man magazine
B “If you need to deal with a problem today, you have made a mistake half a year ago.” Ralf Göppel, Senior Project Manager, MAN Diesel & Turbo SE
1/2015
etween Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah
but also all ancillary equipment – ranging
register a loss of air-intake pressure, while a
Islamic Port on the Red Sea and
from the machine control-room and cooling
huge system of radiator coolers is designed to
the Al-Sadiya Mountains, a des-
systems to the processing and disposal sys-
regulate the cooling water systems.
ert area not far from Mecca,
tems – while the local consortium partner Al
there is little more than sand and a handful of
Aman Company is responsible for all civil,
Göppel describes his Saudi-specific chal-
camels and sheep. Yet in November 2014, five
electrical and mechanical construction and in-
lenges as: “Sandstorms! Ramadan! Heavy
giant trucks hauling huge monsters of steel
stallation work. The project was signed off in
rain!” In spring and summer, the northwest-
rumbled through the desert – scary black sil-
summer 2013, with construction commencing
erly Shamal wind creates sandstorms that can
houettes against an ancient golden landscape.
a year later and final power plant handover to
cut visibility to almost zero. In 2014, such
Their cargo was a 130-ton MAN 20V32/
the customer scheduled for February 2016. The
storms interrupted onsite work almost every
44CR diesel engine for a new cement plant un-
trailers’ just-in-time arrival at Old Makkha
afternoon from June through August. Al-
der construction in the limestone-rich Al-Sadi-
Road, from where they turned east to the UCIC
though rare, rain is also a problem, as cities
ya site on behalf of the United Cement Indus-
site, was a timing triumph for senior project
and environs are not equipped with rainwater
trial Company (UCIC), a Jeddah-based Saudi
manager Ralf Göppel and his team at MAN
drains. Jeddah was completely flooded after
business established in 2013. MAN Diesel &
Diesel & Turbo headquarters in Augsburg. Had
heavy rainfalls back in 2010, with hundreds of
Turbo had received an engineering, procure-
the engines arrived too early, they would have
people killed. “When it started to rain in No-
ment and construction (EPC) contract to build
disrupted work on the project’s ongoing build-
vember 2014, the workers panicked and left to
an independent diesel power plant for the
ing phase, while laying the foundations for the
reach their families,” recalls Göppel. Also that
new facility. In its product portfolio, MAN
powerhouse, pumphouse, radiator area or tank
Diesel & Turbo carries specifically engineered
farm. Had they arrived too late, the delivery
power plants for remote locations with no ac-
would have delayed the next stage of construc-
cess to electricity grids (island mode) all over
tion, especially installing the auxiliary mod-
A growing population and changing family
50°C in the shade – if there was any shade.
the world. And as these are the only source of
ules, steel structure, piping and cabling as well
structures – such as the trend toward smaller
While faithful Muslims may work throughout
power, technical excellence is essential. Sup-
as the installation of the 35-ton alternators in-
households – are increasing demand for resi-
this period, they must fast during daylight
plied MAN engines for this project feature
side the powerhouse.
dential properties and new industrial areas, in-
hours. Göppel solved the issue by switching
year, Ramadan, the ninth month of the IslamThe MAN team meets with project engineers to discuss the last preparations before the first engine arrives.
modern common rail technology, an electron-
Each of the five engines features 20 cylinders providing 560 kW/Cyl and renders a performance of more than 15,000 hp.
July, when daytime temperatures reached
cluding big oil refineries. At the same time, the
work shifts to night time during the month of
ically controlled injection system that controls
Timing the exact arrival is essential in a
government vastly increased infrastructure
Ramadan. Another aspect slowing down work
fuel consumption and emissions. For the UCIC
project like this,” says Göppel, who always has
spending since 2013, resulting from a great year
schedules are the five required prayer sessions
project, MAN supplies not only the engines,
to cope with all kinds of eventualities, includ-
for the oil industry in 2012 and an associated
per day. “We expect less daily progress in Sau-
20% surplus in GDP.
di Arabia than in other countries, which must
50°C
ing sandstorms, local incidents, late deliveries
This has turned the kingdom into the larg-
be reflected by work schedules,” says Göppel.
est projects market in the Middle East, accord-
For the four weeks of Ramadan, for example,
ing to the “Saudi Arabia Projects Market 2014”
he calculates a 50% reduction in progress and
issued by MEED, a Middle East business intelli-
even 70% less efficiency during the annual
gence provider. “Saudi Arabia is a key market
fortnight Eid and Hajj holidays. A vital factor
for our power plants division, where we have
is the skilled MAN team of managers and su-
gathered decades of experience,” says Howard
pervisors on site, who are coordinating and
Barnes, Senior Vice President and Global Head
driving the construction efforts. Some remain
of Sales Power Plants. The UCIC power plant will
in the desert of Saudi Arabia for a year or even
supply 55 megawatts , facilitating a cement pro-
longer. On average, MAN has between 18 and
of this type were initially put on a train to trav-
duction capacity of around 5,000 tons per day.
22 months to finalize a power plant project,
el from Augsburg to Duisburg in Germany for
Remote sites are, by nature, difficult to access
with significant fines and penalties built into
final assembly, later transported via the Rhine
and each project presents its own engineering
the contract for late handover to the customer.
River to Antwerp in Belgium and then shipped
and logistical challenges. The engines at UCIC
“It ’s important to quickly identify any real
were designed to withstand local conditions,
problems and how to address them,” says Göp-
including temperatures of up to 50°C. Special
pel, who claims that almost nothing can ruffle
pulse filter systems in front of the air-intake
him anymore. “When you have a great team
ducts keep sand particles out, using com-
like mine, be it on site or at headquarters, this
pressed air to blow air filters free when sensors
is the most exciting job in the world.”
or sudden lack of manpower. Delivering all plant components to the UCIC site is a huge exercise in logistics. While the Diesel engines were built in MAN’s Augsburg works, most of the other equipment was purchased from glob-
during daytime
al suppliers as far away as India or Finland. They all must first undertake an almost epic journey via European North Sea ports, to Jed-
Crippling ambient temperatures are just one of the challenges when working in the desert. Others are sandstorms and even flooding episodes.
dah, and finally move down a sandy gravel
to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Overall, it took more than a month to arrive at the plant in the desert. Saudi Arabia’s cement industry is flourishing, due to a construction boom caused by demographic and macroeconomic factors.
Photos: Waleed Bin Talip
road to the UCIC site. For the first time, engines
22
ic calendar, proceeded during the month of
23