PCL constructed the deep conversion sulfur block as part of a 50,000-barrel-per-day expansion to an existing refinery. The project required extraordinary planning and coordination owing to its minuscule laydown and staging area, and the project footprint at the back of the refinery. Further, there was no room on-site to accommodate the large crane necessary to support construction.

To overcome this deficiency and enable efficient lifts, the project team developed a plan to use tower cranes instead of a conventional crane. This unique approach to construction in an industrial environment won accolades from the client and served as an efficient means of handling the lifting requirements.

Competition for labor in this growing area meant that the client relied on PCL’s access to skilled craft labor beyond Southeast Texas. PCL self-performed the  underground piping, civil work, equipment foundations, structural steel, process piping, equipment installation, electrical and instrumentation, and insulation work. The PCL team worked 3,037,671 hours without a lost-time incident.