The many visible and invisible pipe systems at Chemelot, a chemical industrial estate in the Netherlands require periodic maintenance. To make the pipes water-free and divert process water, the expertise of Eekels Pompen, part of Boels Rental, comes in handy.
Continuity is the main priority
Time to take a tour of the pumps and pipes with Bert van Uden, project leader at Eekels. It’s a tangle of roads, green spaces and pipelines in all lengths, widths and colours on the massive 800-hectare site. The complex processes in the plants are running continuously. This also means that water and other liquid substances, or mediums in technical jargon, constantly need to be drained off. Shutting down the plants simply isn’t an option.
Expertise on site
When work is done on the pipelines, the drainage is diverted through pipes. This is where the expertise of Eekels comes in. As a preferred supplier at Chemelot, Eekels is involved in projects wherever pumps or pipes are needed. “That’s right, during these operations we keep the plants running and ensure continuity on behalf of our client.” There’s a constant buzz when the on-site team of Eekels is at work. “You need to consider that all drains for clean, mixing and process water are checked periodically, every six years. Not to mention any incidental work or (emergency) repairs.”
“During these operations we keep the plants running and ensure continuity on behalf of our client.”
From design to installation
On the job the team is currently working on requires several different pumps, including ATEX pumps (explosion safety), Chemline stainless steel pumps (resistant to liquids with the highest degrees of acidity) and diesel pumps. All systems and components are calculated, installed and sometimes even designed by Eekels. This includes the installation of a so-called flow meter and the data logger that is linked. It gives the central operator hourly updates regarding the quantity of medium per m3.
Cost-effective
The 800-metre bypass pipes needed for this job are laid as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. “It’s important that we think along with our client when doing this. We get a project to divert an X amount of m3 per hour of medium from point A to point B. Based on this information, we make a proposal of what we assess to be the most practical and cost-saving plan. On this project, we installed twenty-five pumps, connected 800 metres of pipes and made nine pipe bridges to avoid any disruptions to work traffic. It has to be one of the bigger projects, absolutely,” says Bert.
Not your ordinary rental company
This particular project came from Royal Haskoning DHV, who are responsible for asset management at the site. Among other things, this means maintaining the roads and sewer systems. “We have been working with Eekels for years. They’re definitely not your ordinary rental company. We can rely on their total service package from the drawing board to work permits, and from construction to 24-hour service. It saves us a huge amount of time and, above all, stress. Especially because Eekels is a partner that thinks with us and keeps the communication lines short. In our line of work, we have to respond at a moment’s notice and there needs to be full confidence in the skills of our partners in terms of on-site safety and the continually running production process,” Joris Agten, project manager at Royal Haskoning DHV, explains.
24/7 availability
Eekels distinguishes itself from other rental partners most notably in their total service package, in-depth knowledge, specialised equipment, and the 24/7 emergency support that is there within the hour. “Yes, that last point is an absolute prerequisite to be able to work here. We can answer that requirement thanks to our on-site office and our experienced service technicians. It’s also really nice that, in addition to our expertise, we can also rely on Boels Rental that also has a branch on the Chemelot site,” Bert says while his phone starts ringing for the next project.
