This week, a dome-shaped LNG tank steel roof, weighing more than four Boeing 747s, was raised almost 40 metres using little more than air, on Curtis Island.
This was a milestone for the Santos GLNG Project’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, being built by downstream principal contractor Bechtel.
Vice President GLNG Downstream Rod Duke said electric fans were used to lift the 850-tonne roof, using about the same pressure it takes blow bubbles through a straw in a glass of water.
“We used air to raise this huge roof, around 40 metres inside the outer concrete walls of the LNG tank,” Duke said.
“This is a huge achievement from the 2000 strong workforce on our site at Curtis Island to reach this milestone. More than half of these are Gladstone locals.
“We can now start to build the inner nickel steel tank that will hold the LNG at minus 162 degrees centigrade.”
Once in place, the steel roof will be covered by two concrete layers and weigh a total of 7725 tonnes.
Fast Facts
Over 2 hrs – time taken to raise roof
79 metres – roof diameter
200,000m³ – quantity of air needed to raise roof
7725 tonne – total weight of the roof after all concreting and fixtures are complete
30 months – construction time
Check out the time lapse video.