As a part of the Visakh Refinery Modernization Project (VRMP), India’s largest Full Conversion Hydro Cracker Unit (FCHCU) with a capacity of 3.053 MMTPA is being set up. The licensor for this unit is M/s. Universal Oil Products (UOP) and the Project Management Consultant is M/s. Engineers India Limited (EIL).
The First & Second Stage Reactors are the heart of this unit. The First Stage Reactor which is heaviest in India, with an erection weight of 1,646 MT (1,858 MT including internals), has a wall thickness of 254.5 mm and stands 55.6 meters tall. The Second Stage Reactor weighs in at 454 MT, has a wall thickness of 184.5 mm and stands 28.5 meters tall.
Both the reactors, supplied by M/s. LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED were shipped via barge from vendor’s shop at Hazira on 22-March-2019 and received at HSL jetty, Vizag on 24-April-2019. A special purpose multi axle (SPMT) was used for transportation from HSL jetty to HPCL-Visakh Refinery project site on 28-Aril-2019. This milestone was successfully achieved three weeks ahead of 20-month schedule by close monitoring and coordination by HPCL-VRMP senior management with GVMC, APEPDCL, AP TRANSCO and Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
All activities beginning from receipt and unloading of the reactors at site, assembly of the MSG 80 crane and the SPMT with tailing frame arrangement were closely reviewed and monitored by the HPCL -VRMP senior management with regard to safety, quality and schedule.
The second stage Reactor was successfully erected on 11-June-2019. The first stage Reactor with an erection weight of 1,646 MT (1,858 MT including internals) was successfully erected on 18-June-2019 using the 3,200 MT MSG 80 crane of Mammoet along with tailing frame of 2,000 MT capacity resting on a SPMT of 1,540 MT. This is one of the heaviest reactors erected in single piece in the Indian oil industry.
