summer A.HAK MAGAZINE
PUBLICATION FOR STAFF MEMBERS AND PARTNERS EDITION 14 | JULY 2016 | VOLUME 4
‘Consulting all parties involved is highly important’ GERT-JAN HOVING
PROJECT LEADER ENEXIS
Redundant power solution Electricity for the Port of Rotterdam
Environment management A.Hak succesful with the best environment plan
Drilling in Amsterdam North Sea Channel crossed
GRIM SKIES, GREAT PHOTO The opening pages of this magazine often show how photogenic A.Hak’s large equipment is. Especially when weather conditions are ‘right’, for a photo that is, as these dark clouds are reminiscent of the severe weather conditions and heavy rainfall throughout Western Europe over the past year. The sun that brightly shines onto the equipment through these dark clouds, resulted in a marvelous photo. This photo was made during an A.Hak Electron project in the Eastern Netherlands, which will be highlighted in the next edition of this magazine.
PREAMBLE
Inspiring work in difficult times In the December edition of this magazine we already indicated that A.Hak’s 2015 results would be disappointing and that we expect some difficult years ahead of us. Now, some six months later, we conclude that those expectations are true. The 2017 forecast looks significantly better, but until then we have to remain focused on attaining the best possible results in tough market conditions. A healthy return on our activities forms the foundation for that. We will continue to cherish our excellent relations with our customers by delivering the high quality products and services to which they have grown accustomed, while standing by with our know-how to support them wherever we can. Internally, we will continue unabatedly with controlling our costs, as we have done throughout the past year. Earning proper revenue is, in addition to reasonable costs, a second pillar for maintaining a healthy organization. This is why we re-evaluate our products and services to determine which have the most significant contribution to a successful A.Hak.
colophon FOTOGRAPHY Jorrit Lousberg Femke Oepts Maarten van der Voorde en anderen TEXT Richard van Santen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Especially in the current market conditions, it is important that we continue to excel in project management, strictly adhere to planning and attain the objectives to which we have committed. This applies both to internal agreements and to the results our customers may expect from us, in our domestic Dutch market, but especially in the international market where many of our key projects are carried out. Sometimes in areas where we have been before, but also in new territories where we are expanding our market share. In order to be successful in these areas, where work conditions and cultural frameworks are often very different, solid communication and project management are of the greatest importance. By delivering excellent work across the board, we confirm to our (international) customers that selecting A.Hak for their projects was an excellent choice and earn their future trust. In these challenging times, we trust that we may continue to rely on our excellent relations with our customers and the full commitment of our staff members. We derive this trust in part from a growing order portfolio and the projects we completed in the past months; some of which are featured in this magazine.
Richard van Santen CONCEPT/DESIGN Studio BLT, Rotterdam TRANSLATION Founding Translate PRODUCTION NPN Drukkers CONTACT communicatie@a-hak.nl
These include inspiring projects completed by MCL and A.Hak Industrie. By joining forces they offered the increased added value the customer was looking for. Or others, carried out by A.Hak Electron, that show true craftsmanship by carrying out projects from the engineering phase up to the actual construction. Much can also be said about our work in the sustainable energy industry, where we complete small and large district heating projects and convert waste products into bio-coal. A.Hak Infranet is successful in the northern Netherlands by focusing on environment management, A.Hak Industrial Services attains excellent results by continuous innovations and our A.Hak Pipelines & Facilities division has signed various large, international contracts. Whether times are challenging or not, we will always be proud of our work and proud of our. We’d like to share that pride with our readers and hope that you will enjoy reading this magazine.
NO 14 | JULY 2016 VOLUME 4
Marco van Geenhuizen Mariska van Geenhuizen A.HAKPARK BOARD
what
What do the joint A.Hak companies accomplish together with their customers? On these most extensive pages of this magazine, our projects receive the attention they deserve.
CONTENTS 08 Emergency supply with backup A.Hak Electron constructs a double 150 kV electricity connection in Europoort. Other A.Hak companies also contribute to this complex project.
06 Joint forces, increased value A.Hak Industrie and MCL bundle their capacities from their joint location. Their services complement each other to deliver greater value to the customer.
29 Torrefaction and gasification Torr-Coal and Torrgas, two companies in which A.Hak’s Renewable Energy division participates, revolve around converting biomass.
23 District heating in the northwestern Netherlands A.Hak Infranet helps to expand the HVC District Heating network in the Dutch city of Alkmaar and various local municipalities.
04 Preamble 26 New piglets HIS 28 Humber Pipeline 28 TAP Albania
A.HAK/MCL: SEASONED PARTNERS
Joint forces, increased value
Mechanical Contracting Limburg, short for MCL, is the A.Hak company that earned its reputation by designing, engineering and manufacturing various sorts of equipment and components for the petrochemical industry. MCL is located in the southernmost tip of the Netherlands, where it shares a location with an A.Hak Industrie location. As both companies complement each other greatly, they will expand their cooperation.
T
his was not the first time A.Hak Industrie and MCL proved their value as a team. Previously, they had joined forces for various customers at the Chemelot Complex, an innovating industrial chemical complex in the Netherlands. The equipment built by MCL for the petrochemical industry, such as heat exchangers, pressure tanks and columns, often require assembly work and pipeline infrastructure. For these tasks, the expertise of A.Hak Industrie proves invaluable for on-site pipeline constructions in industrial environments and factories. On its turn, MCL contributes to A.Hak Industrie pipeline projects by manufacturing the required machinery, pig launchers or receivers. Both companies are also frequently relied on for projects led by A.Hak Renewable Energy, both for the construction of prototypes and for the manufacturing and assembly of operational facilities.
