Hydrocracker installed at Calumet Montana Refinery in Great Falls
By: DaVonte McKenithCONNECT
GREAT FALLS — Installation of a “mild hydrocracker” was completed at the Calumet Montana Refinery in Great Falls on Friday,
It’s part of a $400 million dollar expansion project, which is expected to double the production capacity of the refinery from 10,000 to 25,000 barrels per day.
Dating back to late last year, components of the hydrocracker were transported to Great Falls on three megaloads and were then assembled and welded together at a different building.
We’re told that the entire piece weighs around two million pounds, and has walls that are seven inches thick.
In order for crews to successfully transport it to the refinery, a dolly with 240 tires had to be used.
The lifting operation started at 8 a.m. in the horizontal position – slowly angling upward throughout the morning.
Right now, it’s unknown how much the mild hydrocracker cost the company, but we have learned that it may take the rest of 2015 and early part of 2016 to get piping, plumbing, and electrical up and running before “double capacity” efforts can begin.
According to citizendium.org:
Hydrocracking is a catalytic chemical process used in petroleum refineries for converting the high-boiling constituent hydrocarbons in petroleum crude oils to more valuable lower-boiling products such as gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel and diesel oil. The process takes place in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere at elevated temperatures (260 – 425 °C) and pressures (35 – 200 bar).
Services TD&H provided included: Geotechnical, Construction Materials Testing, Survey, Stormwater, and Construction Administration (including Special Inspection).
