CASE STUDY

How Chamco Provided a Custom Fuel Pump System for a Diamond Mine Under Extreme Conditions

Project Background

In 2017, a diamond mine in the Northwest Territories needed to build large fuel storage and distribution facilities and approached Chamco to help with a fuel pump system.

The Challenge

The customer needed a fuel distribution system to offload fuel from their tanker trucks and move it to their fuel storage tanks. They turned to Chamco to design a full fuel pump system that would work with their tanks and could pump gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

Ice Roads and Transport Limitations

The Northwest Territories consist of some of the most remote regions in Canada and this makes for challenging conditions when it comes to transport and access. One of the biggest challenges is the fact that the roads leading up to the mine are hazardous and there is a small window of a few months a year where the mine is accessible by road. The timing of the delivery was crucial as we needed to get everything to the mine before the ice roads closed. If Chamco missed the window of opportunity, it would have been a long wait till the following year to gain access to the mine.

Also, as all the fuel packages needed to be transported via truck to the mine, there were limitations on the widths and dimensions that we could use for the fuel packages.
Extreme Temperatures

The mine operates in extremely cold temperatures during the winter, where it’s not uncommon for the temperatures to reach -50°C. Extreme cold temperatures can affect the speed and accuracy of the fuel pumps and Chamco needed to ensure that the pumps would adhere to Canadian fuel measurement standards.
Regulatory Requirements

When it comes to installing fuel pump systems, safety and security are essential and there are many regulations relating to the storage and distribution of fuel that needed to be fulfilled.

Why the Mine Chose Chamco to Supply Their Fuel Pump System

Chamco has decades of experience in building custom, complex fuel pump modules according to our customer’s needs. The mining company had an existing relationship with Chamco and we had previously provided a number of systems to the mine, including fire packages, air packages, and smaller fuel transfer packages.

When the mine needed a full turn-key package that could solve all their fuel needs onsite, the customer knew Chamco would be able to overcome their challenges and deliver the packages they needed.

The Solution

Chamco overcame numerous challenges to provide a complete fuel pump solution to the mine that ensured they could offload and distribute their fuel easily and safely.

Three Individual Packages

Due to the width and transport limitations, Chamco provided three individual fuel packages to offload the fuel. The fuel packages were long, narrow packages that could be transported on the back of the truck, so they wouldn’t have any issues with transportation.

Chamco was also able to deliver all three packages on schedule before the ice roads closed for the season.
Weatherproof Design

Designing and building the fuel systems to operate in extreme temperatures required the use of different materials and refined calculations. So, Chamco needed to take extra time to select the best materials and to ensure the structural work was sound for the conditions. Additionally, the building vendor we worked with also needed to include special insulation in the package.

Ensuring the system could operate in these extremely cold conditions also required some adjustments to ensure the pumps and metres could function properly in the cold.

The package needed to be built above ground to account for rising snow levels in the winter. It was therefore installed on pilings and Chamco built the stairs and platforms on-site.
A Safe & Secure Design

When designing fuel systems that distribute gasoline, there are higher safety risks involved due to its flammable nature. Chamco ensured that all electrical equipment was explosion-proof and designed to meet regulatory codes.

The customer also needed to ensure the fuel was protected from theft and Chamco installed a key lock system so that the fuel could not be accessed without proper authorization.

The Results

Control boxes for a fuel distribution system.

Chamco provided a turn-key system that met all the unique challenges and requirements for this project, providing a full solution to the mine’s on-site fuel needs. We guided our customer throughout the entire process and ensured they received an efficient, cost-effective package. The fuel pump system was also designed in a way that it could easily be expanded in the future.

Chamco worked very closely with the customer to ensure all their requirements were met. Everything was done on time and on budget and the customer was very happy with the results.

“This was a fun project from the proposal phase to seeing it all come together at the end. We were able to provide a full turn-key package that met all our customer’s onsite fuel needs on time and on budget.”

Steve Sims, Manager, Proposals and Applications

Learn more about how Chamco can help with your project.

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