NEW MARINE LOADING ARM FOR TOTAL OLEFINS ANTWERP

Total owns three manufacturing facilities in the port of Antwerp, which form an integrated platform for refining and petrochemicals. Total Olefins Antwerp (TOA) is part of this. In the plant, the raw materials naphtha, butane and propane (petroleum fractions) are transformed by means of thermal cracking into light components such as ethylene, propylene and aromatics, raw materials for the production of plastics.

Client: Total Olefins Antwerp (TOA)

Location: Port of Antwerp

Period: 2016 - 2017

Sweco Belgium is currently assisting TOA with the basic and detailed engineering for the replacement of a marine loading arm. The old loading arm will be replaced by a new, state-of-the-art marine loading arm that meets UN3295*, a recent ADN directive (European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways) for hydrocarbons.

PFO, a residue from the ethylene cracking process and comparable with fuel oil, is a liquid with a high viscosity. Because of this viscosity, there is a risk of blockages occurring in the vapour lines. Therefore, extra precautions are being taken in developing this project, including the provision of a knockout drum with demister, which separates the liquid and vapour.

Facts