Mammoet to deliver fastest, cost-effective solution with minimal disruption for Indian oil refinery expansion

Mammoet announced a new contract with L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Limited (LTHE) to provide heavy lift works on the Visakh Refinery Modernization Project (VRMP) in March 2019. This large expansion on the existing Visakh Refinery began in early 2017, and will increase the refinery’s production in order to supply India’s ever-increasing demand for globally compliant fuels. Mammoet is scheduled to deploy a MSG80 crane to erect columns and reactors, the heaviest of which is a 50-meter reactor weighing in at 1650 metric tons.

The MSG80’s circular base with low ground bearing pressure reduces the need for ground reinforcements.
The MSG80’s circular base with low ground bearing pressure reduces the need for ground reinforcements.
The initial plan was to utilize a gantry system for the lifts. However, Mammoet proposed the MSG80 as a more efficient solution. With its powerful 3200MT lift capacity, the MSG80 can move much faster than the gantry system, while minimizing impact on construction in progress. This is because it has the ability to lift several items from a single position, due to its height and reach. A gantry would need to be erected to complete the lift, then dismantled, relocated and rebuilt for the next lift. In addition, unlike a gantry system, the MSG80 does not need a concrete foundation, which can be costly and time-consuming to construct.

A total of five lifts of up to 1650 metric tons are scheduled for the project: a vacuum column, a crude column, two reactors and a heavy fractionator. The MSG80 will execute the lifts from three different locations. Working together, Mammoet and LTHE will overcome any challenges of space restriction and crane relocation to ensure the operation runs smoothly. 

VRMP is a brownfield expansion of the existing Visakh Refinery, which is owned by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). It was commissioned in 1957 and was the first oil refinery on the East Coast. The expansion works will enable the production and distribution of Bharat Stage VI fuels to meet a new emission standard, due for implementation in India from 2020. 

Mammoet continues to work closely with LTHE to develop this time- and energy-saving lift solution and optimize the construction process, as the project start date draws near.