Quantum Murray and Northwest Demolition are tearing down the Alcan aluminum smelter, operated by Rio Tinto plc (NYSE: RIO), in Kitimat British Columbia.
VANCOUVER
Demolition, expected to be complete by March 2012, is underway at the Rio Tinto Alcan (NYSE: RIO) aluminum smelter rebuild in Kitimat, British Columbia.
At the same time, 250 contractors have gone through a briefing in Vancouver preparing for the next phases of the $2.5-billion build-out.
The briefing outlined the project, the qualification process for subcontractors and allowed major Canadian construction firms to meet local contractors already working on site since 2008.
“We have maximized the use of local contractors,” said Rio Tinto Alcan project director Michel Lamarre.
The Kitimat Modernization Project first phase demolition involves freeing up real estate to shoehorn in the new structure within the confines of the old smelter, while it continues operations.
Lamarre said the new smelter would have a capacity of 420,000 tons compared to the existing facility’s 200,000 tons.
“It is a state-of-the-art facility, which is very efficient and has a smaller footprint,” he said.
A 60-per-cent footprint reduction will be achieved during the multi-phased rebuild stretching over 30 months and finishing in 2014.
The remainder of the plant will then be shut down.
Smelting potlines 7 and 8 are being gutted, following a cleanup operation to mitigate contamination from rainwater leaching, as the structure encapsulating the lines is dismantled.
A partnership between Quantum Murray and Northwest Demolition Canada ULC, a subsidiary of Oregon-based Northwest Demolition, is doing the work.
“We are doing the cleaning, the hazardous abatement and waste management,” said Steve Custeau, vice-president of Quantum Murray.
He said the challenge facing the crews on site is a tight timeline for work.
Bechtel’s Andy Lederman, director of Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management, said Hazco Environmental Services Ltd. has the contract to supply technical support to ensure stringent water and soil requirements are met.
Northwest Demolition Canada is removing the structure.
Vice-president Richard Wayper said the rigging and removal has been subcontracted to Envirocon.
At the peak of the demolition work, an estimated 340 workers from the Quantum/Northwest partnership will be on site.
Lamarre said the plunge in metal prices in 2008, when the project was initiated, was an opportunity of sorts, as it provided time to allow smaller contracts to proceed with local contractors who have now learned Bechtel’s safety and work culture.
Rio Tinto Alcan also had time to fine-tune the smelter design for better efficiency. It spent $300 million in prep work in 2010 and another $300 million is budgeted for 2011.
Contractor IDL Projects of Prince George, B.C. received the contract in early June for the underground utility corridor for natural gas, industrial water and potable water pipes, as well as high voltage and fibre-optic cables in a three-kilometre loop around the new smelter.
Construction started in late June. Lamarre said having the underground utility corridor in place would expedite construction.
IDL is working with the building trades to maximize the number of northern and local workers, including First Nations, working on site.
Lederman said a project labour agreement (PLA) has been signed with unions. The PLA allows non-union contractors to bid on work, but if successful, they must work under union terms while on site.
Currently all vehicles on site are hybrids. Solar panels, to light parking areas, are being considered.
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