Lifting operations support for large scale gas plant

Benefits

• Two-year commissioning programme successfully brought the gas treatment plan online
• Development of all safe systems of work for cranes, rigging and lifting for production and maintenance
• Improved safety performance in lifting operations
• Engineering solutions delivered for difficult lifting operation.

Challenge

Unocal is the operator of the Chuandongbei (CBD) natural gas project on behalf of itself and China National Pertoleum Corporation (CNPC).

Operations are over a large scale area (800km2) including rugged terrain, high population and sour gas.

Altrad Sparrows was employed to provide safety oversight of high-risk lifting operations during the Major Capital Project (MCP phase of operations which included the development of two well pads, 30km pipeline, three train sour gas processing plant, a sulphur plant and gathering station. Through hazard analysis of crane, rigging and lifting activities, CBD identified the need to employ a lifting specialist to provide oversight, supervision and instruction to the crane contractor and Altrad Sparrows was selected through relationships on other global projects.

Solution

• Ten specialist personnel with expertise in cranes, rigging and lifting activities deployed to provide sagety supervision across all lifting operations
• Training, coaching, support and supervision provided to enhance safety awareness and change mindset of the workforce towards lifting activities and improved performance
• During MCP phase Altrad Sparrows exercised over 900 stop work authorities, performed more than 3,500 safety audits (including +20,000 obervations), provided inspection services for all lifting equipment utilised on the project and logged over 230,000 man-hours without a recordable incident
• Following Altrad Sparrows' performance in the MCP phase of operations, Unocal extended the contract by three years to include support functions for production and maintenance
• Altrad Sparrows current role includes the provision to supply lift supervisors/technical experts to control, plan, supervise and execute all lifting operations being performed across the CDB project
• For the production and maintenance contract over 700 lifting plans have been created to include planned maintenance tasks, bespoke lifting operations for field operations and turnaround activities
• Altrad Sparrows provide engineering solutions for particularly difficult lifting operations which require technical support to ensure a safe system of work is achieved
• Altrad Sparrows also provide the provision of inspection services including all lifting appliances and accessories utilised in all areas of the project, as well as the statute government periodic inspections of client owned 'special equipment'
• The lift supervisors check the training and competency standards of all national crane operators, signallers, slingers and riggers on the CDB project.

Summary

• Crane and lifting services management
• Multi-discipline engineering / design
• Crane operations
• Rigging / lifting
• Training and coaching.