Modernizing at ATOFINA

Crane plays integral role in replacing vessels

By Sam Barnes

New technology is bringing the world's largest production site for styrene into the 21st Century.

A modernization project at ATOFINA Petrochemical's styrenics plant in Convent will conclude with a 24-hour-a-day, 42-day turnaround this spring that will connect new equipment with the existing plant. The project will ultimately increase the plant's production of ethyl benzene, which is converted to styrene at the same site.

Styrene is used primarily to produce polystyrene, but is also used in adhesives, tires and latex rubber production.

One of the largest cranes in the world, a 2,500-ton Versalift, will play an integral role during the turnaround by replacing several large reactors and exchangers from a stationary position in the plant.

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The crane is owned and operated by Deep South Crane & Rigging of Sulphur.

"They're starting to ship it here now," said Art Henderson, a project manager with ATOFINA. "They just finished a project in Lake Charles and they're demobilizing. It'll take about 150 trucks to bring it in and about 20 days to erect it." The crane will be used for about 11 days of the turnaround.

Prior to the turnaround, new expanded foundations were constructed to support the new, larger reactors.

"We'll remove the old reactors, place the new ones and connect the pipe and do final tie-ins," Henderson said. Crews supervised by general contractor Harmony Corp. of Baton Rouge will work two shifts "around the clock" to accomplish the work.

Sumitomo of Japan fabricated many of the large reactors to be erected during the turnaround, the heaviest weighing 1.1 million pounds.

"They are one of only two shops in the world that could do it in the specified time frame," Henderson said.

The vessels were shipped from Japan to New Orleans during a four-week period in November, then barged up the river to a port near the plant. Deep South then delivered them into the plant by transport vehicle.

"Deep South is performing all of the heavy lifting, while Nichols Construction Corp. of Baton Rouge is performing some intermediate lifts," Henderson said.

Upon conclusion of the project, new technology owned by ATOFINA and ExxonMobil/Badger will improve the plant's production efficiency of styrene and ethyl benzene, respectively.

"There are some reactors being replaced because they have a life span for a certain amount of years," Henderson said.

The ATOFINA plant is a 50-50 joint venture with ATOFINA and General Electric, although ATOFINA is the operating partner for the joint venture.

Design of the facility was performed by Badger, which designed those components of the plant directly related to its patented technology, and CDI Engineering of Baton Rouge, which performed the remaining 80 percent of the detail engineering.

"Since this was a Badger technology, there was some specific parts of the project we felt they could do more efficiently," Henderson said. "That was about 20 percent of the engineering. Then they had an interface with CDI for the detailed engineering."

The engineering process began in October 2002 and was still underway when ground was broken in February. Design was finished by October 2003.

"The pre-turnaround work, which was finished in December, was basically cost-driven, while the turnaround will be schedule driven," Henderson said.

Early grass-roots work required the construction of 156-ft.-diameter and 126-ft.-diameter tanks within the plant's existing tank farm by James Machine Works Inc. of Monroe, as well as modifications to eight existing tanks. The work will increase storage for styrene and ethyl benzene.

Also during early work, about 100 8-in.-diameter, 60-ft.-deep pipe piles were co-designed by Boh Bros. Construction of New Orleans and Badger to be driven in some "hard to reach" places.

"These were within existing parts of the plant," Henderson said. "They had to drive the piles in 4-ft. segments using a forklift and pile driver attachment."

Other foundation work required the construction of a concrete ring-wall foundation in the tank farm and concrete foundations for new reactors, pumps and equipment. The largest foundation, to support a compressor, required about 350 cu. yds. of concrete and measures 5 ft. tall.

Also challenging was the installation of 91,000 ft. of new pipe throughout the existing plant to connect new plant components. Most notably, about 500 ft. of 108-in.-diameter carbon steel pipe was installed on a new distillation column system.

Firewater piping and a significant amount of new piping associated with new exchangers and vessels were also installed. Most of the pipe was fabricated by Volks Constructors of Prairieville and The Shaw Group of Baton Rouge, while the small bore piping (2 in. diameter and below) was fabricated by Harmony in the field.

Maintaining safety at the site has been paramount, since about 750 men are often working in the plant at any given time.

"Most of the project, with the exception of the new tanks, is within operating parts of the plant. As a result, we had to coordinate our activities with several departments at the plant," Henderson said. "Remarkably, our safety record has been outstanding.

Bud Means, the site safety superintendent for Harmony, conducts a safety meeting every Monday, which is attended by all contractors.

"And then every morning we have job box safety meetings, so we spend a lot of manhours on safety. ATOFINA allows for the proper amount of time for people to come here and organize the safety program."

About 850,000 manhours will be needed to modernize the plant.

Upon completion of the project this spring, the site's styrene and ethyl benzene production will have been increased by 30 percent. About 50 percent of the styrene produced at the plant is sent to the adjacent ATOFINA polystyrene plant.

Polystyrene is used to make a variety of products such as foam coffee cups, television and computer cabinets, appliances, toys, compact disc cases and audiocassette cases.

Useful resource:

For more information about the Versalift crane, go to: www.deepsouthcrane.com/brochure/deepsou8.pdf