Author Archives: levent

HAZOP & Scenario-Based Risk Assessment

SPEC provided client certified Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) and Scenario-Based Risk Assessment (SBRA) facilitation services on pipeline and terminal projects throughout the US. The facilitators were senior SPEC employees highly knowledgeable in the design and operation of storage and pipeline facilities. The facilitator’s job was to develop a pre-review charter, perform a readiness review with the client risk group, obtain client sponsor approvals, provide documentation to the team members prior to the review, facilitate the HAZOP or SBRA and produce a report after team approval of the findings. HAZOP facilitation services were performed for capital projects, process changes, and 5-year site wide reviews. SBRA facilitation services were performed for evaluation of specific deviations from standards or for items identified in the field as a potential risk.

Services Provided: HAZOP and Risk Assessment Facilitation

Client: Major Oil and Chemical Companies

Project Location: Continental USA

Tags: , ,

Backup Refinery Supply

SPEC provided the engineering and construction support for the installation of four new 200-foot diameter agitated tanks at a client’s terminal.  SPEC’s scope included permitting in a wetlands area, tie-in to a pipeline manifold, installation of new mainline pumps, tank agitators, custody transfer quality flow meters, meter prover and electrical building in addition to the installation of the new tanks.  The new tanks served as backup supply of crude oil to feed a refinery in the event of a pipeline supply outage. 

Services Provided: Project Management and Design, Process Engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation and Controls, Mechanical Engineering, Design and Drafting, Permitting, Safety, Fire Protection, Procurement Support, Construction Management

Client: Major Oil Company

Project Location: Midwest, USA

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gasoline Additive System Installation Across US Terminals

SPEC provided project development, engineering, permitting, drafting, procurement support, and construction support for the additive of a new customer gasoline additive injection system at 17 distribution terminals across the United States. SPEC’s tasks included assisting in the definition of the overall project scope, permitting, modification of existing additive systems, installation of new additive systems (i.e. injectors, pumps, injection points, piping, tubing, etc.), and design and installation of new additive tanks. SPEC design and project scope allowed for distribution terminals to handle roll out of new gasoline additive across the United States.

Services Provided: Project Development, Engineering, Design, Procurement, Permitting, Construction Support

Client: Major Oil Company

Project Location: 17 Terminals AcrossUSA

Project Length: Two years

SPEC Project Team Size: 15

Tags:

Functional Safety Project

SPEC provided engineering support for safety upgrades to an existing reactant delivery system. The existing system had the potential to add reactant too quickly, which could lead to runaway reactions. SPEC’s evaluation of the process identified that the installation of two pressure control valves on the reactant loop and installation of restriction plate orifices at each reactor created functional safety for the system by physically limiting the addition rate below the runaway reaction threshold without crippling production rates. With the relatively minor changes, flow was limited to 100% design flow rates under ideal conditions and only limited to 90% design flow rates under less-than-ideal conditions. SPEC was able to provide our client with a significantly more economical option that was installed within several months, rather than waiting more than a year for a full duplicate backup control system and instrumentation.

Services Provided: Project Management and Design, Process Engineering, Instrumentation and Controls, Mechanical Engineering, Safety, Procurement Support, Construction Management

Client: Major Chemicals Company

Project Location: Northeast, USA

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Existing Tank Farm Retrofit

SPEC provided multidisciplined engineering services (mechanical, civil, electrical and API Std 653 inspection) of two jet fuel tank farms. The Client had two aging tank farms located in different cities. The existing configuration had excess tankage, aging infrastructure, and permeable secondary containment. The Client could allow for shutdown of one site at a time to complete the work. SPEC reconfigured each tank farm to four main product tanks and two day tanks for storage of Jet A & JP-8. A new single bay loading/unloading rack was added, new piping and pumps, new tank instrumentation and pump control system, impervious liner (under tank and diked area), new stormwater collection and OWS treatment system. SPEC worked with the Contractor to move the tanks out of the area and relocate onto new foundations within the consolidated footprint.