TEXT Richard van Santen
NEW CONTRACT
PHOTOS Maarten van der Voorde
The excellent results attained in joint projects, is a reason for both A.Hak companies to actively communicate with customers and partners about this internal cooperation that is already in effect. One of these joint customers, projects of
06
CHEMICAL a.hak magazine
LONGEST HEAT EXCHANGERS
MCL knows how to work with large equipment, as proven once again with the construction of the two longest heat exchangers MCL has ever built. Customer Sabic ordered two rod-baffle heat exchangers with a 28 meter length, each of them weighing 48,5 metric tons. MCL had already obtained the necessary experience during the construction of smaller versions and was therefore able to deliver these two colossal machines to the full satisfaction of the customer. A regular heat exchanger uses baffles that are located perpendicularly toward the stream. A rod-baffle heat exchanger replaces these baffles with a grid made of solid bars, which is connected to a ring attached around the pipe bundle. The setting of these ‘bars’ alternates between horizontal and vertical positions. This locks the pipes so tightly that they are no longer sensitive to vibrations.
which were already featured in earlier editions of this magazine, is OCI Nitrogen. In 2013, A.Hak/ MCL was hired by this customer to construct three pipelines from the Chemelot Complex to a nearby inland port. MCL recently signed a sizable contract with Sitech Manufacturing Services for detail engineering, manufacturing and assembly of two LaMont boilers, for which OCI Nitrogen again is the end customer. The order also includes the assembly of the boilers and completion of all required modifications to the existing configuration in the factory. The broad combination of tasks and skills required, is ideal for A.Hak/MCL. LAMONT BOILERS
The LaMont boilers are the center of this facility which converts ammonia into NOx. These
machines are quite impressive, as are many of solutions built by MCL, and have a diameter of nearly 4.5 m. Once completely assembled the boilers measure 10.5 m in height and weigh up to 50 metric tons. In the second week of May, MCL started with the detail engineering which will take up to August. From that point on, the manufacturing process will take 11 months, so that final assembly will take place in weeks 36 and 37 of 2017.
construction processes are located close to one another, maximum efficiency is obtained while working toward a smooth project completion.
WINNING TEAM
The fact that A.Hak/MCL could jointly offer a complete service portfolio that included detail engineering, manufacturing and assembly work, played an important part in being granted this order. As all facilities and locations required for the
a.hak magazine
CHEMICAL
07
ENERGY SUPPLY WITH BACKUP
Power for Port of Rotterdam TEXT Richard van Santen PHOTOS Maarten van der Voorde
In the Port of Rotterdam, Europoort, A.Hak Electron is currently constructing a double 150 kV electricity connection. This is a highly complex project in which the high-voltage experts use input from various other A.Hak companies to devise ideal solutions.
T
he availability of electricity has become so normal that we can become incredibly annoyed in the rare case it does become temporarily unavailable. For companies with a significant energy need, a power failure has effects that are beyond irritable. Such a failure may lead to dangerous situations or high costs due to a loss of productivity. This certainly applies to petrochemical companies in ports all around the world. If a large refinery is already in the process of having a new electricity connection constructed, they often opt to build a redundant connection within the same project. If anything were to happen to one of these connections, the other will still function so that the facility remains operational.
REDUNDANT CONNECTION
A.Hak Electron received an order from Joulz Energy Solutions to construct such a redundant connection for a refinery in the Port of Rotterdam, which connects the existing facility with a facility that is yet to be constructed. Two 150 kV cable connections are built, (two cable circuits with three cables each) with respective lengths of 2.6 and 2.9 km. The length of these ca-
08
ELECTRICITY a.hak magazine
bles differ as they are installed in two different trajectories that both have different routes. This is done to reduce the risk of a simultaneous malfunction as a result of external influences, but also as this area already has such an extensive, complex underground infrastructure, that some parts of the routes simply do not have the capacity to install two parallel underground cables. For A.Hak Electron, this is an interesting project, as they are being called upon by the customer in different phases of the project. They already were involved with the detail engineering, as the experts at A.Hak Electron turned the initial design into a definitive design for project execution. This work was not limited to technical aspects, as this phase in which all plans are still theoretical is the ideal moment to reassess the logic behind decisions made and the validity of all proposed solutions. IDEAL DESIGN
The expertise required to reassess every step of the project proved valuable during this project as well. The experience of a well-assembled team led to identifying various optimiza-
tions in comparison to the initial design. Not only does this improve the quality of the end product, it also saves the customer a rather significant amount of money. These results were attained by A.Hak Electron, together with the customer, local stakeholders and other A.Hak companies that provided input: Tjaden for the dewatering aspects, A.Hak Drillcon for the required drillings and LBG, another A.Hak company, for the suction excavation by deploying their skills and machines. A.Hak Drillcon is often asked for help whenever trajectory contains obstacles that must be crossed underground by applying so-called trenchless techniques. For shorter distances up to roughly 30 m, the auger drilling method was used, in which an auger is ‘screwed’ into the soil with a pressurized frame and cylinders from the entry pit, to end when reaching the receiving pit on the other side. The drilling ends in a receiving pit. This technique is applied two times, including one occasion on which an operational railroad was crossed.
a.hak magazine
ELECTRICITY
09
HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
In order to cross longer underground distances during this project, eight horizontal directional drillings are carried out. The longest drilling crosses a distance of 622 m. With this drilling method, the bore enters the ground in a shallow arc trajectory. First a pilot drilling is carried out, in which an HDD drill rig pushes the bore through the soil. By adjusting the angle of the bore, it can be directed with high precision. Once the pilot drilling is completed, a back reamer increases the diameter of the underground tunnel until the right size is attained. Then, the entire pipe segment is pulled into the tunnel in a single operation.
‘ A jacket pipe protects the cable along the entire trajectory’ SUCTION EXCAVATION
The pipes pulled into this specific drilling tunnel are jacket pipes. This protective feature is used everywhere along the trajectory, also at locations where the cable is laid into a trench. Trenches are normally dug with excavators, but if many cables and pipelines are already present underground, then using suction excavation techniques might be a better solution. This also applies if the available space to work is limited or hard to access, as suction excavation equipment can work more efficiently at these locations. In these situations, A.Hak Electron often calls upon A.Hak company LBG (Leon Bastiaans Grondzuigtechniek). Although this is a construction project for electricity cables, A.Hak Industrie is also involved in it. This expert in on-site industrial pipeline work is extremely aware of the specific requirements for working at refinery facilities and therefore provides extra support during the project execution.
