SAIC's Largest Equipment Lift Completed Successfully and Safely as Designed

SAIC lifted and set a 125-foot tall, 500-ton reactor using a world-class lifting system to help ensure a safe lift for HollyFrontier Corporation’s Tulsa refinery.

Overview

The HollyFrontier Corporation reactor lift project was part of the diesel hydrotreater revamp project to increase capacity of an existing diesel hydrotreater unit located in Tulsa, Okla., from 29,000 barrels per day to 35,000 barrels per day.

SAIC was responsible for international transportation and delivery of the new reactor, installation of reactor foundation and structural steel, reactor dress out and heavy lift, and procurement and installation of reactor structural steel. The equipment, a new diesel hydrotreater reactor, was 125 feet tall and weighed in at nearly 500 tons. The reactor is the “heart” of the diesel hydrotreater DesignBuildSM upgrade project, which will produce ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel for retail markets.

SAIC designed a foundation system that could support an operating weight of nearly 800 tons. Additionally, the reactor foundation design was even more complicated due to poor existing soil conditions. To support the load, the reactor foundation included 36 piers that were drilled more than 40 feet below the surface into bedrock,and capped with a 33-foot-square, 5-foot to 6-inch thick concrete pile cap requiring 24 anchor bolts embedded into concrete.

SAIC’s final movement of the reactor, setting the reactor onto the foundation, fit perfectly on the anchor bolts and shims to complete the safe installation in accordance with the design requirements.

DesignBuild is a service mark of Science Applications International Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Project Details

  • Location: Tulsa, Okla. Google Earth
  • Status: Complete
  • Project Details:
    • Lifted 500-ton and 125-foot tall reactor
    • Designed, constructed 800-ton foundation for reactor

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