ASC Ships 700-Ton Boiler System to Yanbu'
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Author: Saudi Aramco News
Released 20 February 2008
Workmen in Altamira, Mexico began preparing the boiler for transport months before it was loaded on a ship.
HOUSTON, February 20, 2008 -- The Aramco Services Company (ASC) recently accomplished the “heavy” assignment of shipping a boiler and its components from Altamira, Mexico, to the Yanbu‘ Gas Plant in Saudi Arabia.
The boiler alone weighs about 400 metric tons. When fully assembled, the system will weigh in at about 700 metric tons. Because of that massive load, a heavy-lift vessel was required for shipping.
ASC began working with Saudi Aramco in August 2006 to set the wheels in motion to transport the major piece of equipment, which is critical to the Yanbu‘ Gas Plant (YGP) Expansion Project. The boiler was loaded for shipping in early December 2007 and arrived in Saudi Arabia on Jan. 14.
“This was quite an accomplishment,” said Abdulaziz A. Al-Ajeeb, ASC Procurement and Logistics manager. “I am very proud of everyone who worked diligently on this project, helping to ensure that the boiler made safe passage to its intended destination.”
The boiler was loaded onto a cargo shop this past December, bound for the Yanbu‘ Gas Plant.
The boiler is the newest addition to four existing boilers, which together serve as a primary steam source to process natural gas liquids (NGL). The steam generated by this fifth boiler will help boost NGL fractionation capacity from 390,000 to 585,000 barrels per day.
The YGP Expansion Project, scheduled for completion this year, was initiated to provide increased feedstock to petrochemical plants operated by PetroRabigh and the Yanbu‘ National Petrochemicals Co. (Yansab) so they, in turn, can serve the growing domestic need for ethane-based products.
The shipping of the new boiler is an example of the wide range of materials-management projects that ASC handles every day to respond to Saudi Aramco’s needs 0 - which can involve, for example, a request for the tiniest surgical instruments to, well, massive boilers.
(Article by Judi Ottmann)