Fire Pumps Replacement
Key Capabilities
Project Management
Procurement
Fabrication
On-site Installation
Commissioning
Overview
Our client is the largest independent provider of storage services to the East Coast gas market.
Located in south-west Victoria, the plant has several primary functions structured around the supply of gas from the underground storage facility and the processing of gas sourced from offshore fields. It is designed for continuous operation with critical parameters maintained for this continuing asset life.
The fire suppression system, which is an integral component of the sites’ essential services, required upgrading.
Vecta were engaged to manage, procure, fabricate and site install the scope of works.
Scope
The scope was to replace the existing diesel fire water pump and driver as well as retrofitting a new electric pump to an existing skid base. In addition, Vecta were required to install new fabricated suction and discharge pipe spools which needed to fit precisely so downtime was minimised.
Challenges
Being an essential service, the regulated constraints associated with this type of work were critical. The timeline to carry out the work was the prime focus, as the site requirement was to have at least one pump in service. The downtime of the second pump had to be kept to a minimum, as the site needed both pumps to be available to comply with their normal operations. The project was delivered in 4 weeks.
Solutions
Focus on the detailed scheduling of all activities, with the input of all stakeholders ensured ‘buy-in’ to the project and desired outcomes. Stakeholders included the client, operators, fabrication and piping workshop, galvanisers, NDT, transport, suppliers, cranage, mechanical, electrical and instrument resources.
Being a Major Hazard Facility which warrants strict controls around hot work, all hot work was carried out off site. An example of this was all replacement spooling was completed in the workshop without any site weld requirements. This positively impacted the schedule and delivered a cost advantage.
In order to meet the compressed schedule Vecta considered and implemented innovative solutions which included:
replacing the existing pump canopy with new, instead of onsite re-sheeting of the existing canopy as required in the original scope of works,
using epoxy grouting and rapid set chemset products,
These innovative solutions did not vary the original price and improved the time taken to make the asset available for normal operations.
Outcomes
Both fire water pumps were replaced and commissioned within the scheduled time frames, without any incidences and on budget.