Key Project Details

• Location: Malaysia

• Application: Facilities Engineering

• Key Challenge: Executing heavy lifts at height (52 meters above sea level) within a strict 6-day shutdown window, under spatial constraints and strict offshore bed space limits.

• Services Provided: Detailed Method Plan, TCLF (Thunder Crane Lifting Frame), Rigging & Skidding, and Flare Tip Lifting.

• Primary Benefits: Enhanced safety, optimized project efficiency, budget-friendly execution, and timely delivery within the shutdown period.

Core Engineering Challenges

Executing a flare tip change-out on an active offshore facility presents severe operational and logistical hurdles:

• Strict Shutdown Window: The client had only a 6-day shutdown window; any operational delay would directly impact offshore production schedules and incur massive costs.

• Accommodation & Manpower Limits: Due to offshore bed space constraints, Thunder Cranes was allocated only a 2-person crew (a superintendent and an operator). They had to manage manpower by integrating and familiarizing 4 client crew members with the specialist equipment.

• Height & Access Constraints: The flare tip was situated 52 meters above sea level, accessible only via a challenging access route with severe deck space limits.

• No Prior Site Visit: External circumstances prevented a pre-job site survey. Thunder Cranes relied entirely on client-provided drawings and structural photos to formulate the detailed engineering assessment, feasibility study, and method statement.

Methodology & Operational Execution

Thunder Cranes developed a custom, portable modular lifting solution known as the TCLF (Thunder Crane Lifting Frame), designed specifically for flare tip change-outs:

1. Equipment Delivery & Positioning: The TCLF and supporting gear were transported via supply boat, lifted onto the primary deck via the platform crane, and skidded into position adjacent to the flare bridge.

2. Power & Winch Rig-Up: A hydraulic power pack and control panel were installed, and the primary TC Winch was welded directly into position followed by Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) verification.

3. TCLF Assembly on Flare Deck: A temporary lifting system transferred the modular components of the TCLF up to the flare tip deck 52 meters above sea level.

4. Load Testing: Once assembled and securely welded on the flare deck, the system underwent rigorous weight load testing, verified by NDT examinations before and after the test.

5. Flare Tip Removal & Replacement: Both High-Pressure (HP) and Low-Pressure (LP) flare tips—the heaviest piece weighing 858 kg—were unbolted, lifted over the edge of the flare platform, and lowered to the supply vessel. The new components were then lifted from the vessel to the flare deck in reverse order for final installation.

6. Demobilization: The TCLF frame was systematically dismantled, transferred back to the main deck, packed, and returned to shore via supply vessel.

Outcome

By combining a customized modular lifting frame with rigorous engineering preparation, Thunder Cranes safely removed the old flare tips and installed the new units on schedule within the allocated 6-day shutdown window.