Page 37 - Industrial Plants 2014

EPC Package 2: Shah Process Plant

EPC Package 3: Shah Sulfur Recovery Units

he Shah Process Plant and its associated more than 25,000 workers at the peak level), was no
Sulfur Recovery Units is a grass-root mean feat. Several actions were brought in to
facility within the SGD Program. The plant successfully tackle the various challenges, faced
T is located in the Shah Field approximately specifically.
200 km southwest of Abu Dhabi. There are no
existing processing facilities at the site of the Shah Saipem has minimized its environmental
Gas Plant location. footprint, even with 25.000
The complex is among the largest gas treatment workers on site at the project peak
plants in the world, and sets a benchmark for its
distinctive features, in particular:
• a high sour content and associated sulfur
production, with an inlet feed of acid gas with Project Management
high H2S percentage. This makes safety a The creation of a project directorate, to ensure
fundamental pre-requisite for the whole plant alignment on all project decisions, with one
design: especially for the inlet and gas dedicated senior manager per area: head office
sweetening facilities (the location of which is management; UAE operations; project controls;
labeled “Red Zone” in the Project terminology) QHSE; technical management, procurement and
processing approximately 1000 MMSCFD of manufacturing management; and, management of
sour gas at 70 bars; contracts and subcontracts.
• the sulfur recovery trains have a total production Three main operations centers, individual focal
capacity of 10,000 tons/day of liquid sulfur; points for activities at each specific phase of the
• large plant area for 5 × 3 km, located within 3 project were identified:
low-lying areas roots facilities, including a sour/ • Corporate Headquarters in San Donato (Milan),
high pressure gas restricted zone – Red Zone. Italy, leading the design and procurement
- associated erection quantities: activities;
- civil concrete quantities: approx. • Chennai, India operating center for the
171,000 m 3 execution of detail design and “production”
- steel structures: approx. 80,000 tons engineering;
- piping: approx. 40,000 tons • in UAE, Abu Dhabi Branch and construction
- equipment: approx. 73,000 tons, of which site operations centers for construction,
28,000 tons of heavy lifting equipment, commissioning & start up activities, including
requiring special transportation and coordination of transportation and delivery
methods of construction operations and local procurement of material.
- approx. 5,400 km of electrical and
instrumentation cable; Engineering
• large amount of interaction: the Shah Gas Plant Process and engineering design activities have been
and Sulfur Recovery Units are 2 EPC packages carried out by a task force organization in Corporate
of the Shah Gas Development Program, Headquarters.
entailing 8 EPC Packages for a total number of The center of engineering activities moved to
6 EPC Contractors. Saipem engineering operations offices in Chennai,
India, immediately after a 30% 3D model review.
A number of factors increased the degree of This included the relocation of technical management
complexity in executing the projects. The remote and discipline leads.
desert location presented a number of logistical The bulk of the “production” engineering (such as
challenges, as did efforts to obtain the necessary laying foundations, piping isometric production, E&I
permits from local authorities. Equally, Saipem cable material take offs and interaction with the UAE
environmental commitment to minimize its footprint construction site) was carried out in Chennai.
in large scale operations in the area (there were There was a large presence of technical management

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