Rising to the challenges of Mejillones

The completion of phase 1 of the Mejillones LNG terminal in Chile was a very unusual Owner’s Engineer mission for Tractebel Engineering. And not just because of the seals visiting the site…

As the Owner’s Engineer (OE), Tractebel Engineering was involved in this GDF SUEZ fast track project since its inception, defining the concept, the design, and helping with budgeting and site selection. Yet, there were plenty of challenges mainly caused by three special project characteristics.

First, the use of an FSU. This is a ship permanently berthed along the jetty which acts as a floating LNG tank to receive LNG deliveries from other carriers. The FSU temporarily replaced a permanent tank to be built on shore in phase 2. This particular construction project could take some time due to the need to take into account Chile’s high seismic activity.

Second: the project was divided into two EPC packages. One for the terminal with Técnicas Reunidas, and the other for the jetty with BELFI Chile.

Third: the project was split between four ‘centres of gravity’. The initial stages were developed in our Brussels HQ. A portion of the engineering and procurement was developed In the Madrid-based head-office of Técnicas Reunidas. Detailed engineering, local procurement and sub-contracting efforts were done from their Santiago office (Chile). Finally, there was the Mejillones site itself.

As OE, one of our main challenges was to manage all these issues and players. But we succeeded. The FSU docked in February 2010.