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Project ONE, the ultimate challenge for every engineer

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Once an engineer, always an engineer. Just ask Peter Clymans (52): he loves gliding – not only for the sport, but also for … the technology. For example, he recently obtained the status of Certifying Staff to be able to carry out maintenance and minor repairs.

Peter Clymans is a Senior Mechanical and Inspection Engineer. He works with various teams to ensure that Project ONE complies with all regulations. At the moment, this is usually done with experienced engineers, but that’s going to change. “Even for a senior engineer taking part in the construction of such an installation is the ultimate challenge.”

Strict standards and specifications

A plant like Project ONE is built according to international standards. But we’re going even further, Peter emphasizes: “We’ve added our own knowledge and experience – and we’ve translated them into additional guidelines, specific to our plant. Engineering firms are now making the first design of the plant based on those standards and specifications.”

It goes without saying: the standards are extremely strict. Peter: “Our units will be built with very modern materials, which guarantees that they will work very safely. Europe and VLAREM require us to work with the best technology available. Rightly so – and we are very interested in that ourselves, because with this technology our plant will function optimally.”

Inspecting the installation with drones

Peter’s future role is in safeguarding the integrity of the site. What does that mean? “We must demonstrate that we’re constantly monitoring our installations and that they are in good condition.”

INEOS is increasingly using new technologies for these inspections. “Inspecting a column that’s 105 metres high? We no longer have to have people climb up there – today, that’s perfectly possible with drones. Thanks to modern inspection technology, we can put those data into our systems digitally and compare them with the original data. And that digital platform will enable us to quickly perform online integrity analyses later, in the operational phase. We’ll be able to perfectly monitor the degradation of materials and equipment, and we’ll know exactly when we need to repair or replace them.”

“It’s a wonderful challenge to be able to make your contribution during the design of the plant and then to reap the benefits later,” says Peter. He makes that contribution together with colleagues from a wide variety of disciplines. For the time being, these are mostly very experienced engineers, but Project ONE will also be a great opportunity for younger people.

One of the finest jobs for beginning engineers

“Our contractors are going to start developing the different parts of the plant. In this phase of basic engineering, we must ensure that the standards and specifications are being followed. This is the moment we can engage engineers with a first work experience (from 5 to 7 years): we point out which aspects they need to pay attention to, and they can report on them. We coach and guide them through this process.”

“A step further, in the construction phase, we need people to monitor everything – this will be a first work experience for them. In this pre-commissioning phase, we send them into the field with a specific mission: based on the drawings, they have to check whether everything is being built correctly. That’s one of the finest jobs you can get as a starting engineer!

Precisely because young engineers gain that experience, they can help further develop the plant later. “By involving them in an early phase, they get to know the plant through and through. That’s the beauty of such a project.” And so Project ONE can certainly use the growing body of local engineers.

“It’s a wonderful challenge to make your contribution during the design and then reap the benefits later.”

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