TECHNICAL DATA
otal of 16,362 m of cable T 18 cable drums, 4.20m x 2.50m, weighing approx. 20 metric tons 150 kV high voltage cable with 1 x 1,200 mm2 aluminum conductor 8 cable pulls with lengths from 820 to 1,046m HDPE jacket pipes 160 mm SDR 13.6 and 17
10
ELECTRICITY a.hak magazine
how how do our companies offer the added value that shows the A.Hak signature on every project. The center of this magazine revolves around the core of our business.
INHOUD 14 Sustainably available
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
Drilling safely in urban areas
New approach for work reinte gration focuses on possibilities.
16 CS Embsen A.Hak Pipelines & Facilities constructed a new compressor station in Germany.
17 Environment Reducing our carbon emissions is the top priority of our green policies.
20 Drilling through the North Sea Channel Entire neighborhood connected to district heating network in Amsterdam.
22 Safety A.Hak continuously focuses on safety at the job site.
In the Dutch city of Groningen. A.Hak Infranet is relocating cables and pipelines as part of the preparations for a major urban traffic plan. This order was granted to A.Hak as customer Enexis assessed its environmental plan as best in class. a.hak magazine
WATER & ELECTRICITY
11
TEXT Richard van Santen PHOTOS Maarten van der Voorde
F
or many projects carried out by A.Hak, the customer uses a tender process to determine which company may carry out the work. Price is of course an important aspect in such a process, but other parameters also influence the decision and may be decisive in determining which applicant has the best overall plan and is awarded the assignment. Having the right experience and being able to show proper reference projects may be a top priority, or submitting an action plan with superior technical solutions could be more important. For relocating the cables and pipelines in this urban project, customer Enexis selected the offer submitted by A.Hak Infranet due to the solid environment management plan. WORKING IN A BUSY CITY
Of course A.Hak Infranet is used to having to take the interests of residents, traffic and the preferences of local companies and organizati ons into account while working in densely popu lated urban areas. With decades of experience in the design, construction and maintenance of the cables and pipelines that carry gas, water, electricity and district heating into many homes, the experts at A.Hak Infranet have met every single challenge they could ever face. The next priority is to convince the customer about that fact, which succeeded excellently in this case. EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENT PLAN
‘A.Hak has won this tender primarily because they submitted the most extensive environment plan’, says Gert-Jan Hoving, Project Leader on behalf of Enexis. ‘Groningen is a commuters’ city and we are working at a major traffic junction for cars from east to west and for bicycles from north to south. Reducing nuisance for traffic was therefore a top priority’. The reason for relocating the cables and pipelines in this area also has to do with traffic. The municipality and the provincial government
12
WATER & ELEKTRICITY a.hak magazine
created a plan together with the central govern ment to rebuild the southern city ring. The plan is aimed at improving the flow of traffic that increases the accessibility for all destinations within the city limits. To improve the livability within the area, the road is also integrated into the environment more smoothly. This also has a positive effect on safety aspects. LONG-TERM DECISION-MAKING
without traffic lights. This is also the reason for relocating the cables and pipelines that are cur rently located on the road. To create the space needed for a passage located on a lower level, the current infrastructure owned by Enexis (energy), the Groningen Water Company and various telecommunications corporations must be dug in deeper into the ground. A.Hak Drill con has solved that aspect midway in June with the HDD (horizontal directional drilling) method.
At this traffic square for instance, it means that crossing traffic is divided over different levels, so that they may safely pass each other
For the execution of a large scale plan such as this, the various parties involved face a
INGENIOUS E NVIRONMENT PLAN
Accurate agreements with all relevant parties are a first prerequisite to a limit environmental nuisance. A.Hak Infranet therefore appointed an Environment Manager as a single point of contact for all local stakeholders. The individual calendars of the stakeholders were accurately reviewed and the work was scheduled as to not to interfere with them. For local residents, A.Hak Infranet hosts a weekly walk-in hour. A solid traffic plan and the deployment of traffic stewards ensured that everyone could continue to reach the destination. Finally, using the right equipment also makes a major difference. Hyper-silent aggregates and limiting soil storage at the worksites by deploying soil excavation machines are great examples of that.
‘ Consulting all parties involved is highly important’
decision-making process that may often take a long time. It currently remains unknown if and how all these intended plans will actually be car ried out. ‘To prevent delays from occurring once definitive decisions have been made, various preparatory tasks must already be carried out’ Hoving explains. ‘In this process, we take into account that a number of these plans may also be rejected. We’re therefore not doing anything that would be irreversible, but do prepare the area so that the main contractor working on the roads can directly start once the final decision has been made.’
CONTNUOUS CONSULTATIONS
Consulting all those involved in the situation is also highly important. ’We have held information sessions for the companies located at the busi ness park adjacent to the road and have a large group of stakeholders who we continuously keep informed about the planning’, the Project Leader explains. ‘This is important, as they include hotels who often host a large number of guests during weekends. Other stakeholders include a racetrack and an event site. We have therefore postponed specific tasks until Libe ration Day events were completed, as well as a large-scale emergency services drill.’ To prevent traffic nuisance, A.Hak Drillcon carried out the pilot drilling and tunnel expansion from a quiet location in front of the headquarters of Gasunie. During the pulling operation, the drilling equip ment only had to be located at a busy location for a single day. On that day, traffic stewards made sure that all traffic was safely guided past the drilling equipment. Temporary facilities were also installed, to ensure that the gas and energy supply for the business park will not be interrupted. The water supply will be taken out of operation for a short amount of time, but that will take place outside of office hours. REPEAT BUSINESS
A.Hak Infranet is preparing for a next order in this area, while also being reviewed for later phases. We will probably not be able to take such marvelous pictures during these later phases, as the opportunity to do so this time was coincidental. The headquarters of Gasunie, another long-term A.Hak customer, is located closely to the project location. They granted us permission to snap some shots from the roof of this building on a warm and sunny day. A.Hak has already completed a large number of dril lings for Gasunie, but for those staff members who didn’t see one yet, this time, they only had to look out of the window.
a.hak magazine
WATER & ELEKTRICITY
13
SUSTAINABLY AVAILABLE 14
With the Sustainably Available Initiative, A.Hak aims at healthy staff members who spend their entire career doing the work that ideally matches their capacities and physical abilities. Absenteeism Coordinator Angela Zegers-Messioui is the thriving force behind this initiative.
