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TEREX QUARTET: FOUR Terex® CC 2800-1 CRANES LIFT 1,126-TONNE DRILLING SUPPORT MODULE in Baku
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 14th, 2012 – On December 18, 2011, four Terex CC 2800-1 units owned by Turkish crane service provider Hareket lifted a drilling support module (DSM) for the West Chirag oil platform (WC-PDQ), which is part of the Chirag Oil Project being carried out in Baku, Azerbaijan by the Amec-Tekfen-Azfen Consortium. The module, which was the platform’s heaviest component at 1,126 tonnes (1,241 US tons), was first lifted to a height of 18 meters (95 ft.) and then moved a distance of 51 meters (167 ft.), making it necessary for the four Terex cranes to operate at up to 95% of their lifting capacity. This posed a daunting challenge to both the machinery and the people involved in the operation.
Bob Parker, the Amec project manager in charge, knew from the Terex CC 2800-1 was meant for the lift at hand from the moment he started preparations. “The CC 2800-1’s enormous versatility and solid reliability were two factors that played a critical role in our decision to use the crane for the project. Also, the fact that it could be configured quickly and easily was important, as it would enable us to use it for all kinds of lifts at the site.” The fact that there were already two CC 2800-1 units being used for assembly work at the drilling platform was yet another good reason to order two additional cranes of the same type for the four-crane lift. Two of the four Terex CC 2800-1 units were delivered by DAS Otomotiv, which is an authorized distributor for Terex in Turkey and Azerbaijan, and is also in charge of training Hareket’s team for assignments involving the CC 2800-1. “One of the key elements in how we nurture our customer relationships is our focus on providing comprehensive services, which is why we made sure that we had staff members on site in Baku who would be able to provide technical support,” explains DAS project engineer Ceyhun Hazneci.
The team spent a total of eight days configuring the cranes so that they would be ready for use, preparing the ground accordingly, and carrying out the lift. This required not only four crane operators, but also ten mechanics, two senior managers, and one project manager, all of whom were directly involved in the project on site. In fact, the lift was so ambitious that merely leveling the ground and ensuring that it would be able to support the pressure that the cranes would exert on it took two days: “In order to make paths that would be sufficiently strong for the cranes, we had to bring in large amounts of fill material on trucks and compact it with road rollers and vibratory plate compactors, which our team did for a full twelve hours each day.” Bob Parker, BP Heavylift Superintendent said. The weather was just as unforgiving: The lift could not be performed safely unless the wind speeds in the area fell below eight meters per second (26 feet per second), and the team had to wait two long days before meteorologists finally forecasted a six-hour window during which this condition would be met.
A Perfectly Synchronized Quartet
The four CC 2800-1 cranes were set up identically (with an SSL configuration, a 60-meter (197 ft.) main boom, and a 400-tonne (441 US ton) counterweight) with one exception: two of them had a Superlift counterweight of 300 tonnes (330 US tons), while the other two had a Superlift counterweight of 250 tonnes (275 US tons). The reason for this arrangement was simple: The DSM’s center of gravity was not centered, as the module was heavier on one side than on the other. In order to effectively counter this imbalance, the two cranes on the lighter side worked with a smaller counterweight and a steeper boom angle, meaning that they also worked with a smaller radius. As an additional measure, the team adjusted the pad-eyes on the drill support module in order to prevent it from being “skewed.” The last elements responsible for ensuring that everything would go according to plan were the cranes’ load moment indicator (LMI), which would let each crane operator know the exact weight on the hook at all times during the lift.
With this setup in place, the Terex cranes were perfectly prepared to lift the massive module, which weighed 1,126 tonnes (1,241 US tons), was 28 meters (92 ft.) tall, and had a base area of 21 by 19 meters (69 by 62 ft.). “By perfectly coordinating the cranes’ lifting and travel speeds, we were able to perform the operation safely and exactly as planned,” reports Barry Riddel, BP Technical Lift Authority, proudly. Things could not have gone better in terms of how man and machine worked together towards a common goal. The lift was so perfectly synchronized, in fact, that the team was not only able to keep the load transfer under the maximum permissible limit, which had been calculated at 12 tonnes (13 US tons), but actually managed to keep it under 3 tonnes (3.3 US tons) for the entire operation. The CC 2800-1 units’ control equipment also played a vital role in this achievement by ensuring that every step involved in the lift went smoothly and with utmost precision.
