Special Expertise – Cryogenic Gas Transfer Systems
Liquefied Ethylene Lighterage & Transportation – India

Client
Reliance Industries Ltd.

Project Location
India

IMPaC’s Services
40,000 hours

Investment
80 million USD

Year
05/1988 – 03/1992

IMPaC’s Scope
Conceptual studies
Feasibility studies
HAZOP study / risk analysis
Basic and detail engineering of the ship-to-ship transfer system and the lighter vessels
Overall consultancy
Construction supervision
Training of personnel

Back to overview

Reliance Industries built its Hazira petrochemical plant 200 km north of Bombay in 1988 – 1990. For the scheduled start of production in 1991 the main raw material – ethylene gas – had to be imported from overseas for a few years until a domestic cracker unit could be completed and commissioned. IMPaC investigated several import options but due to authority restrictions the only option still open was offshore lighterage, i.e. ship-to-ship transfer of liquid ethylene at -104°C into shallow draft barges capable to of reaching the unloading jetty 18 km up the Tapi River. This concept - ship-to-ship lighterage with flexible hoses - had never been used before. Therefore extensive concept studies, tests and certification work had to be carried out by IMPaC.

IMPaC provided the design of the overall lighterage and transportation system of liquefied ethylene. IMPaC provided design & engineering services for the lighter barge RELGAS VIKRAM and the lighter vessels RELGAS NAYANTARA & RELGAS ISHETHA each with a capacity of 2.000 m³. IMPaC also acted as owner’s engineer for the construction works in Finland and the Netherlands.