SembCorp Simon-Carves

Low Density Polyethylene Production Plant

This Low Density Poly Ethylene pellet production plant will be the largest single stream plant of its type in the world producing 400,000 tonnes of pellets per year. The process re-uses the ethylene waste produced by the petrochemical industry to produce a plastic that is used in a variety of products. Currently the ethylene is exported to Spain to be converted to LDPE.

The project is a complex fast track design and build requiring designers and contractors to be highly co-ordinated at the design/construction interface. Contractors are also required to be flexible and responsive to change. The production process demands high pressure, in excess of 4000 psi, in the presence of a catalyst. This in turn requires substantial structures to contain the pressure vessels. Consequently the two main structures, the reaction bay and the compressor house, deal with these requirements.

The reaction bay is 72 x 36m with a two metre thick base slab and nine metre high reinforced concrete blast walls 450mm thick. Within the bay ten 4.5 m² towers between 7.2m and 10m high and over 400 plinths support equipment. Steel cast in plates weighing over 40 tonnes serve to locate plant.

The compressor house is covered by a structure shaped similar to a dutch barn and houses the largest compressors of their type in the world. The compressor bases are four metres thick, involved concrete pours of 800m³ and 650m³ and required complex reinforcement steel design to accommodate pockets and over 100 plinths. Total LOR Engineering Building Relocation Client: Total LOR Location: Immingham Current Value: £8 million Duration: 37 weeks Consultants: HBPW DGP International