The hoisting of the chimney for the cracking furnace in the ethylene plant of Tarim’s 1.2 million tons/year Phase II ethylene project has been completed

Thread Content

On October 10, 2025, with the successful installation of the chimneys for Reactors No. 1 and No. 2, all seven chimneys for the ethylene plants in Tarim’s 1.2 million tons per year Phase II ethylene project, which were constructed by the company, were installed. This marks an important milestone in the project’s development, laying a solid foundation for subsequent tasks such as the installation of pipelines in the reactor area and pressure testing. As the \"heart\" of an ethylene plant, the cracking furnace system performs the core functions of cracking raw materials and carrying out high-temperature transformations. The chimney, as an important component of the cracking furnace, plays a key role in emitting flue gases and maintaining negative pressure. The chimney structure completed through this lifting operation soars high into the sky. By employing a modular prefabrication and segmented lifting approach, and by taking into account the on-site conditions as well as optimizing the lifting path, precision and safety in high-altitude assembly were ensured. Since the convection section module of Furnace No. 4 was lifted on December 31, 2024, the project team has overcome various difficulties and successively resolved multiple construction challenges. On March 14, 2025, all 49 convective section modules were installed. On May 10, the 6# pyrolyzer was successfully completed with four lifting operations per day. On May 12, the last steel structure module for the 3# pyrolyzer was accurately placed in place. The main structures of all seven pyrolyzers were completed 50 days ahead of schedule, setting a new record for the fastest construction time for similar ethylene plants in China. During the construction process, the construction procedures were optimized: the chimney frame and chimney were installed only after the piping work for the pyrolysis furnace itself was largely completed. This approach reduced the need for large cranes compared to traditional methods, and it also lowered the safety risks associated with concurrent operations. By adhering to a technology-driven approach, ensuring an efficient transition from pipeline prefabrication to pressure testing, focusing on improving the rate at which pipelines are assembled into complete lines, strengthening material management, implementing construction without unfinished tasks, and organizing the coordinated installation of pipe supports and hangers, good results have been achieved. To ensure the safety and efficiency of each lifting operation, the project team conducted numerous discussions and risk assessments to optimize the location of the lifting lugs as well as the overall lifting plan. A detailed lifting plan was developed, and before each lifting operation, the project department organized technical and safety briefings to thoroughly check key elements such as the site conditions, environmental factors, and work permits, ensuring that all requirements for construction were met. Only after approval through multiple reviews and signatures was lifting permitted, thereby providing solid technical, safety, and management support for the smooth progress of the lifting work. The successful installation of this chimney represents another major milestone following the completion of the main structure of the pyrolyzer; it indicates that the \"skeleton\" of the entire ethylene plant has now been fully established, and the project construction has progressed from structural work and equipment installation to pipeline installation and pressure testing. The hoisting of these chimneys adopted a model of \"factory prefabrication, modular installation, and digital management.\" BIM technology was used to simulate the hoisting path throughout the process, thereby optimizing the construction plan. For the hoisting operation, a 260-ton crawler crane was used for the lower section of the chimney, while a 400-ton crawler crane was used for the upper section. The \"single-machine lifting and delivery method\" was employed for the hoisting, enabling the precise assembly of the 7 pyrolysis furnace chimneys to within millimeter accuracy. The team enhances EPC collaboration, optimizes resource allocation, and implements a management system based on task tracking, reverse scheduling, and daily progress reviews. This enables efficient coordination among various specialties such as installation, welding, and inspection. It ensures traceability of welding quality, visibility of construction progress, and a closed-loop approach to safety management, ultimately achieving the \"double zero\" goal of zero accidents in terms of safety and zero defects in terms of quality. At present, the main structure of the cracking furnace in the ethylene plant and the lifting of large components have been completed. The installation work for the ethylene plant is 65.76% finished; next, the project construction will proceed to a new phase focused on pipeline installation, pressure testing, and electrical and instrumentation work.