Sarens was asked by our client Prony Resources to perform a challenging shutdown operation at its Nickel plant in Goro, New Caledonia.

The team had to complete the shutdown in six weeks under live plant conditions in some parts of the refinery. To meet the challenging time schedule and limited space, the team deployed six cranes:

·        LTM1160-5.1

·        LTM1150-6.1

·        LTM1100-5.2

·        AC5.140-1

·        AC130-5

·        AT-20

During the shutdown our six cranes worked relentlessly, with two cranes working round-the-clock. To match the tight schedule set by the client, additional operators were called in from Sarens in France and a supervisor from UK as a standby to meet any contingent situation. A total of 14 crew members worked for six weeks onsite.

Moreover, three of our cranes were worked in the section of the refinery which underwent a massive maintenance during the shutdown. This section was dedicated to processing of solid H2S into highly acidic substances used in the nickel making process. The crane operators had to wear extra PPEs including full face masks and acid-proof overalls over their PPE as well as SO2 detectors.

According to Project Manager, Vivien Aupy, “It was a challenging task for the team to adhere to the timeline of the client and simultaneously work day and night under live plant conditions. I would like to congratulate our team for rising to the challenge and completing the operation safely within six weeks.”