Puget Sound Energy (PSE) supplies liquid natural gas to their customers and Maritime transportation clients. McDermott International hired us to assist at PSE’s newest plant, and for several years we have been offloading equipment at the facility’s laydown yard and setting them with the appropriate cranes and self-propelled modular transporters.

The most recent task in front of us at this facility was a big one: we needed to load, transport and set a 25,000-pound power distribution center, and a 38,000-pound marine loading arm at a 145-foot radius. Between the power distribution center, the loading arm and several other pieces of equipment that needed to be placed, the weight of what we needed to move totaled well over 100,000 pounds.

Fortunately, Omega Morgan knows exactly how to execute a seriously heavy crane lift. Our crane services crew got to work to determine how best to move this massive set of equipment.

Crane Lifting With Precision Planning

One of the options for moving the equipment was by a barge crane. However, this was a very costly option, and Omega Morgan was able to reduce cost for our customer by offering another option: utilizing a mobile crane to set the equipment from the dock.

Due to the weight of the equipment combined with the weight of the crane, we had to ensure the ground bearing pressure (GBP) was low enough to handle the load. This took very precise and careful planning.

The crane was placed on an area where soil improvements had been done in the past. McDermott worked closely with Omega Morgan to make sure the weights and radius transfer were all precise, with accurate load bearing information, appropriate weight distribution and positioning. We measured, calculated, checked and double-checked. All equipment was loaded, transported and set without issue.

A Solid Partnership

This project’s success also came from a fantastic working relationship between Brian Russell, McDermott’s construction supervisor, Eldon Ash, OMS Crane’s operating engineer, and Kai Farrar, Omega Morgan’s senior project engineer. The group partnered together to survey each piece of equipment and determine which Omega Morgan tools were needed to complete the work. Brian’s wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience contributed majorly to the layout, and Kai and Eldon brought their extensive expertise to the crane lay-out and use of the specialized trailers.

Brian and his team were very pleased with the solutions offered and work done by our crane services crew. Omega Morgan is glad to have had the opportunity to support McDermott and Puget Sound Energy, using our expertise to keep costs down and smoothly execute this heavyweight move.