PO-11

Commission: New construction PO-11 plant (Lyondell&Bayer)
Principal: ABB Lummus Global, The Hague
Location: Maasvlakte-Rotterdam

March 2004 saw the official delivery of one of the world's largest propylene oxide plants (PO-11). The plant is located in the Rotterdam Maasvlakte. Its construction was commissioned by Lyondell and Bayer; the plant has a production capacity of approx. 285,000 tonnes of PO a year. GTI successfully carried out the mechanical and electrical work.

Propylene oxide is used for the manufacture of polyurethane, a product to be found in thousands of our everyday commodities, such as anti-freeze, cosmetic products and various kinds of foam for use in mattresses and chair seats, for instance.

Mechanical and electrical work
From 2001 to 2003 GTI and its sister company Fabricom GTI Major Projects were responsible for all mechanical and electrical work, including:

• pre-manufacture of piping
• assembly of off-site piping layout
• assembly of complete process area, including the assembly of vats, pumps and compressors
• engineering, manufacturing and assembly of piping for a cooling-water station
• temporary mid-tension installations
• temporary construction power units
• supervision of subcontractors
• assembly of various electrical installations

Peak period
The assignment required many diverse installations and good coordination: during the peak period more than 800 GTI staff were simultaneously at work on the Lyondell site.