CASE STUDY

How Chamco Helped a North American Energy Producer Protect Their Refinery Expansions

Three fire foam package trailers

Project Background

Due to the expansion of their refinery, the need to replace their portable foam equipment at the Northern Edmonton refinery, and their goal to add the addition of new tanks, a North American energy producer needed an upgrade to their existing fire foam package. This upgrade was essential to be compliant with the fire code protection requirements.

As the bid winner, Chamco was awarded the replacement of three fire foam packages.

The Challenge: Design, Time, and Regulatory Requirements

Chamco was responsible for the design and testing of this significant upgrade. This project presented three key challenges: design, time constraints, and regulatory requirements.

  • Design

    The existing piping at the refinery was all run underground, which meant that the placement of pilings for the structural skids would impose restrictions on the support locations. Also, considering the large footprint of each fire foam package, working around the existing pilings posed quite the hurdle.

  • Time Constraints

    Due to regulatory pressure, the fire foam pump upgrades were on a tight deadline. Also, as the refinery is a 24/7 operation, shutting down the facility was not an option.

  • Regulatory Requirements

    Protection and safety were of the utmost importance as many businesses and neighbourhoods surround the refinery, posing a significant risk to nearby entities. In addition to the regulatory code requirements Chamco must follow as a supplier, the energy company also presented a whole set of requirements unique to them.

Why This North American Energy Producer Chose Chamco

Chamco’s experience, technical capabilities and competitive pricing surpassed the competitors’ offerings by a long shot. We provided confidence to the energy company every step of the way. Our team spent four weeks responding to clarifications including a face to face meeting in Edmonton with the clients full team addressing any questions or concerns. Chamco never failed to provide our client with a solution to their problems. Chamco’s confidence in our capabilities and ability to address each of the energy company’s pain points left no room for doubt in our capacity to deliver an effective solution.

The Solution

The replacement of three major fire foam packages presented many engineering, logistical, environmental and site-specific challenges. Chamco successfully overcame them and proudly delivered a unique installation to meet our client’s requirements with a fully customized turnkey package. Each package consisted of one foam system, complete with two diesel-driven foam pumps, two diesel-driven engines, concentrate storage tank ratio controller, and fuel tanks as well as the full electrical equipment to allow for a seamless integration to the site’s existing controls system.

  • Custom Design

    Chamco built a package from scratch with rigorous and custom engineering, which allowed us to structurally design the fire foam package around the existing pilings limitations. The structural skid’s innovative design kept the refinery’s existing piling position while giving us enough room to build the package for the size required.

  • In-House Sourcing & Effective Communication

    Chamco was able to maintain complete control over the project due to the fact that we design and manufacture our engineered systems in-house. All expertise and knowledge were sourced directly from the Chamco headquarters which allowed us to oversee every aspect of the project and maintain effective communication. Chamco efficiently handled time constraints and intensive design and fabrication demands without outsourcing any part of the process.

  • Regulatory Compliance

    Thanks to our fabrication facility fully certified with the Canadian Welding Board, CSA Z662 registered pipe welding procedures and Quality Management Standard registration of ISO 9001:2015, Chamco was able to meet every code requirement for the client. In addition to our certifications, our industry expertise allowed us to address every code and specification unique to this energy company through diligent welding, testing, and inspection.

The Results

All three fire foam package upgrades were successfully completed and delivered. Chamco’s team ensured the package integrated seamlessly into the refinery’s existing structure, and the final product was tested multiple times with the client’s safety team to provide safe and reliable operation for many years to come

This North American energy producer will continue to benefit from continuous support from Chamco.

“At Chamco, we don’t provide products. We provide solutions.”

Steve Sims, Manager, Proposals and Applications

Learn more about how Chamco can help with your project.