New platform for the Mexican oil and gas field Ku-Maloob-Zaap

The new expansion platform CA-KU-A1 was erected at the Dragados Offshore shipyard in Altamira, Tamaulipas, before being shipped out to sea in September 2019. The station’s mandate is to increase gas production within the hub of the KMZ field off the Mexican coast. The platform, which weighs around 23,900 tonnes, has a compression capacity of 450 MMcf/d. In the “topside”, the main core of the platform, sour gas from three surrounding platforms is collected, cleaned and compressed by the compressor unit developed by Dragados. The station is securely anchored to the seabed using what is known as a jacket. Two bridges connect the station to the rest of the KMZ field and are supported with the aid of two tripods.

PERI UP Flex – the all-rounder

A versatile, adaptable scaffolding solution was required in order to erect the complex platform. With the aid of the modular PERI UP Flex scaffolding system, it was possible to erect safe working platforms even at great heights. Being able to change the direction of the decks within the scaffold bays at will made it possible to build round obstructions such as pipelines or load-bearing constructions. This meant that work surfaces were almost completely free of gaps with no height differences or trip hazards. The self-securing ledger connection on the rosette, the integrated protection against lifting on the non-slip decks and the end-to-end side protection provided a particularly high degree of safety. This enabled the construction site personnel to carry out tasks such as welding, painting, pipe and cable assembly and the installation of the electrical systems of the platforms in a safe environment.

What’s more, the continuous metric system grid consisting of 25 cm increments paved the way for a construction consisting largely of suspended working platforms made up of UDG Steel Decks. Scaffold tubes and couplings were used to fix these to the steel girders of the platform. As such, PERI UP Flex provided the scaffolders with a solution that was quick and easy to install. The modular system also provided the welders with a safe working platform while they were working on the jacket. Here, tasks such as welding the entire connection of the sub-construction and the convergent pipes in the node points were carried out.

Safe access for numerous workers

Stair towers with alternating staircase units were installed at two corners of the platform in order to provide access to the first level of the main station. The PERI UP Flex Staircase 100 not only provided site personnel with short walking distances between levels, but also significant head clearance. Non-slip decks and trumpet-shaped openings that are curved upwards meant that the steps could be used safely. The closed webs and toeboards along the landing edges prevented objects from falling down and also provided a greater level of safety. With a live load of 40 kN, it was perfectly equipped to support up to 50 people at one time. As such, up to 500 workers could climb or leave the platform within 30 to 60 minutes without any issues, depending on the shift.

The ALPHAKIT modular system – a source of support

On the one hand, the ALPHAKIT Tower served as a shoring tower for the tripods, on the other hand, it provided an access point for the construction workers. The working platform attached to the tower was used to carry out additional installations, such as those associated with the exhaust systems. Pre-assembly of the shoring towers was carried out on the ground and by hand. This was a quick and efficient process due to the low number of lightweight components involved. A crane was not required until the erection stage. PERI engineers were present on site in order to assist the workers.

Due to the fact that the height of the towers could be configured between 12 m and 25 m, ALPHAKIT could also be adapted flexibly to the local circumstances. What's more, the integrated head spindle allowed for additional fine adjustments of up to 75 mm. In an unburdened state, the head spindle could be easily adjusted by hand. When under load, the Hydraulic Unit HD, consisting of a lifting cylinder and hand pump, made it possible to raise and lower the head spindle in a controlled manner.

Cost-efficient PERI rental solution

Throughout the entire project, the use of rentable systems from PERI meant that materials were supplied on schedule and the system was utilised in a cost-effective manner. In this way, a total of around 50 deliveries with over 700 tonnes of scaffolding material were delivered to the construction site on time from the PERI logistics location. The regular discussions between the client and PERI and the quick response times not only made it possible to manage the demand for materials in a flexible manner, but also facilitated the on-schedule completion of the time-critical construction project.