Al Jaber Heavy Lift and Transport has completed a series of 143 lifts on a petrochemical development in Qatar, including two major lifts with its 3,200-tonne capacity Terex CC 8800-1 TWIN crane.
Al Jaber completed 31 lifts with its 1,600-tonne capacity Terex CC 8800-1 crane. For two lifts, the crane was rigged in its TWIN format, with a second boom, doubling its lift capacity, in order to install two AGR (Advanced Gas Reactor) absorbers each weighing 1,300 tonnes.
The AGR absorber column is a critical item in the liquefied natural gas processing train helping remove hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide and organic sulphurs in the raw feed gas so it complies with LNG liquefaction process or sales gas production standards.
VIDEO: Watch Terex CC 8800-1 TWIN crane in action
The lifts were planned by Al Jaber site manager Sevi Phillip over a period of 18 months, and the two AGR absorber lifts critical in the company being awarded the contract.
The AGRs were moved onto the site using self-propelled modular trailers (SPMTs). Each absorber was raised from the horizontal to the vertical using the CC 8800-1 TWIN crane as the main lift crane and using a tail frame to control the base of the absorber.
Once the CC 8800-1 TWIN crane lifted the absorber clear of the SPMTs, the trailer was moved out of way and the lift continued until the column was vertical. At this point the tail frame was then removed leaving the crane to carry the whole weight of the absorber.
Next the crane slewed through 90 degrees and placed the column into its final position on the specially prepared foundation. The TWIN was then partially de-rigged so that it could track a short distance into the correct position to carry out the second lift and then be re-assembled to carry out the identical lift sequence with the second AGR absorber.
VIDEO: Watch Terex CC 8800-1 TWIN crane in action
Mark Rowlands, project manager with Al Jaber Heavy Lift based in the Middle East said that the contract was further complicated because of the intense heat in the summer and wind variations. “[The crane] was comfortable, easy to use, stable and flexible and the operators were very happy with its precise and user friendly controls.”
“We were all very pleased with the crane and how it performed. Everything went according to the plan – it was a dream come true,” said Phillip.
“We were all surprised how compact the CC 8800-1 TWIN was given its huge lift capacity. There were 27,000 people on site so space was at a premium. We worked with the client to minimize time and space requirements which really benefitted the whole project.”