Eurogruas on record project in Spain

Energy provider Repsol is building the extension to Spain's refinery in Cartagena, with a capacity of 11 million tonnes a year (220,000 barrels a day). Valued at more than €3.2 billion (US$ 4.8 billion), it is the biggest industrial investment in Spain to date.

Repsol and engineering company Tecnica Reunidas, which is managing part of the refinery construction, commissioned Spanish lifting and transport company Eurogruas to collect the associated equipment from Escombreras Port, as well as transporting and lifting of the heaviest components. On the project Eurogruas will transport and lift more than 50 units weighing up to 1,306 tonnes.

Three of the biggest lifts are reactors in the plant's hydrocracker unit, weighing 760 tonnes, 1,122 tonnes and 1,306 tonnes. Then there is the 420 tonne coke tank measuring 41 m long and 9.26 m diameter. Next was the 532 tonne vacuum tower, which was 47 m long and 11 m diameter.

The biggest unit, the 1,306 tonne reactor, represented the biggest ever lift in Spain, said Eurogruas.

The Eurogruas Heavy Lift Division did all the engineering transport and lifting on this project. One of the main contributions of the Eurogruas engineering department was the design and construction of a 39 m long bridge over a canal leading from the Escombreras Port for the transport of 1,500 tonne heavy equipment.

Equipment on the project includes a 1,350 tonne capacity Liebherr LR 11350, a 600 tonne capacity Terex Demag CC 2800, a 400 tonne capacity Liebherr LR 1400, a 72 axle line Scheuerle self propelled mobile trailer, conventional modular trailers from Goldhofer, consisting of 30 axle lines, and several other cranes.

A tail frame was used to erect the hydrocracker unit that was placed over three sets of 12 axle self propelled modular transporters (SPMT) in a parallel position.

In addition to the heavy lifting machines, Eurogruas supplied most of the mobile telescopic cranes, truck mounted cranes and concrete pumps to the project.