Spanning 2000ha and producing nine million tonnes of petroleum products along with 4.5 million tonnes of petrochemicals a year, the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) is one of the largest integrated developments in the chemical and petrochemical industries in the world.
Situated in Pengerang, Southern Johor in Malaysia, PIC was launched by the Petroliam National Berhad (Petronas) in May 2012, with a total investment of US$27billion (AU$35.72 billion). The complex is expected to produce 7.7 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of differentiated and specialty chemicals such as synthetic rubbers and highgrade polymers. Expectations are that Southern Johor will be transformed into a petrochemical hub with the project expecting to meet demands in the Asia Pacific region for the next 20 years.
One company that is on the frontline with the project is Genie, which has been asked to supply almost 700 mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). So far 350 of their MEWPs have been mobilised.
Working across all sectors of the project including steel fabrication of refineries, and in welding and paintings, Genie is meeting the demand.
According to Equipinc Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Tek Siong Cheam, the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC) is one big step in creating value to the downstream oil and gas chain in Johor.
“There are two projects in the PIPC, the Pengerang Independent Deepwater Petroleum Terminal (PIDPT) and Petronas 60 billion Ringgit (AU$18 billion) Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) Project,” Cheam told Cranes and Lifting.
“The RAPID project site is in progress and is expected to be commissioned by 2019. Initial completion date was 2016 but it’s good for our industry because the peak requirement for machinery will stretch out so it’s not a boom bust situation.
“There are stringent requirements hence why we are only supplying new units.”
With its four-wheel drive, Genie’s MEWPs are able to deal with the ruggedness of the terrain and, at the same time, operate over long hours. Its ability to control positioning and precise movements of its booms made it an ideal choice for this project.
Situated close to international shipping lanes from the Middle East and China, the project is adjacent to Singapore, currently one of the largest and most sophisticated shipping ports in the world. The area is relatively unpopulated and there is no breakwater. meaning that there is sufficient passage for VLCCs and ULCCs along with the harbour being sheltered and safe.
Genie suggests that as the project develops over the coming years, it is estimated that the requirement for MEWPs will increase to thousands of units. The current demand already outstrips supply, so both new and used machines have been deployed to make at least 55% of the requirement for the jobsite. With the project expected to take 12 years to complete, Genie will continue to be the supplier of MEWPs.
“The demand and supply curve is balanced now with some capacity mix changing, but the quantity we supply will remain the same. At the moment, boom dominates scissors but maybe we will see more scissors later in the project,” Cheam said.
Case study: heaven sent
As the PIC project continues, we turn to another project in neighbouring Singapore that Genie has been heavily involved in.
Since October 2014, the Novena Catholic Church in Singapore has been closed for major renovation. The church, established in 1950, is currently going through one of the most dramatic redevelopments in its history. When it’s completed later this year, its congregation will get to experience towering pillars, high arches and a grand dome rising high above the altar. The church will also sit on a bigger premise, doubling its capacity to accommodate 1500 people.
To accomplish these renovations, Singapore-based distributor of Genie machinery, Aver Asia, has relied on its fleet of articulated boom lifts and scissor lifts to complete lifting tasks on the project site.
Genie was first introduced to the construction project to lift marble slabs that cover the walls and pillars of the church. Traditionally, scaffold is used in redevelopment of churches to safeguard the historic elements in the building, but with each piece weighing between 50kg and 70kg, it was deemed too difficult and dangerous.
Aver Asia brought a Genie Z-60/34 articulated boom lift into the project since it has a lift capacity of 227kg. With a height of 2.7m, the boom lift was too big to go through the 2.3m tall church doors and the wall had to be removed to get the machine into the church. However, the added construction problem was worth it because the MEWPs spurred the cladding work. The Genie Z-60/34 lift, having a tight turning radius and zero tail swing, offered excellent manoeuvrability and thus was perfectly suited to work in the confined space.
The highest point of the church is the cone shaped steeple, which rises up to 20m, and took the Genie boom less than a minute to reach the highest point. Alongside this were the different height profiles in different parts of the church, which multiple Genie models were also deployed to complete lifting tasks. The Genie GS 1930 and a Genie Z-45/25 RT articulated boom, with working heights of 7.6m and 15.97m respectively, were used to lay the marble slabs on the lower walls.
This article was originally published in the May issue of Cranes and Lifting.
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