of two big columns. Now EDL was given credit for its excellent engineering services at the mastered shutdown during a festive event in June 2010 with a certificate of honour by PCK. Both companies are satisfied with the successfully completed shutdown.

Big columns to be replaced

Under the working title ‚Crude Oil TOP 1’ and ‚FCC GaKo’ both projects had been prepared under proven direction of project manager H.-G. Thalemann in Leipzig since January resp. March 2009. Project TOP1 covered replacement of the more than 40 years old main column 1K2 in order to improve MD recovery and to produce a jet fuel component. The target of the FCC GaKo project was to create prerequisites to improve the propane recovery process. To achieve this aim it was necessary to modify stripping column 1K333 and further peripheral equipment.

Both projects focused on the installation resp. replacement of big columns under limited space conditions. A special challenge was to replace column 1K2 in the TOP1 project within the shutdown period April/May 2010 (15 working days only). Apart from clarifying such important issues as layout and pipe routing, special attention was paid to the assembly technique. Crane locations that did not damage existing underground pipelines and large electrical and instrumentation routes, techniques for dismantling old equipment were elaborated.

Second biggest crawler crane in Europe to be deployed

The new column 1K2 was delivered in two parts and placed on two separate, especially prepared foundations. In order to save installation time both column parts were - as far as possible - pre-assembled and equipped with pipe supports, insulation and internals. During the shutdown period the column parts could be installed and tack-welded on one day so that the ‚shutdown installations’ could be commenced one day earlier than scheduled.

For dismantling and installation of the TOP1 column a big mobile crane with a hook clearance of 72 m and a pivoting range of 50 m was required. While the old column with a weight of 235 t had to be lifted from its position, both 20 m high shells of the new column were relatively ‘light’ with 150 t resp.125 t. For lifting a 1350 t crane was needed, here the second biggest mobile crawler crane in Europe with its first field work in Schwedt.

Both lifting and assembly activities being the key part of the shutdown were executed within the stipulated time and without major difficulties. With more than 100 fitters of all disciplines revamp works were complete until early May.