The fact that the complex lift operation went smoothly did not surprise Amec project manager Bob Parker one bit: “I’ve been in the business for 38 years, 28 of them as a manager, and I can tell you that when I look at all the experiences I’ve had with the CC 2800-1, I know one thing: this crane is not only an exceptional machine, but also one that I would trust with any lift, no matter how challenging.” Barry Riddell chimes in with the same amount of enthusiasm: “Our excellent planning and highly qualified staff enabled us to safely and reliably perform this difficult lift: The crane operators’ work was flawless, our team leaders and mechanics did an outstanding job, our safety personnel was on the ball, and the four major players in the lift, that is, the cranes themselves, were rock-solid!”
The Terex® CC2800-1
The Terex® CC 2800-1 is a lattice boom crawler crane with a remarkable level of versatility. For instance, it can be converted from a standard crane to a special-purpose crane for wind turbine projects — and back — with only a few special components. These special components include specially reinforced main boom segments and a rigid luffing fly jib (LF2) with a length of 12, 15, 24, or 36 meters that was developed specifically with wind power-related applications in mind. The crane’s rated lifting capacity is 600 tonnes (661 US tons) with a reach of ten meters (33 ft.), while its maximum load moment is 7,710 mt.
The undercarriage is available in two different models: the standard version and a narrow-track version, the latter allowing the crane to move through 5.3 meter-wide roads (17.4 ft.). The narrow track kit can be used with either 1.2 meter-wide (3.9 ft.) track pads (for a smaller total width) or 1.5 meter-wide (4.9 ft.) track pads (for reduced ground pressure). In addition, the crane can also be supplied with a chassis designed for road travel. The basic machine, including all winches and the A-frame, can be transported within a 12 tonne axle load limit.
The high level of flexibility provided by these options and features saves time and money during transportation, setup, and disassembly, providing for a high level of cost-effectiveness in the process. Moreover, the time-tested Terex IC1 control system, featuring remote radio control capabilities for rigging, makes it possible to operate the Terex CC2800-1 easily, safely, and comfortably no matter what the operating conditions.
About Amec-Tekfen-Azfen
The Amec-Tekfen-Azfen Consortium was formed by the three companies that gave it its name and is currently responsible for erecting the West Chirag oil platform for the Chirag Oil Project in Baku, Azerbaijan. AZFEN was founded by the government of Azerbaijan as a joint venture with Turkey-based TEKFEN Construction & Installation Co. in 1996 , while AMEC is a worldwide consultancy leader that is headquartered in England and provides engineering and project management services to the oil and gas production, minerals and metals, environment, and infrastructure industries. The West Chirag project is scheduled to be completed in March 2013.
For more information, please visit www.azfen.com , www.tekfen.com.tr , www.amec.com
About DAS Otomotiv & Generator Ltd.
DAS Otomotiv is an authorized distributor for Terex Cranes in Turkey. This industry-leading company has operations in around 48 countries in the region and provides its customers with a comprehensive full-service experience that encompasses services ranging from technical instruction and training to repairs and spare parts sales. With its factory-trained sales and service staff, DAS Otomotiv also develops custom solutions, including on-site project support, for all types of lift operations.
For more information, please visit www.dasoto.com.tr.
About Terex
Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer of a broad range of equipment that is focused on delivering reliable, customer-driven solutions for many applications, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, energy, utility and manufacturing industries. Terex reports in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms; Construction; Cranes; Material Handling & Port Solutions; and Materials Processing. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of equipment through Terex Financial Services. More information can be found at www.terex.com.
