Mega Jack lifts topside

Heavy lift and transportation specialist ALE has used its Mega Jack system to jack-up a topside a height of 14 metres for a job in Mexico. According to ALE, because the Mega Jack had its own starter beams, the client did not need to fabricate temporary ones – saving it time and money.

ALE explained that for cost-effective load-out onto the barge, the topside needed to be jacked-up over 10 m so it could be placed on a specially designed desk support frame (DSF). The Mega Jack was the most viable option, it said, as limited site space meant they needed to avoid any disruption to other site operations.

The topside weighed over 13,000 tonnes and was jacked-up, in stages, to a height of 14 m. Upon reaching the first jacking phase, at 5.5m high, the client was able to access the forklifts under the topside. ALE said this was a major advantage, enabling it to quickly continue operations, optimising the project schedule. Once at full height, the DSF was then installed underneath and the topside jacked-down for the load-out.

For the jacking operation, ALE configured the Mega Jack with eight towers, each with a capacity of 5,200 tonnes. This provided the strength needed to lift such a heavy weight whilst evenly distributing the ground loading pressure.

Teun Van Gorp, project manager / engineer for ALE who specialises in the Mega Jack system, said, “It is fantastic to be involved in such a unique project. As the Mega Jack is much more efficient than other systems on the market, with quicker assembly and jacking speeds, it provided a smart solution that saved time and overall costs.

“The Mega Jack was also a safer option for us operating in a busy site, as its inherent contingencies reduced the overall ‘critical operation’ and no working at height or welding connections were required. By using a world-leading jacking structure such as this, the client saved money by not investing in fabrication, which also gave them the long-term competitive edge. We are really happy with the achievements so far and are preparing for the next phase.”

The job took place in Mexico and is part of a full offshore service contract where ALE is executing the weighing, jacking, load-out and installation of the topside, jacket and platform. The next stage will involve the load-out and the offshore installation, with all offshore operations expected to finish in October.