Nothing but the best for the environment: Delivery of the largest-ever multiphase pump system for Algeria. (27.05.2008)
Numerous major systems and pumps have left the Bornemann plant in Obernkirchen over the years. But what recently found its way to the desert of Algeria after a lead time of only ten months clearly overshadows all previous dimensions.
Sixteen special transporters were required to shoulder the weight of 450 tons worth of assemblies, each individual one weighing over 46 tons, which needed to get on their way. No small task even for Bornemann, a highly experienced company when it comes to complicated and extensive shipping operations. After all, every single piece of the system had to arrive safely at its destination located thousands of miles away in the Algerian desert. The complex work required to prepare and load the assemblies for shipment was just the beginning of a major undertaking. On arrival, of course, a myriad of parts would have to be put together – yet another task that requires a wide range of skills and expertise.Not too great a challenge for Bornemann. After all, the company ranks right at the top in the engineering and production of boosting and liquid pumps, a standing that involves handling big orders at regular intervals.
From Obernkirchen to the port of Bremen, then on to Algiers and another 900 kilometers to its final destination in the middle of the desert – why would anyone go to all this effort?
Algeria is a petroleum producing country and a party to the Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations framework convention on climate change.
This means that raw natural gas, which is normally flared off in the process of extracting oil, must be reused in the future. The only way to do this is with specially designed systems. So, in early 2007 an Algerian oil company placed an order with Bornemann for two multiphase pump systems including drive units, the control containers, piping, climate controls and a fire-fighting system.
In early 2007 an Algerian oil company placed an order with Bornemann for two multiphase pump systems including drive units, the control containers, piping, climate controls and a fire-fighting system.
We spoke to Bornemann project manager Steffen Bienek (SB).
"Mr. Bienek, everyone is talking about the truly gigantic dimensions of the system shipped from the Bornemann plant for installation in a far-off desert location. Is the size of the system really such a major sensation?"
SB: "Of course, when you need gigaliners – special 44 meter long transporters – to carry the load, and when you have to deploy control containers and cranes with load capacities of 250 tonnes, and when you even have to remodel your factory gates to get the assemblies out onto the road, that's a pretty unique undertaking. You can imagine that, after just 10 months' development and production lead time, this was one final major highlight for us, and one which people are going to be talking about for a very long time..."
"But actually it's not just about the size..."
SB: "That's right. This system demonstrates that oil companies and oil-producing countries are taking their environmental responsibilities seriously. Our system is a pilot which conveys the mixture as it comes out of the ground to a separation plant for processing. The oil, gas, water and sand are separated immediately after being extracted, with the two pumps each pumping at a rate of 1,000 cubic meters per hour. So these multiphase pumps are not just able to separate out the materials, they can also handle and process such incredible volumes."
"That's impressive performance: both cost-effective and environmentally friendly."
SB: "Yes, that was a key requirement. But what you see in the pictures and video clips – we naturally took the opportunity to document the reassembly and loading process – is really just the surface. The more important thing is what our development engineers, our technical experts and our production people achieved. We at Bornemann not only have an outstanding global reputation to maintain, we were also looking to raise the benchmark yet again – and I think I and my team have succeeded in doing so with this shipment to Algeria."
The Bornemann corporation – Johann Heinrich Bornemann GmbH – has been manufacturing two-spindle screw pumps and pump assemblies at its home base near Hanover for over 150 years. Since 1985 it has also been manufacturing specialist multiphase pumps for the oil and gas industry worldwide.
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