S
taff members are ‘sustai nably available’ if they are able to carry out work that matches their capacities and physi cal abilities throughout their career. A.Hak founded the Sustainably Available Initiative in 2015, which forms the foundation for the policy that is implemented as of 2016. ‘The Initiative can be divided in three focus areas’, Absenteeism Coor dinator Angela Zegers-Messioui explains. ‘Preventative care for the health and safety of staff members reduces absenteeism. If staff mem bers do get sick, we work closely with them and provide guidance to return to their work as soon as possible. And, should returning to the old position prove impossible, then we work together to find an alternative solution.’
HEALTHY AND SAFE
Angela is not solely responsible for this, but is part of A.Hak Healthy & Safe, a task force consisting of internal and external experts that supports the Board, company management and staff members of the various A.Hak companies in re ducing absenteeism and stimulating healthy and safe work. ’Our task for ce ensures that the companies have the right knowledge with regards to prevention, absenteeism and reinte
HEALTHY & SAFELY a.hak magazine
gration. This also helps us to comply with the legal requirements to pro vide for internal occupational health services. One of our objectives is to reduce absenteeism to a maximum of 3.5% in 2018’, Angela explains. A.Hak Healthy & Safe consists of seven officials, four internal and three flexibly deployable, external advisors. In addition to the Ab senteeism Coordinator, internal members of the task force include the central QHSE Manager, the Se nior Safety Expert of the Pipelines & Facilities Division and the HRM manager of the A.Hak Distribution and Networks division. They work together with an external company physician, an occupational hygie nist and a labor and organizational expert. The task force advises about three subthemes: the prevention of absenteeism and career and reinte gration guidance. PREVENTION IS KEY
Focusing on safe work conditions and staff members’ health plays an important part in preventing absen teeism. ‘As A.Hak Healthy & Safe, we contribute by advising about pre-employment medical assess ments, risk inventories and evaluati ons (RI&E’s), evaluating health and safety plans and initiating training
with regards to working healthy and safely’, Angela explains. ‘If problems do occur, then our group may sup port the process by identifying and solving influences that may cause a staff member to experience a work pressure that is too high either phy sically or mentally. Career guidance may also consist of preparing for (early) retirement.’ MORE THAN A PERCENTAGE
Unfortunately, not every case of absenteeism can be prevented. If staff members are not at work due to an illness, an accident, or a labor dispute, A.Hak Healthy & Safe provides guidance and works toward reintegration. ‘It is always our objective to have the staff member return to his or her own position, but if that proves impossible, we find an alternative workplace internally, or even look externally as a means of last resort.’ Angela also notes ‘A.Hak has faced an increasing absen teeism percentage for some time, which we are now slowly reducing, from 5.7% in 2014 to 5.4% in 2015. With the Sustainably Available Initiative, we expect to be able to accelerate this reduction, although a percentage does of course not mean everything. It is our job to find the reality behind those figures. The percentage is influenced by various
parameters, such as the relation between long and short absentee ism, the reasons for absenteeism and the frequency with which staff members call in sick.’
organization as well. For instance that we must hire specific staff members for physically demanding work or have to invest in support of equipment and methods to reduce the physical impact.’
PHYSICALLY DEMANDING WORK
Cases of absenteeism in which a staff member is away for a longer period of time, is a heavy burden on the absenteeism percentage. An analysis carried out by the Absenteeism Coordinator proves that long-term absenteeism often originates from physically deman ding work that is harder to continue as staff members grow older. ‘In this era, in which people will work longer before retiring, this is an important observation that helps us to solve the root cause. The staff member is helped if reintegration contains opportunities to find work that better matches his or her abilities, while there is much to learn for the
FIRST GAINS
The Sustainably Available Initiative has already attained its first results in 2015. Completing an extensive analysis of the absenteeism data offered more tools to develop useful solutions. Meetings between the companies and the experts of A.Hak Healthy & Safe are held structurally and regularly. Progress was also made in the field of reinte gration in the cooperation between the various A.Hak companies. The first steps have also been made in offering training to managers in the field of absenteeism and prevention. They learn, amongst others, that much can be gained by working
with individual cases of absentee ism more proactively. HANDLING SICK CALLS
‘Of course everybody might catch a cold or a flu, but not everybody acts the same if that happens’, Angela explains. ‘One person might take a light painkiller while continuing his work, while the other will call in sick. In some cases, other aspects may play a role for that second group, such as problems in in their private lives, a labor conflict or motivational problems. Of course the manager may never pretend to be a doctor and will always have to take privacy rules into account, but by spending the right time and attention on handling every sick call, he or she can create an opportunity to find out the actual reason for a sick call. If the underlying problem can be solved, then that’s good for both the employer and the employee.’
Fit and healthy employees that perform the tasks that they’re equipped for are more motivated and enjoy their work more.
a.hak magazine
HEALTHY & SAFELY
15
CS Embsen keeps the pressure on in Germany
As the name A.Hak Pipelines & Facilities suggests, this division does not only build pipelines, it also cares for all the facilities required to operate a pipeline infrastructure.
