As the petrochemical industry advances in China, so do its challenges. This oil and gas pipe rack extension project is one of the five key projects at Lianyungang Port, setting new standards for technical difficulty and construction requirements. Dedicated to help the industry to establish a faster, safer and a more sustainable way of construction, Peikko China met the challenges with innovative solutions for prefabricated corridor construction.
From the outset, the Ganyu District East Breakwater Rack Extension Project Phase II at Lianyungang Port faced numerous challenges, including geographical constraints, winter conditions, stringent high-altitude requirements, and offshore environmental considerations. Building on the success of the project’s Phase I, which was honoured with multiple scientific and technological progress awards, the contractor continued to apply Peikko's fully prefabricated concrete-frame structures to meet these challenges with structural integrity and seismic resilience.
”This project was constructed on an artificial road across the sea, which is extremely dangerous if using in-situ construction, because of an unstable working platform, strong winds and hidden ocean current along the road,” explains Li Ying, Regional Sales Manager at Peikko China. ”Precast dry connections minimize the labour on site, saving time in erection, and offer therefore overwhelming advantages against the conventional in-situ method.”
The critical path of the entire project
A pipe rack is an “express way” in a typical port or petrochemical project to transport in raw materials and ship out final products. Heavy pipe racks may also contain water pipes, wires and various instruments. Pipe rack is sometimes called the critical path of the entire project because it allows connecting other units into the circuit.
Peikko’s bolted connection solutions are often used in coastal construction to prevent corrosion by seawater which can affect steel structures. A steel structure is almost as quick to use as Peikko’s precast dry connection method but more expensive and requires maintenance every 1 to 3 years in coastal areas. In this project, the contractor used Peikko’s bolted connection and lifting solutions, on-site installation guidance and support, and detail drawing services.
Says Zhang Yunhao, Deputy Project Manager at Jiangsu Zhu gang Construction Group Co. Ltd: ”Based on the feedback from our technical personnel and construction teams, this approach enhances efficiency significantly during both the prefabrication phase and the on-site lifting and installation process. During the construction period, Peikko China's technical staff remained on-site, assisting in the resolution of numerous production and technical issues and providing multiple improvement recommendations, including methods to enhance installation accuracy and construction quality.”
Convincing contractors to use innovative solutions
This extension project was the second time Peikko China was able to help the same client. ”In the first project, they did not believe that a precast column can be erected in 15 minutes by just three persons,” says Li Ying. ”After the first project, they were fully convinced and chose us for the second phase, too. On-site service was another, albeit minor, challenge, as the precast elements were made by site staff instead of the factory nearby. With coaching and instructions from Peikko engineers, the elements were eventually produced in high quality. The client was able to minimize site risks and accelerate their construction time significantly. This project has convinced several new customers from nearby cities wanting to use precast. Peikko’s site team also gained new knowledge from the construction team that provided fantastic ideas on gigs and templates, for example.”
”Success on the petrochemical market is all about providing quality products and services,” Li Ying says. ”Companies are looking to adopt more innovative technologies, and precast construction technology is considered relatively advanced in China. With this project we gained recognition and expect to help the same client further. Their third project is to kick off in November 2024. Peikko is constantly exploring solutions to match the industry’s needs.”
Time savings, less waste, better quality control
Innovative solutions streamlined construction with time savings of up to 50% through prefabrication unaffected by seasonal/site conditions.
Deep intersection construction techniques enabled simultaneous construction of the dock platform and the prefabrication of the upper structure, effectively utilizing space and avoiding conflicts with other construction.
The site remained clean and tidy with significantly less construction waste, and safer with reduced need for high-altitude operations.
Precise control in factory prefabrication ensured quality not affected by site conditions, and level formation made quality control more manageable.
Project information
- East Pipe Rack Extension Project in the Ganyu Area of Lianyungang Port-Lianyungang Guanyu
Phase II - Location Lianyungang Port Guanyu District, China
- Total length 1,097.05 m, prefab section ca. 979.6, 588 precise-engineered components, 2 layers
- Developer
Jiangsu Lianyungang Port Co. Ltd - Construction
Lianyungang Runqiao Port Logistics Co. Ltd - Structural design/engineering
CCCC First Harbour Consultants Co. Ltd - Delivery 2023–2024
- Solutions used BOLDA® + PPMP® and PEC® + COPRA® bolted connections,
COLIFT Mounting System, KK Lifting System
This article has been originally published in Connections 2025 customer magazine. You can find more Peikko's customer magazines here: Connections customer magazine