OREANDA-NEWS. August 10, 2012. Lifting of a unique fractionator, which is a major unit of the combined hydrocracking installation, was carried out at the construction site of the oil refineries and petrochemical plants complex in Nizhnekamsk, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT.

Four heavy equipment units: two high pressure separators, an absorber and a circulating gas compressor separator for the combined hydrocracking unit were already installed in July this year. The fifth unit, a major one in the process chain, was manufactured at "Atommash" plant in Volgodonsk, Rostov region. A process of separating the reaction products and obtaining marketable products: petrochemical naphtha, kerosene, diesel fuel and hydrotreated vacuum gas oil will take place in it.

Among the unique features of the new column are its dimensions: the length of the unit is 67 meters with a maximum diameter of over 7 meters. The overall mass is 350 tons. From the lifting point of view the equipment belongs to a super heavy category. That is why the cranes of Mammoet Dutch Company earlier used to lift the heaviest vessels at the construction site, as well as special self-propelled, modular transporters of SOMETTO Company, Italy, and other equipment were involved in the operation.

A special pier capable of handling heavy loads of the loading dock section with a floating botaport had been previously built to receive the equipment of this kind in Nizhnekamsk for TANECO.

Delivery of the column from Volgodonsk to Nizhnekamsk by water lasted 10 days plus two days for unloading operations at the port. Transportation was carried out within ten hours on the special self-propelled modular transporters escorted by traffic police.

Lifting and installation of the column was performed by the workers of the general contractor construction and mounting company "Unix" (Moscow). This company had been involved in the equipment installation of the SSC tires factory and of the TANECO sulfur granulation and packaging complex. The task of this company is to mount 38 pieces of the equipment with the load capacity exceeding 30 tons at the construction site. 70 percent of the work has already been completed to date.

Two other columns (smaller in size) from Petrozavodsk will be delivered to the construction site early in September and two ships with the equipment for hydrogen production will arrive in the second half of September. These deliveries will complete the supply of equipment for the combined hydrocracking installation.