C
ompressor stations are an excellent example of such a facility. They are an part of the transport system, as they keep the pipeline pressurized, allowing transports over longer distances. To maintain the right pressure in the pipeline, a compressor station (CS) is needed at approximately every hundred kilometers. THE ENTIRE PROJECT
A.Hak has been involved with creating compressor stations all across the globe. In a joint venture with local partner MAX Streicher, A.Hak Pipelines & Fa足 cilities build a brand-new station in Embsen, a town in Germany near Bremen. The customer for this project is Gasunie Deutschland. The joint venture is responsible for the entire project. It started with preparing the terrain for the construction work and ended, after the facilities were placed and the pipe足 line infrastructure was constructed, with building ac足 cess roads, coating them with asphalt and finishing the terrain, which included planting trees. Within the German infrastructure, this new compressor station contributes to the supply security of natural gas and the transport capacity toward northern Europe. STEEL CONSTRUCTIONS AND TESTING
A.Hak Industrie Northeast, another part of Pipe足 lines & Facilities, manufactured and installed the steel constructions. A.Hak Industrial Services also contributed to the project by testing the density of the system prior to its commissioning.
16
OIL & GAS a.hak magazine
O
ur ultimate goal is to become carbon neu tral in 2020. This highly ambitious objective was stipulated about three years ago. In a previous edition of this magazine, Mariska van Geenhuizen, who forms the A.Hak Board together with her bro ther Marco, answers the question if this objective is perhaps not too ambitious. AMBITIOUS OBJECTIVE
‘When we defined this objective, the world looked a lot different than it does now, she answered. ‘We just had our best year in our history and did not yet know how low the oil prices would sink. Of course it is easier to invest in energy efficient equipment in financially sound times than when results are less positive. This does not only apply to us, but also to the companies who develop the energy-efficient alternatives for the heavy equipment that we simply need in order to do our jobs. This however must certainly not mean that we will try and give it our all. Plenty of opportunities remain available for A.Hak to proceed in reducing our carbon emissions. I therefore count on everybody to remain fully involved in this!’ MEASURING IS KEY
The total carbon emissions of the joint A.Hak companies was 24,160
metric tons in 2015. In 2014, total emissions measured 33,027 metric tons. In 2015, the carbon emissions dropped with 26.8% in comparison to 2014. In 2015, 75.6% of our carbon emissions was caused by our equipment and our mobility. Because of that, the equipment managers and fleet managers of A.Hak started having periodic mee tings early in 2015 to jointly assess how A.Hak can further decrease its carbon footprint over the coming years. A large amount of data was collected to become able to assess which aspects within the equip ment and vehicle fleet contribute to emissions the most. After all, mea suring is key, after which the same rule applies as for the absenteeism percentage: in order to learn from data, it has to be analyzed. LEARNING BY ANALYZING
In 2015, A.Hak spent much time creating chain analyses, in which the correlation of various influen ces are weighed that influence carbon emissions throughout all companies and activities. The most fuel consumption - and with that, carbon emissions - are not caused by side booms, cranes, drilling rigs or bending machines, but by the pumps that are used for dewatering services. Although the fuel consumption of a single pump is not excessive, the large
amount of pumps used and their continuous deployment, creates a significant total fuel consumption. This is highly useful information. By using the pumps correctly and by deploying them as efficiently as possible, a significant reduc tion in carbon emissions can be attained. If the total consumption is only limited with a few percent, the gains in absolute numbers are considerable.
ENVIRONMENT
‘Working together safely and considerately’ means, amongst others, that we carry out our work while keeping an eye out for the environment we live in. To focus our efforts of reducing our impact on the environment, A.Hak selected a single environmental topic to focus on: reducing our carbon emissions.
WORKING EFFICIENTLY
The fuel consumption of various vehicles is ranked second on this list. This also requires working and planning efficiently. If unneces sary transport movements for both equipment and staff members can be prevented, this directly trans lates into a decrease in emissions. Replacing old equipment can also contribute to reducing carbon emissions. The collected data help to make the right choices in this respect. In general, older equip ment uses more fuel than modern equipment. However, our older equipment, which we have been able to use for decades as they are excellently maintained, relati vely only forms a minor part of our total fuel consumption. Investing in working energy-efficiently with this equipment can therefore lead to a more significant reduction than procuring expensive machinery.
a.hak magazine
ENVIRONMENT
17
Mobility & Equipment CONSUMPTION AND SAVINGS
ANNUAL DIESEL FUEL CONSUMPTION IN LITERS
20600
12600
Pipe bending machines
Shovel loaders
52500
Compressors
DIVISION FUEL CONSUMPTION IN PERCENTAGES
66000
145500
Tank vehicles (self-driving)
191600
Tractors
Cranes
204000
Sidebooms
CONSUMPTION LEVELS AT -5% AND -10% (LITERS) 3000000 Other
Pumps
2500000
34%
2000000
1500000
25%
20%
1000000
500000 Vehicles
Excavators
18
SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE a.hak magazine
ps m Pu
s le ic
rs to va
Ve h
pr om C
ca
so es
ad lo el ov Sh
Ex
s er
s ne hi ac m g Pi
pe
be
nd
in
Inventory made in summer 2015t
rs
0
Power a
Consuming less fuel leads to a reduction in carbon emissions. To determine where the most significant savings can be attained, information about annual consumption is a good departure point. The aspects consuming the most fuel are not always the large machines that one could expect. Small equipment, that is deployed much more frequently, uses a far larger amount of fuel.
350000
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
Of course we use all our equipment as frugal as we can, but from this perspec tive the most significant part of our time and effort is invested in the elements that consume the most.
ps m Pu
s le
Ex
Ve h
ic
rs to va
so es pr C
om
ca
s
s ne hi ac m g in pe
be
nd
rs
0 er
It’s a simple calculation. If a group of machines has a total annual diesel con sumption of hundred thousand liters, and a 5% reduction is attained, the overall consumption is decreased with 5000 L in a single operation. This is a significant reduction of carbon emissi ons and with prices of €1.15 per liter also helps to save € 6,000 each year. In order to have the same effect for a group of machines that consumes 20,000 L of diesel each year, fuel reductions have to be multiplied with a factor five.
