Hüffermann Krandienst replaces gas flare using LTM 1500-8.1

The plant, located around 40km to the west of Bremen, is designed to purify and treat the natural gas before it can be used.

The refurbished gas flare had to be erected at a height of around 100m. Two additional Liebherr mobile cranes were also used for the setup and adjustment work.

Prior to the installation, Hüffermann’s team dismantled the 45-year-old flare pipe for refurbishment.

Assembled with a hook height of around 100m, the LTM 1500-8.1 working together with an LTM 1250-5.1 initially hoisted the 22m pipe off a low loader.

After turning it vertically and fitting several plant parts to the flare pipe, the mobile crane then hoisted the 16t load. The critical point in the hoist was threading the flare pipe through a narrow scaffold frame at a height of around 60m to get it onto the flange below.

The gas flare was then completed by installing the 2.8t flare head and the job was finished.

“In normal conditions, the assembly work on the gas flare supervised by Euro-Rigging could have been completed using a smaller mobile crane. Since, however, 25 % more lifting capacity must be available in reserve, the 500t Liebherr mobile crane was the machine of choice for Hüffermann's project manager Klaus Flege,” Liebherr said.

The capacity of the plant had been reduced for the duration of the crane work for safety reasons and a large area around the site had been cordoned off.

“As for all ExxonMobil plants, the safety requirements for working on the site in Grossenkneten are very high. Gas detectors and protective filters are mandatory for everybody as are generous lifting capacity reserves for crane work,” said Liebherr.

Hüffermann Krandienst, based in Wildeshausen, is active throughout the North of Germany. Over 40 mobile cranes, all made by Liebherr, make up the company's mobile crane fleet.