Atyrau Refinery project for ALE

ALE met a range of challenges to complete a major cargo delivery for the Atyrau Refinery Third Phase Expansion Project in Atyrau, Kazakhstan.

The project is one of the biggest in the Caspian and Central Asian region. The first phase of the project was completed in 2006 and the second phase was finished in 2011. For the third phase ALE’s Kazakhstan branch was contracted to transport super out of gauge cargo.

Over a period of three months the cargo was delivered to the Atyrau River Port on eight shallow draft barges. ALE was responsible for transporting more than 50 units of heavy and oversized cargo. Loads ranged in size up to 35 metres long and 8.8 m wide. The heaviest weighed 315 tonnes.

To meet road restrictions ALE used more than 70 axle lines of conventional trailers and a number of heavy tractor units to move the cargo from the port to the refinery. The cargo was transported during the early hours of Sunday mornings under police escort and the central city roads were closed. ALE also supplied a 750 tonne capacity crawler crane to install nine heavy vessels at the refinery.

Ali Yoldashov, ALE general manager in Kazakhstan, said, “This project is the biggest we have secured for the region, providing a comprehensive range of services and equipment. ALE’s locally based engineering and management support provided continued assistance to the client during the FEED stage. By providing the road surveys, transport arrangements, route alterations, transportation approvals and liaising with the local authorities, we could provide the turnkey solution to ensure the project schedule was met.

“The successful completion of this milestone project marks a crucial and massive move forward for ALE after opening our first branch in Kazakhstan only last year. We look forward to what is in store for the region in 2016,” Yoldashov added.