Pumps
SAVINGS AT -5% AND -10% (IN EURO)
ad
Once the total consumption of equip ment has been mapped, aimed measu res can be implemented to attain fuel savings that deliver actual results. This applies to the amount of liters of diesel consumed and to the sum of money saved as a result.
2962500
Vehicles (cars, caddy’s and trucks)
lo
AIMED SAVINGS
Excavators
el
HDD drilling equipment
2155195
1739300
ov
Welding tractors & Caterpillars
510000
Sh
323000
Pi
aggregates
275000
a.hak magazine
SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE
19
On February 16, A.Hak Drillcon completed the most spectacular drilling of the Noorderwarmte district heating project. A drilling with an 800 m length under the very busy North Sea Channel shipping lane. During operation that took eight hours, the heat transport pipeline was pulled that connects northern Amsterdam to the central district heating network.
PHOTOS Nuon/Jorrit Lousberg
W
ith the Noorderwarmte project, Nuon connects the northern part of the city to the central district heating system in Amsterdam. The waste that is col lected in a city of Amsterdam is processed at AEB Amsterdam. In this process, natural resources are recycled to a maximum extent. The remaining residual materials are burned, a process that generates heat that is used to warm many homes with the district heating infrastructure. TEKST MONITORING Xx A MAJOR TUNNEL FOTOGRAFIE Xx Approximately
16 km of pipeline was installed for the expansion of the district heating network to the northern part of Amster dam, 3.7xxkm of which was completed with the ratings. A.Hak Pipelines & Facilities was selected as the main contractor for this project, while A.Hak Drillcon was hired for the drilling tasks. The drilling on the North Sea Channel was carried out with the so-called meet-in-the-middle principle. With this method, horizontal directional drillings (HDD) are carried out from both sides. This however was not the only challenge. The pipeline under the water of the busy channel is located closely to a major tunnel in the city. Together with government institutions, it was continuously monitored if the work did not form a hazard for the tunnel’s construction. This proved not to be the case, and the new connection between the western and northern parts of Amsterdam was successfully constructed.
X
SUSTAINABLE AMSTERDAM
The district heating network in the northern part of Amsterdam will be fully operational at the end of 2016. From that moment on, 4,000 homes will use the residual heat delivered by AEB Amsterdam for heating and warm water. Amsterdam currently has approximately 2,500 homes connected to the district heating network. It is expected that by 2040, almost 20,000 households will be connected to the district heating network in northern Amsterdam. Expanding the district heating network in Amsterdam is one of the pillars of Sustainable Amsterdam. It’s ambition is to connect 230,000 homes to this network by 2040, equal to approximately 40% of all homes within the city limits, which includes both new and existing homes and buildings.
20
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY a.hak magazine
Spectacular drilling for district heating in Amsterdam a.hak magazine
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
21
SAFETY
Accidents at the worksite can cause a lot of personal suffering. This is the primary reason to continuously increase awareness about safety at the job site. The performance in the field of safety is also important for the professional interests of the organization.
I
n order to carry out our work in our industry, we must be able to prove that we comply with a vast array of standards. Only then will we become and remain certified. Last year we once again completed various audits by independent third parties. Although every audit always leads to lessons to learn, they all resulted in an extension of our certification.
LESS INCIDENTS
Our primary guideline for working safely is the LTIF (Lost Time Injury Frequency). This number shows how much incidents took place that led to absenteeism for each 1 million hours of work. Just as the absen teeism percentage, this number has dropped in 2015, after having gone up in 2014. This is a good result, but certainly no reason to lean back. Our ultimate goal is always to have zero incidents, but expressed in terms
of policy, it is A.Hak’s objective to decrease the companywide LTIF to below 2.5. We have not yet reached that goal, as a 4.5 was reported in 2015. One positive aspect however, is the sharp decrease in the average number of lost days per incident. This dropped from 48 days in 2014 to 15 days in 2015. This leads to the simple conclusion that not only the amount of incidents decreased, but their severity did too. Extensive analysis of the individual incidents also showed the primary causes of these incidents. Most of the time, a momentary lapse of concentration or attention or an incorrect risk estimation are the causes. This observation formed the reason to launch a previously featured safety campaign ‘Stay aware!’ Which will be fine-tuned and launched again in 2016.
5 safety values
22
SAFETY a.hak magazine
SAFETY AWARENESS
A.Hak maintains five core safety values that are broadly communicated within the organization and address everyone about his or her own share in the safety culture: I take responsibility for my own safety I take action if I see anyone working unsafely and will cease work if necessary I maintain an open attitude to remarks about my safety behavior from everyone I report all incidents and near-misses so that others may learn from it I address others if I see them working unsafely regardless of their position These safety values were appealingly communicated in 2015 in a short ani mation film. They are also supported by our QHSE-CSR policy, a booklet written in clear language that is an in tegral part of the labor agreement for every A.Hak staff member. The ‘Stay aware!’ campaign takes awareness to a new level, as its objective is to have everyone think consciously about the risks involved with their work on a daily basis. The campaign material consists of various communication tools that can be deployed every where. This varies from posters and large banners that can be attached to fences, to instruction videos that can be shown during toolbox meetings and are aimed to start discussions about work safety and the best way to counter the risks involved.
With the joint objective to further the utilization of a sustainable energy supply, municipalities, housing corporations and waste and energy company HVC are working to expand the district heating network in Alkmaar. This means that many new connections are being made for both homes and business locations in various towns. People in many locations in this area, can soon benefit from the system that heats their homes and water in an environmentally friendly way. A.Hak Infranet has decades of experience with district heating systems and was therefore selected as the main contractor for this expansion project. Vulnerable nature, breeding birds and an especially rainy season formed particular challenges during this project. TEXT Richard van Santen PHOTOS Femke Oepts
DISTRICT HEATING ALKMAAR
Energy from recycled waste a.hak magazine
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
23
A
s part of the project District Heating Alkmaar, A.Hak Infranet is constructing a heat transport pipeline. The HVC power plant delivers its residual heat, generated by processing waste materials, to both new and existing homes and business locations in the wider Alkmaar region. The project is an expansion of the existing district heating network and is jointly managed by HVC, the local municipalities and housing corporations.
