Dismantled, transported and rebuilt on schedule

Stork Technical Services has relocated the nitric acid 5 plant of OCI Nitrogen from IJmuiden to Geleen. This vast and exceptionally complex move was successfully completed within eight months. The plant is now once again operating at full capacity in Geleen!

The plant of OCI Nitrogen (formerly DSM Agro) in IJmuiden was closed at the end of 2009 at the request of the Dutch government. Supplying the plant in IJmuiden involved 116 ammonia train movements per year from Geleen to IJmuiden. For environmental and safety reasons, the government wanted to prohibit the transport of ammonia by rail through residential areas. OCI Nitrogen therefore decided to dismantle the nitric acid plant in IJmuiden and to move it in its entirety to Geleen, where the company’s other nitric acid plants are located.

Proven experience
OCI Nitrogen enlisted the expertise of Stork for the relocation.  “Stork has proven experience with projects of this kind in the (petro)chemical industry. Furthermore, this experience enabled Stork to offer a favourable price”, explains Gert Jan de Geus, Chief Operations Officer of OCI Nitrogen. An unexpected challenge during the dismantling process was the discovery of asbestos in the piping valves and seals. “That first had to be removed before the move could be carried out”, De Geus explains. “But Stork responded flexibly to the resulting schedule changes.”

Great success
On 31 July, the signal was given: mechanical completion! The plant had been fully rebuilt; the work had been completed on schedule and within budget, despite the unforeseen asbestos removal work. The burners were lit for the first time on 16 August. “That was one of the most critical moments of the entire operation”, explains De Geus. After a few small start-up problems, the plant is now running just as well as before. “We’ve completed a mega job together in just eight months!”