Lowther-Rolton’s introduction to the Project was by request to attend the PEER review meeting at Whiting to assist BP determine the viability of the Project coupled with the construction philosophy of modularization.

Due to the scale of the Project, BP divided the work into four “Pillars” , each associated with a particular process unit and EPC contractor. HLT operations took place at the Whiting refinery, domestic and overseas fabrication facilities and port locations. At Whiting refinery a significant amount of the HLT work was located in or adjacent to live plant areas.

A diverse equipment list, including numerous pressure vessels, process modules, piperacks, pre-assemblies, rotating equipment and vendor packages, was mobilized to site for installation. The majority of equipment items were handled on multiple occasions including pressure vessels which were delivered bare and subsequently dressed on site, leading to modified characteristics. Considering the size and complexity of the HLT challenge presented by the Project, BP identified that to achieve the twin aims of efficient progress and safe, controlled HLT operations, a shared process for planning, acceptance and execution across all contractors and locations was required.

At BP request Lowther-Rolton partnered with Refinery and Project stakeholders to conceive, coordinate, create, issue and implement a Rigging, Lifting and Heavy Haul Procedure, which complied with the BP Golden Rules of Safety, industry/regulatory standards and established best practices.

Roles and responsibilities together with personnel qualifications, inspection, certification and testing requirements to meet BP and Whiting Refinery requirements were also incorporated.

Together with setting standards for the engineering and operational activities, the procedure specified the Project’s HLT engineering documentation and review requirements, using a system which analyzed the risk profile of each individual operation and defined documentation requirements and protocols for approval accordingly.

Lowther-Rolton worked with all stakeholders tailoring the procedure to integrate seamlessly with the Project’s Hazard Identification/Task Risk Assessment and permitting systems, providing a controlled environment during engineering and planning, thereby minimizing potential delays during permitting with the result that correct, complete, audited and accepted planning was complete to meet construction schedule requirements in advance of each operation.

Based on experience from previous projects L-R included provision for flexibility within the system to accommodate required changes to agreed plans, by incorporating Management of Change, thereby ensuring that risks would continue to be identified and mitigated, with control measures accepted, recorded and implemented prior to operations continuing.

A simplified lift planning and checking process was also devised and implemented for less complex lifting operations, to ensure that sufficient consideration had been offered to a less complex/simple lifting operation.