EXPERTS IN DISTRICT HEATING
The first phase of this expansion commenced in February 2016, in which the district heating network was extended from an existing neighborhood to a residential area where new homes were just built. As A.Hak Infranet is one of the companies in the world with the most experience in constructing district heating infrastructure, they were selected as the main contractor for the construction of the 12" transport pipeline. For this construction, A.Hak Infranet uses open excavations where possible and various
REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS
The Alkmaar District Heating infrastructure uses the residual heat of the waste power plant HVC and does not consume any natural gas. This contributes to the structural decrease of carbon emissions. The annual reduction of carbon emissions for each connected home is equal to the amount of carbon that would be emitted by driving an average car for 14,000 km. This is a great result, especially when taking into account that approximately 10,000 homes and companies will be connected.
24
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY a.hak magazine
drillings were necessary, which are carried out by A.Hak Drillcon. The microtunneling method is used once, while the HDD method (horizontal directional drilling) is used on four occasions. All drillings must be carried out for both the supply and return pipeline, so that every drilling is in fact two separate operations. VARIOUS DRILLINGS
Drilling is the preferred method for crossing obstacles along the pipeline trajectory, for instance a local railroad that crossed the pipeline’s tra-
jectory. The microtunneling method was used to connect the existing part of the network to the segment in the newly built residential area from where the network will be farther extended toward other cities and local towns. This railroad however was not the only cause to start drilling. A local lake that has value to the environment and is used recreationally, was crossed with an HDD. To prevent a disturbance of birds in their breeding season, A.Hak carried out this part of the work at a high pace by completing the drilling from two sides simul-
taneously. This allowed for the construction of almost a kilometer of the trajectory in less than eight weeks. Ron Glas, the Superintendent of A.Hak Infranet for this project, takes pride in this accomplishment. RAIN OR SHINE
‘Also certainly worth mentioning’, says Glas, ‘is that our people carried out the largest part of the work in a cold period with lots and lots of rain. They have worked really hard in these weather conditions to stick to the planning.’
EXPERTS
The project in this region was similar to others for which the experts at A.Hak Infranet were relied on. They also built district heating pipelines in the cities of Dordrecht for customer HVC, in which A.Hak Drillcon was cooperated with once again. In Amsterdam, A.Hak Infranet is also involved in the expansion of the local district heating network.
a.hak magazine
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
25
26
OIL & GAS a.hak magazine
HIS expands piglet portfolio
A.Hak Industrial Services recently launched a new inspection tool for pipelines and furnaces, the 3" ultrasonic Piglet®. This is a new expansion to the product line of quick tools. As an extra option, this product line is also able to accurately use GPS data to exactly pinpoint the trajectory of a pipe.
PHOTOS Norbert Voskens
T
he first pilot projects are already successfully completed. ‘It all went according to plan’, says Edwin Rosier, the Sales Manager Inspection Services at A.Hak Industrial Services. ‘The flexible design of our tools enables us to successfully carry out inspections in virtually every type of pipe.’ The new range of quick, ultrasonic inspection tools is an addition to the current High Resolution Piglet® series that have a longstanding proven track record with inspecting pipes and pipelines with diameters varying between 4" an 46". Customers from all over the world show a high demand for this new inspection tool to have their pipes and furnaces with smaller diameters inspected.
unique properties mean that we can deploy our solutions for both ‘piggable’ and ‘non-piggable’ pipelines.’ Non-piggable pipelines were virtually impossible to inspect due to their shape, for instance because they contain bends with very sharp angles or other obstacles. ‘Our tools are able to inspect even these pipelines, and even unbarred tees, t-pieces without welded guiders, are not a problem at all.’ Because A.Hak Industrial Services is able to carry out all cleaning work itself and is also able to follow and verify the inspection in real time, successfully completing an inspection is virtually always guaranteed. ‘If customers ask us, we can carry out pipeline inspections with an ultrahigh resolution after which we can provide a full report for furnaces within 24 hours’, Rosier explains.
PIGGING COURSE
The HIS test and training center is used for varying purposes, which includes training staff members of customers and industry partners. On September 30, a special Pipeline Pigging course will be held for this target audience. This allows for practical testing and practicing with launching and receiving pigs, pig-tracking and using inspection tools. Are you interested in participating? Then call Edwin Rosier at +31 6 51 808 988.
The inspection technology applied by A.Hak Industrial Services with its tools is called ‘pigging’. ‘This is defined as inspecting pipelines and furnaces with a pig that moves through the system’, Rosier explains. ‘Ultrasonic pigs emit radio waves, by measuring the sound reflection, we map both the wall thickness and possible surface corrosion on the inside and outside of pipelines and furnaces.’ ‘Our tools are free swimming: they are pumped through the pipeline and therefore freely move through the system without being pulled by a cable. Contrary to many products offered by our competitors, our pigs are suited for bi-directional inspection. This means that they can be pumped through the pipeline in two directions. These
a.hak magazine
OIL & GAS
27
Humber pipeline contract signed
A.Hak contributes to TAP Albania
Together with joint venture partners Skanska and PORR Bau Gmbh, A.Hak was awarded the contract for the design and construction of a high-pressure gas pipeline in a tunnel under the River Humber from Paull to Goxhill in England. The customer is the international gas and electricity corporation National Grid. This pipeline will replace the existing gas pipeline in the riverbed.
A.Hak Pipelines & Facilities is contributing to the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. This gas transport pipeline with a total length of 878 km will connect the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe.
