CRL carry out difficult project on 'live' power plant

CRL has undertaken a number of phases of refurbishment works to the infrastructure of the Semlogistics ( now Valero owned ) Petroleum storage plant at Milford Haven.

The first phase involved the repair and corossion protection of 29 concrete bridges that provide support for the network of pipes that transverse the plant. Initially the bridges were repaired following survey works to locate the specific repairs required.
Repairs were undertaken by either;

    • Hand break out and hand placed mortars, or
    • Hydrodemolition and sprayed repairs for the larger beam repairs.

Following repairs different corrosion control strategies had been identified for the different bridges depending upon their condition and levels of chloride.
These were;

    • Water jet preparation of the concrete elements surfaces and application of the Sika Migrating Corrosion Inhibitor Ferrogard 903 followed by the application of a 2mm skim coat of the cementitious coating Sikatop 107, or
    • Installation of the Mapei Elastic E25 Galvanic sheet anode system, which was then coated with Mapei Elastic Cementitious coating.

The top decks of the bridges were also refurbished by removing the existing HRA, planning the surface and then applying the PMB waterproof spray applied membrane. New HRA was then laid over the top of the membrane and new bitumen joints poured at the line of abutments.

The second phase involved the repairs and coating to Berths 2 & 3. The works were undertaken from a suspended scaffold beneath the berth and the roadway support beams.

These works included;

    • Concrete Repairs (undertaken by either hand, flowable or sprayed form of materials),
    • Installation of Galvanic anodes into the repaired areas, and
    • Following preparation, the application of Sika's MCI 903 followed by a 2mm protective coat of Sikatop 107.

In all operations CRL had to work within the requirements of the plant. These included carrying out all works under 'hot work permit systems', having all plant and equipment isolated with specific fitments for plant safety, and careful planning of the sequence pf works so as not to disrupt the operation of the plant.

Works on the Berth had to be carefully planned and sequenced with the plants operations team to co-ordinate all works with shipping movements and other operations taking place on the Berth.

"The restrictions of working in an operational power plant required detailed planning and co-ordination with the plant management. We are happy to report that the project was completed with no safety incidents, or disruption to the plants activities."

Steve Jones | Southern Regional Manager | CRL 

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