Roof raising operations on LNG Terminal in Świnoujście successfully accomplished

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Published on Thursday, 16 August 2012 14:01

August 16th, 2012 - On 27th July and 10th August respectively, two huge domes were blown 42 meters up to cover liquefied natural gas storage tanks in the LNG Terminal constructed in Swinoujscie, Poland.

This means that the work will be completed with a minor deviation from the schedule considering the scale of the investment, assuming that both roofs were to be raised by the end of July. Considering the complex nature of such operations, complicatedness of processes conducted simultaneously at the investment site and the problems faced by the entire construction sector, this accomplishment must be considered a great success of the Consortium implementing the Project and the Investor - Polskie LNG, said Rafał Wardziński, President of Polish LNG SA

Approximately 60 employees were directly involved in roof raising process. Both operations lasted approximately 3 hours and they were carried out according to similar procedure. The roofs were lifted at a speed of approximately 20 cm / min using a special airbag technique, consisting in a controlled change in air pressure generated under the roof dome. Only two blowers of regular capacity were used for pushing the structure up, although each dome weights 600 tonnes and its surface equals 4717 sq. m (50741 sq. feet).

When the roofs reached their designed position 42 meters above the ground, they were fixed to the compression rings at the top of the tanks and further they were welded to the rings. The blowers were stopped as soon as 90% of the circumferential roof welding had been completed.  Both operations were handled professionally and with regard to safety requirements.

The work on the tanks will continue through 2012.  The newly erected domes will be timbered, and then reinforced and covered with 1.5-meter-thick concrete layer. Meanwhile, the reinforced concrete walls of the LNG storage tanks will be lined with steel sheets, serving as gas-tight insulation. Subsequently, the inner tank made of 9% nickel steel will be assembled.