ALE complete major lifting project using largest crane in argentina

ALE’s Argentina branch have completed a major project by using the largest crane operating in Argentina, the Liebherr LR11350.

ALE was contracted to transport and lift three coke drums, weighing 435t and measuring 42m, at the YPF refinery in Buenos Aires, Argentina. ALE also weighed, transported and lifted derricks and coke drum structures, as well as transporting and installing several columns and heavy components.

Firstly, the coke drums were transported internally within the YPF refinery from the storage area to the coke drum building using 4 x 22 axle lines of conventional trailers.
The coke drums were then lifted using their Lieberr LR11350 crane with P boom. The 1,350t capacity crane was operated by exercising four crane configurations. In order to reduce the ground bearing pressure when performing the lift, load spreading mats of ALE’s AL.SK crane were utilized in the crane area.

ALE’s project manager Hernán Asensio, who co-ordinated the project explained why the crane was particularly beneficial for the project’s completion: “In this project we faced several challenges; working to install such large, heavy coke drums in a small working area filled with obstacles such as trees and buildings. Because of the client’s schedule, the heaviest pieces needed to be lifted during the windy season, which posed another challenge,” he said.
“By using the LR11350 crane with P boom and four configurations, we were able to optimize the maneuvers in the limited space we had available and minimize the removal of any obstacles. The client was pleased we could provide the engineering solution within the challenging environment.”
This operation took three months to complete. The LR11350 is now being demobilized

ALE

ALE delivers strategic heavy-lift services to a wide range of sectors, including civil, oil and gas, energy, nuclear, offshore, renewables, petrochemical, ports, marine, minerals and metals and mining. Read more articles about ALE →