Marathon Ashland Sulfur Pit

 

CASE HISTORY

BBZ RESIN INJECTION SYSTEMS

Project: Sulfur Pit
Engineer: TPA Incorporated

Marathon Ashland
Dallas, TX

 

Petroleum Plant Injection Specialist: Python Corporation

Garyville, LA

Owner: Marathon Ashland
GC: Harmony, Inc.

Petroleum LLC

 

Injection System: Duroseal
Inject Completed: June 2001

The Marathon Ashland Petroleum Plant in Garyville, LA is currently undergoing an expansion. The site of the plant is close to the Mississippi River to take advantage of the easy access for ships and barges. The proximity of the river can also lead to problems.

One problem that occurred was the presence of water on the walls of the new sulfur pit. Due to the nature of a sulfur pit, a zero tolerance for water ingress is allowed. If water were able to penetrate into the active pit, Sulphuric Acid would be formed. This would present a hazard to persons and the structure. Other factors that needed to be addressed were that the operating temperature of a sulfur pit is 300°Fahrenheit and is a highly sulphate environment. After extensive discussions it was decided to use BBZ Duroseal Inject to seal any areas that showed signs of moisture. Duroseal Injectis a solvent-free, water-soluble injection resin. It can be used to seal cracks and joints in concrete or stone. Duroseal Inject, due to its hydrophilic properties, can swell up to a factor of 1.5 on contact with water. Even if changes occur in the cross-section of the joint at a later point, the seal made with Duroseal Inject will remain stable. Python Corporation, under the supervision of BBZ, injected the eight areas marked as needing to be sealed. A total of 2 and ½ units ofDuroseal Inject were used.

 

BBZ USA, Inc.

P.O. Box 2111

Bristol, CT 06011-2111

www.bbzusa.com