Sasol Lake Charles facility rail design, Westlake, Louisiana

Project Summary

Fluor Corp. was selected by Sasol Chemicals to provide front-end engineering and design (FEED) services for a new, world-scale petrochemical complex, including an ethane cracker and derivatives project under construction at a site adjacent to an existing facility in Westlake, Louisiana. The project roughly triples the company’s U.S. chemical production capacity.

Fluor chose Hanson to initially support its FEED efforts by designing the rail infrastructure the facility requires. Hanson’s efforts included FEED and final design of north, east and west storage yards, north loading yard, an alcohol loading area, ethylene oxide loading area and multiple connection tracks. Hanson also provided design and design coordination for the installation of six rail scales (four static scales and two coupled-in motion scales), loading containment slabs and direct fixation track at five loading locations, a five-span rail bridge, railroad yard lighting, railroad crossing signals and gates at four locations, 20 at-grade rail/roadway crossings and lighting for numerous railroad yards and switches. Railroad signal design services were provided via subcontract with another firm.

Hanson was also selected by the prime designer to provide final design services, including the preparation of final construction documents, to support its selection by the project owner as the engineer, procure and construct firm for this project.

Hanson is completing construction support services, including submittal reviews, shop drawing review and responses to requests for information.

The owner’s new complex includes a 1.5 million-tons-per-year ethane cracker and six downstream derivatives units.