Phil Croft, Senior Project Manager at National Grid says: ‘this pipeline will be the longest gas pipeline in a tunnel that is constructed as a single string anywhere in the world. To get this job done, we need partners with a proven track record. In the tender process, Skanska, PORR and A.Hak have demonstrated that they possess the right knowledge and expertise. This created the trust to deem this joint venture the right partner for the construction of this tunnel and pipeline in a river that is both important to the environment and the economy.’ ‘We are very pleased with having received this contract’, says Colin Nicol, Operations Director at Skanska, on behalf of the joint venture. ‘We entered into this joint venture in order to gather the international expertise that is required to build a tunnel that protects the pipeline for a long time. Driven by innovation, sustainability and cooperation we are able to help National Grid in delivering an essential service to millions of people.’ The ‘River Humber pipeline’ is part of the national gas transport infrastructure of the United Kingdom and connects the import terminal in Easington, on the East Yorkshire coast, with the infrastructure that supplies millions of Britons with gas.
28
IN SHORT a.hak magazine
Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP), the international Corporation responsible for the construction of this pipeline, granted SPIECAPAG, part of Entrepose (VINCI Construction) the assignment for the construction of three segments of this pipeline that is routed toward Italy via Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. The contract consists of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for one lot from Kipoi to Kavala in Greece. This segment has a length of 185 km and a 48 inch diameter. The other two lots, with a total length of 215 km, are constructed in Albania from Bilisht to Topoje. A.Hak Pipelines & Facilities joined forces with SPIECAPAG as a ‘Key Third Party’ to construct segments of the two Albanian sections. The TAP pipeline has a total length of 878 km. From the Greco-Turkish border, where the pipeline connects to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), TAP crosses Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. Once the pipeline is completed, it will transport gas from the Shah Deniz II gas field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The gas field is located in the deep part of the Caspian Sea and has a production capacity of approximately 16 billion square meter of gas per year.
A.Hak Renewable Energy participates in companies that deploy technology to generate sustainable energy. Torr-Coal and Torrgas convert various wood-like waste materials into bio-coal.
T
orr-Coal is specialized in torrefaction, a technique that converts wood waste into bio-call by ‘roasting’ it without adding oxygen. The energy value of bio-call is more than 30% higher than that of wood chips. Furthermore, the volume decreases with almost 60%. And, the quality and energy output is consistent.
TORR-COAL AND A.HAK
Torr-Coal was founded in 2005. When A.Hak bought half of the shares in 2015, the technology was ready to enter the market. ‘It is our ambition to decrease the world’s dependency on fossil fuels’, Luck Westerbaan, the Director of A.Hak’s Renewable Energy division explains: ‘With the technology available at Torr-Coal, we are able to convert enormous amounts of wood waste into an efficient energy source.’ This is already taking place since 2009 in the Torr-Coal Production Center in the Belgian town Dilsen-Stokkem, a commercial facility with an annual production capacity of 40,000 metric tons where experiments are also underway with raw materials from other sorts of waste material such as B-wood and domestic waste (SRF). The market has an enormous demand to create a highend destination for these two never-ending waste streams. FURTHER PROCESSING
TORREFACTION AND GASIFICATION
More sustainable every day
Bio-coal can be used as fuel, for instance in power plants as an alternative for coal, while other applications also exist. It can serve as a raw material to create products containing carbon. Or, we take the next step toward greater sustainability with the gasification technology available at Torrgas, that uses torrefaction to convert biomass into Syngas and bio-char; high quality carbon that is used as a raw material for various industrial production processes. Bio-char can be stored in the ground so that its carbon does not enter the atmosphere, but serves as one of the nutrients for plants and trees. Syngas can be used as a clean fuel, for instance in gas turbines, but also as a raw material for various chemical production processes in a production of artificial fertilizers. CIRCULAR ECONOMY
By jointly using torrefaction and gasification, the circular economy becomes more of a reality. This can also be done at other locations, for instance to recover the tropical rainforest. Large areas have been deforested to serve as agricultural lands or to harvest tropical hardwoods. Once these areas are left by humans, the most quickly growing trees and plants take the place of the original rainforest. This so-called secondary forest is, due to its homogenous presence of species, not able to serve as a living environment for the original nature and wildlife. Reforestation combines with the refection and gasification is a solution. The next pages show a schematic of how this works.
a.hak magazine
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
29
problem
PRIMARY FOREST
DEFORESTATION
SECONDARY FOREST
solutions
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
FOOD
30
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY a.hak magazine
WOOD WASTE
REFORESTATION
ENERGY
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
POWER PLANT
BIO FEEDSTOCK
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZERS
SOIL ENRICHMENT
SYNGAS
BIO-COAL
BIO-CHAR
GASIFICATION
TORREFACTION AND GASIFICATION
TORREFACTION
Wood waste produces energy if it is burned. This however is the most low-end application. By using torrefaction and gasification we can add value to the product in every single step. Then, sustainable agriculture and forestry does not only produce food, but also energy in a raw materials for carbon -containing products and useful chemical substances.
a.hak magazine
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
31
‘A.Hak won the contract with the best environment plan’ SAYS THE PROJECT LEADER
GRONINGEN, JUNE 2016
Relocating infrastructure for Enexis
‘The extensive environment plan written by A.Hak was the main reason why we decided to reward them the contract for relocating pipelines and cable in the city of Groningen’, says Gert-Jan Hoving, project leader at Enexis. Relocation takes place in preparation of a major redesign of the aboveground infrastructure. ‘Groningen is a city with lots of commuters. This project is carried out at a major traffic hub, used by cars travelling from west to east and vice versa, while there’s a north and southbound bicycle lane. Therefore, it was essential to cause a minimum of traffic disruption.’ ‘The A.Hak Infranet environment plan, that proposed to install an environment manager that acts as the single point of contact for all of the stakeholders, distinguished itself from the plans of the competition.’
Gert-Jan Hoving PROJECT LEADER ENEXIS
See the complete article at page 11 of this magazine.