21-09-2016

Amarinth delivers API 610 VS4 pumps for STAR refinery in Turkey

Amarinth, a leading company specialising in the design, application and manufacture of centrifugal pumps and associated equipment to the Oil & Gas, petrochemical, chemical, industrial and power markets, has delivered its first order to the Indian operation of Aquatec consisting of exotic alloy API 610 VS4 pumps on a tight 27 week delivery schedule for use in the STAR refinery, Turkey.

The STAR project, set for completion in 2018, will be the first oil refinery to start operations in Turkey since  the early 1970s and will process an estimated 10 million tons of crude oil each year. Located five kilometres from Aliaga, Izmir Province, the project also includes the construction and operation of three marine shipping terminals and a new stand alone wastewater treatment plant for managing refinery by-product.

The Indian operation of Aquatech is responsible for various aspects of the  refinery  and required 5.5m long vertical pumps for sulphuric acid, caustic drain and vessel waste duties. The corrosiveness of the pumped fluids dictated that the vertical pumps had to be manufactured from exotic Alloy 20. To meet the very tight deadline of 27 weeks, Amarinth used one of its available slave motors for the testing in the UK whilst the actual motors were delivered directly to the refinery and then married with the pumps on site.

Aquatech placed the order with Amarinth for its reputation of delivering high quality, bespoke API 610 VS4 pumps out of the United Kingdom to prestigious projects around the world against very tight deadlines. Amarinth has an extensive automated testing bay with two 7.5m deep pits ensuring that full hydraulic testing could be undertaken on the 5.5m long pumps, and in this case using its own slave motor that matched the STAR specification, minimising any issues when commissioning the pumps and motors on site.

Oliver Brigginshaw, Managing Director of Amarinth, commented: “We are delighted with this order from Aquatech for the STAR refinery which underlines not only our strength in the oil and gas industry but also the recognition that the United Kingdom has the design and manufacturing expertise and the necessary supply chain to deliver the highest specification pumps for the most demanding of duties to any projects  around the world. ”