Client: MELONES OIL TERMINAL INC, PANAMANIAN COMPANY FOR THE STORAGE OF HYDROCARBONS
Location: MELONES ISLAND - PANAMA
Application sector: OIL TERMINAL
Objectives
Melones Oil Terminal Inc. was in need of a structure compliant with the Oil & Gas norms to cross over the terminal pipelines. The customer required the solution to be particularly resistant to the external agents as well as self-extinguishing considering the aggressive environment the terminal is exposed to such as the brackish water, the sea air as well as the hydrocarbons. Moreover, the crossing structure was requested to be easy to install and adjust because of the terminal location.
Solution
M.M. and Syncflow Corp. designed a structure made of two stairways and a gangway of 12,60 meters to cross over the pipelines in the containment dike.M.M.carried out a prior technical study in the framework of UNI EN IS0 14122 - 1,2,3,4 norm. The study granted a made-to-order solution respondent to the customer's needs allowing for the load-bearing pillars to be adjusted on site. The choice of self-extinguishing gratings SCH 38/38_IFR with polyester resin, composite pultruded profiles and AlSI316L nuts and bolts ensured an easy installation because no particular machineries were needed and the materials used were light. To increase visibility and security the pultruded profiles and parapets of the structure were given a yellow paint finishing. The fiberglass solution proposed by M.M. and Syncflow Corp. was satisfactory for the customer who appreciated its higher resistance to the extreme corrosive environment compared to steel. These characteristics of the proposed gratings and profiles made the final structure maintenance free for more than 20 years.
