Marine Terminal Shoe Replacement
The Need & Challenge
This marine terminal was a highly corrosive environment which over time caused damage to unprotected areas of the pipeline touchpoints. Combined with erosion caused by pipe movement, the pipe touchpoints became a critical concern for pipeline integrity.
To lift the lines crews required safe access beneath the pipe rack which was situated over a body of water. The largest lines were 24” and filled with product, requiring large lifting forces to provide access to the touchpoints.
The lines were lifted for removal of the existing shoes and rollers to provide access for inspection. The pipe touchpoints were then recoated and new support shoes installed.
Solution & Outcome
Scaffolding was erected at each support location to provide crews with safe access beneath the pipe rack for installing equipment and conducting inspection & repairs.
Larger lines were lifted from multiple adjacent supports simultaneously to minimize pipe stresses that would have been caused by lifting at a single point.
Engineered line lifting enabled safe access to the touchpoint areas and the Ovolifts pipe jacks were mechanically locked out for the multiple days required to complete repairs.
A pipe stress analysis ensured stress curves were maintained within limits throughout the project to maintain the integrity of the piping system.
A total of 7 lines across 17 supports were lifted over the course of 7 weeks with unique solutions for access developed.
Value Added
The method of simultaneous lifting of multiple lines directly from the existing support structure substantially reduced cost to the client by increasing productivity and eliminating the need for the additional scaffolding necessary for installation of a strongback system.
In addition to the above, they did not have a solution for lifting the larger lines without the use of a crane, which was considered unsafe for this purpose and would have blocked the entire roadway to the remaining areas of the terminal for multiple weeks.
Safety was improved by eliminating suspended loads and by enabling personnel to stand off at safe distance from the equipment during the critical breakaway lifting process (Ovolifts remote lifting capability).