DESIGN & INSTALLATION OF ZENITH’S LARGEST SUSPENDED MOTORISED PLATFORM
Zenith constantly brings innovative world class engineering excellence, industry leading specialist access, extensive heavy lifting capability and a vast range of mechanical services including first class welding solutions for the globe’s leading blue chip companies in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry.
During 2023 and 2024, Zenith had constructed Europe’s largest ground flare. During 2025, extensive additional modifications were required to the ground flare. Prior to the ground flare being offline, externally, initial welding repairs were carried out together with the full replacement of the chamber louvre panels to improve the air flow.
A major challenge to the success of the entire project was to provide a safe and comprehensive form of access which would be extensive enough to perform the work scope. Working in close cooperation, Zenith’s world class engineers designed and Zenith’s industry leading on-site specialist access and heavy lifting specialists installed a suspended motorised platform that provided full circumferential access
within the combustion chamber to carry out crucial aspects of the work scope.
In relation to the innovative specialist access system, Zenith initially designed and assembled an innovative cathead support at grade and, once built, the suspended motorised platform was lifted onto the cathead supports, following which a complete load test was performed. A catchment netting was installed to the underside of the platform.
The suspended motorised platform proved to be the largest Zenith has designed and installed to date.
Once the ground flare was offline and isolated from the process systems, internal modifications were carried out to the ground flare. The project included the replacement of the entire 18m circumference chamber floor, replacement of 240 burners, stainless welding, carbon welding and dissimilar welding, fabrication and installation of a new steam injection pipework, pipework spooling together with additional runner plates and clamps.
In addition, pickling and passivation was carried out to protect the stainless steel pipework from corrosion as well as the removal and replacement of the existing insulation from the lower 6m section of the internal combustion chamber.
Zenith safely and successfully undertook the entire project in house including temporary works design, innovative specialist access, heavy lifting and extensive mechanical services. Zenith’s solution enabled safe and comprehensive access to achieve the entire repair scope and clearly demonstrates Zenith’s excellence in the design and installation of suspended motorised platform access.