Case Study - Precision Engineering Solutions
Company: Oil Refineries Limited
Location: Israel
Project Value: £300,000
Project Type: Engineered Dismantling
Project Scope: Fractured Furnace Stabilisation and Strategic Dismantling
Further to a furnace breach at one of the largest oil refineries in Israel, plant shutdown procedures were immediately administered resulting in daily production losses of over $340K.
For ORL (a partly government managed company) the primary criteria were the safety of the people on site and the potential damage from the unstable furnace, which also included unsecured overhead ductwork above live plant. Not only was the site in a state of alert but the impact had also created media attention and government involvement.
The damaged plant could not be dismantled until safe stabilisation due to the instability of the furnace and associated ductwork.
ORL and the Israeli government imminently required a precision-engineered solution to stabilise the damaged plant to safe acceptable standards before dismantling. eds were requested to provide a safe operable engineered solution, which would maintain furnace integrity and allow dismantling without further structural deformation. The project scope required a feasibility study and a calculated design solution within 48 hours so stabilisation could commence.
Stabilisation
eds evaluated the structural and mechanical integrity of the damaged furnace and proposed a safe solution, which was approved by ORL. The stabilisation methodology entailed securing the foundation by creating dampening barriers using nearby uncompressed soil. Tailored bracket designs were bolted around the furnace main frame, with each bracket arrangement capable of withstanding calculated tensile, lateral and rotational forces dispersed by the unsecured structure. By harnessing the furnace with suitable cables under specific tension loadings between the framework and the ground the fractured furnace was safely stabilised to allow overhead ductwork removal.
Ductwork Removal
The intensity of the furnace rupture had dissipated uncontrolled turbulent discharges at immense force throughout the ductwork. This resulted in hull breaches along the length and branches of the ductwork including fabrication tears and support misalignments. Using existing drawings and detailed surveys the structural integrity of the ductwork was assessed for possible lifting arrangements.
Due to the degree of ductwork deformation and proximity to live plant eds created 3D ACAD ductwork models and proposed the safest strategic dismantling arrangement, which was executed in under 14 hours using 3 pre-positioned cranes.
Post successful ductwork removal ORL Plant Manager quoted:
"Our main concern was the stabilisation of the furnace, we were happy with the engineered designs. The ductwork removal exercise was executed exactly to EDS plan and conducted under their direct management resulting in a smooth and safe operation. We are relieved with the outcome and very impressed with the level of expertise and efficiency of eds staff."
The dismantling of the secured furnace was executed expediently whilst ensuring optimum safety to adjacent live plant. The methodology adopted for dismantling entailed staged removal processes in order to maintain structural integrity and stability until the framework was reduced to a safe height for production commencement and site clearance to ground level.
ORL General Manager quoted:
"We needed a company who could undertake the total project, the technical engineering design solutions and the total dismantling of the furnace and ductwork. eds offered this turnkey solution. Both our engineering team worked together to calculate and design a safe stabilisation result that was approved by ORL and the Israeli government representatives. We are very impressed with their technical and management capabilities, their degree of site safety, efficiency, flexibility and commitment in achieving our goals and objectives by working long hours and always assisting our staff on site."
The success of the project was attributed to eds capability to engineer, execute and decommission a critical situation safely and effectively within the shortest period of time. Not only did EDS save ORL over $2.3 million in production costs but demonstrated diverse engineering solutions and strong project management qualities as a professional international turnkey decommissioning company.