Services Provided: Multi-disciplined engineering

Client: Multinational Industrial

Project Location: Northeast, USA

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Ethylene Pipeline Connection

SPEC provided support for the reactivation of an existing 3rd Party Customer ethylene pipeline into a 3rd Party plant.  SPEC’s role included assisting in the definition of the overall project scope, cost estimation, project scheduling, procurement and permitting.  SPEC designed new pipeline equipment and a pressure relief system, installed a new MOV and power supply along the client right-of-way (ROW) to a new connection site, and installed a new outdoor switchrack system within the client ROW and at the 3rd Party Customer plant.  SPEC’s design allowed for a new power supply and instrument and control system to fit within the limited space along the Client ROW for the new pipeline connection.

Services Provided: Project Management and Design, Process Engineering, Civil/Structural Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation and Controls, Mechanical Engineering, Design and Drafting, Procurement Support, Construction Management

Client: Major Oil Company

Project Location: Southwest, USA

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Ethanol Blending Services

E10, E15 & E20 Rack Based Ethanol Blending

Since the replacement of gasoline oxygenates such as MTBE with ethanol, SPEC has been designing loading rack-based ethanol blending systems for Clients & Facilities throughout the US. SPEC provided multidisciplined engineering services (process, mechanical, civil, electrical) for receipt, storage, piping & pumps for ethanol for blending with gasoline at the truck loading rack. Ethanol blending has gone through several iterations including wild stream and side stream. SPEC has completed stick built retrofits, skid-based retrofits and new multi-arm load rack skids for ethanol blending. SPEC has recently completed upgrading 24 terminals for E15 to E20 blending. The design utilizes VFDs to control pump discharge for E10, E15 or E20 blending without a reduction in loading rack flow rate. Ethanol systems included unloading of ethanol from marine barges, rail cars and trucks.

Services Provided: Multi-disciplined engineering, local permitting, environmental permitting and on-site construction support and inspection

Client: Major Oil Companies

Project Locations: Continental USA

Tags: , , , , , ,

Ethanol Tanks & Rail

SPEC provided project development, engineering, permitting, drafting, procurement and construction support for the installation of two ethanol storage tanks and a new rail system for bringing in ethanol. SPEC’s scope included design of the rail system, installation of the new tanks and associated pumps, and construction oversight.

Services Provided: Project Development, Engineering, Design, Procurement, Construction Support and Permitting

Client: Major Oil Company

Project Location: Midwest, USA

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Secondary Containment Solutions

Diked Area Liners & Containment

SPEC has over 30 years of experience in the design, inspection, retrofit, and certification of secondary containment systems throughout the US. Our focus is to design functional secondary containment systems that allow for needed operational access, proper drainage away from the tanks, and compliance with applicable codes, regulations, and client standards. SPEC has evaluated secondary containment permeability of existing earthen containments and designed secondary containment systems using diked area liners, where required. SPEC has experience with native soil improvement methods, liner systems such as geosynthetic clay liners, synthetics such as spray applied polyurea, and sheet systems such as HDPE, LDPE, and PVC. SPEC staff developed industry recommended practices for evaluating existing earthen material containment and evaluation of the performance of various liner systems.

Services Provided: Civil, Environmental Compliance and Inspection Services

Client: Major Oil Companies, ILTA Member Companies, Chemical, Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical Companies

Project Locations: Continental USA, Guam

Tags: ,

Pipeline Station Upgrades

SPEC provided project development, engineering, drafting, procurement, and construction support for the upgrades to five pipeline stations along a newly purchased pipeline by our client. SPEC’s role was to evaluate the existing pipeline stations and design the new piping and equipment at each of the stations. This included a variety of provers and pumps, specialized bypass systems, and new manifolds.

Services Provided: Project Development, Engineering, Design, Procurement and Construction Support

Client: Major Oil Company

Project Location: Midwest, USA

Tags: , , , , , ,