Monadelphous, in collaboration with Worley and Woodside, has achieved a significant milestone with one of their latest lifting operations in Karratha Gas Plant, showcasing their innovative thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
What may seem like a routine dual lift with a LIN (liquid nitrogen) Tank and Cold Can at first glance, tells a much different story behind the scenes.
Approximately a year and a half ago, Monadelphous' heavy lift engineering team was called upon to contribute to the constructability development for Nitrogen Plant Package (KLE079) for KGP Life Expansion Project. The execution strategy for the final vessel lifting was our brainchild, showcasing our team's innovative thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
During the year, we presented seven different lift options, diligently refining each until we settled on the one that garnered unanimous confidence. The final crane selection, featuring the LTM1450 and AC160-5, was pivotal in executing a 360° live plant operation.
One of the most challenging aspects was the placement of the 450T crane-loaded outriggers over an open drain directly above an underground service line - the Live Oily Water Drain Line.
Working closely with Worley and Woodside engineers, we designed a stabilised sand crane pad with geotextiles to ensure the live pipelines beneath could withstand the significant pressure involved.
We successfully installed two tanks with precision and safety, utilising almost 90% of their capacity within a 30m radius.
In adherence to Woodside's directives and drawing from lessons learned from Woodside’s offshore incidents, the final lift plan received approval after it underwent meticulous scrutiny by lifting subject matter experts in offshore and onshore lifting operations.
Our heavy lift engineering team invested around 300 hours in the project, providing invaluable insights and expertise. The Rigging Store was pivotal, supplying all specialised rigging required for the operation.
The final execution was orchestrated on-site by Michael Richards with comprehensive pre-planning from our heavy lift engineering team, ensuring the seamless success of this complex lifting operation.
Well done to the entire team for their dedication and hard work; we look forward to more triumphs in the future.