U S G CS t r e n g t h e n i n g B o n d s D e l i v e r i n g S o l u t i o n s

AUGUST/September 2014Issue 002

Construction - Auger Cast in place

Compressor Testing - The Cracked Gas Compressor

Team Member Profi le - George McDowell

Crossword & Trivia - Check out the reverse side

Basic Steps that an Auger Cast In Place Pile Crew Performs:1. All crew members start the morning at 7

am, sharp, with a Safety Task Assignment (“STA”), followed by a pre-task, full-body stretch out.

2. Crew Foreman coordinates with Cajun Surveyors on a drill sequence for all individual piles planned for the day.

3. Crew Foreman calls in to batch plant for a 16 cubic yard order to be delivered.

4. Once grout truck arrives, spot up to grout pump, and add mix intrusion to grout batch.

5. Grout Truck performs 80 revolutions, to mix intrusion aid.

6. Before adding grout to pump, PSI tests fl ow of grout and takes test samples.

7. Grout pump primes Auger with water and immediately follows with grout.

8. Pile Driver corks the Auger drill bit and places assembly on drill point.

Water has always been an import-ant and life-sustaining drink to hu-mans and is essential to the survival of most other organisms. Although water covers 71% of the Earth’s sur-face, only 2.5% is fresh water. Only 1% is the water found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and those underground sources that are shallow enough to be tapped at an affordable cost for direct human uses. Only this amount is regularly renewed by rain and snowfall and therefore available on a sustainable basis.

Safe drinking water is essential to humans and other life forms, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients. Access to safe drinking water has improved over the last decades in almost every part of the world, and the need for water conservation through better plan-ning and management is an utmost priority.

For physically-active people, daily fl uid intake requirements often ex-ceed three to four liters per day and can sometimes be in excess of ten li-ters per day. When body water loss is great due to sweating, keeping track of one’s hydration status becomes important because dehydration can diminish energy, impair performance, and have serious health consequenc-es. Even a 2% loss of body weight (three pounds for a 150-pound person) through sweating can mean trouble because when we lose too much water, our bodies become out of balance or dehydrated. To prevent dehydration, watch the amount of fl uid you drink, listen to your body, and drink more liquids during exces-sive physical work and hot weather.

Water – Essence for LifeBy Sandeep Sardana

Contractor: Cajun Deep Foundations, LLC

Crew Foreman: Randy Crowe

Equipment: Drilling Rig, Support Crane, Grout Pump, Track Hoe, Water Truck, and JGC Grout Trucks

Support Personnel: Crew Foreman, Drilling Rig Operator, Support Crane Operator, Track Hoe Operator, Grout Pump Operator, Pile Drivers (Ground Hands), and PSI (Pile Monitor Contractor)

A U G E R C A S T I N P L A C EP I L E R I G # 3

By Charles Webb

continued inside...

Team Member PROFILEGeorge McDowellProject DesignerBy Melissa Dodson-Material Management-Buyer

George McDowell came to Fluor from CPChem, where he had worked at the job site for two and a half years as a civil structural designer for Englobal Engineering, CPChem’s in-house design con-tractor. Fluor was looking for someone who had a full understanding of the CPChem Cedar Bayou Site safety culture and their Engineering Data Center records room. Jordan Nguyen had also spent time at the CPChem site, working with George on a number of projects. When Jordan transferred to Fluor, he later recruited George to the Fluor team.

The decision to join Fluor did not come lightly to George. He speaks fondly of his time at the CPChem site, the experiences he gained, and the family culture that was highly prevalent, but he de-cided that in an effort to stay at the top of his career, he would take advantage of Fluor’s home-of-fi ce opportunities for becoming familiar with updated systems, attending as many training classes as possible, and learning further from all of his peers.

George’s day-to-day duties consist of creating 3D laser scans and frameworks layout of the existing structures, such as the one shown below, for the OSBL portion of the project. For taking precise measurements, this 3D technology has replaced the antiquat-ed methodology of pulling tape. The 3D laser scan is accurate up to 1/8”. He compared his work as being similar to playing video games all day, adjusting and manipulating layouts. Anyone who speaks with George can tell his extreme passion toward his work.

George is from Chicago, Illinois, where he attended Triton College and then Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland on a basketball scholarship. He has served and is very proud of being a member of the United States Air Force (Illinois Air National Guard). In the fall of 1988 he began his career in civil transportation at CRSS, a local Chicago fi rm. He moved into the LNG (Liquefi ed Natural Gas) industry at Foster Wheeler in Houston and has acquired a diverse range of experiences and qualifi cations since then. George has a City of Houston certifi cate as a Construction Inspector, has worked in an IT role of supporting micro station and AutoCAD® users early in his career, and has fi lled the role of Signal Designer.

George is a proud father. His son Demetrius, 23, is to graduate from Sam Houston State University in December with an Accounting and Business Degree. George’s favorite pastimes include basketball and restoring his 1988 Fox Body Mustang.

9. Crew Foreman signals Drilling Rig Operator to commence drilling.10. Drill to desired depth (41’ and 61’).11. After pile depth has been reached, Crew Foreman signals pump operator to begin pumping grout12. While pumping grout, Auger Rig begins retracting Auger bit at approximately 15 – 17 strokes per 5’

of travel.13. Once top of pile has been reached, pump operator is signaled to stop his pump.14. Crew Foreman signals Drilling Rig to move auger and leads safely away from drill pile location.15. Pile Drivers shovel away mud and debris that is present at top of pile.16. Support Crane is rigged up to rebar cage and places it in the pile hole.17. Pile Drivers will assist the crane operator to set rebar cage at desired elevation.18. Pile Drivers secure rebar cage to saw horses with #9 wire.19. Once rebar cage is secured, Crane Operator rigs up to center bar support and places in pile hole to

desired depth.20. Remove all other spoils from drill area, cap anyexposed rebar, cut any excessive #9 wire, do fi nal

clean-up of area, and move all equipment and crew to next pile location.

Drill Time: 6 – 10 minutesPump Time: 8 – 12 minutesTotal Cast Auger in Place Pile Time: 12 – 20 minutes

A U G E R C A S T I N P L A C EP I L E R I G # 3continued from front

• Home Base - Houston, Texas• Industry Experience - 26 years• Experience at CP Chem Site - 2.5 years• Fun Fact - Owns over 100 pairs of shoes, Size 14

games all day, adjusting and manipulating layouts. Anyone who speaks with George can tell his extreme passion toward his work.games all day, adjusting and manipulating layouts. Anyone who speaks with George can tell his extreme passion toward his work.

very proud of being a member of the United States Air Force (Illinois Air National Guard).

Total Piles: 5049Piles Installed as of Sept 8: 1735

The Cracked Gas Compressor (C-300, CGC) is one of the most important equipment items for the USGC Ethylene Project, as are the Propylene Refrigeration Compressor (C-600, PRC) and the Ethylene Refrigeration Compressor (C-650, ERC).

These three compressors were ordered from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corporation (MCO). Manufacturing has been going well, and the Performance test and Mechanical Running test have been started and will continue into September at the MCO factory in Hiroshima, Japan. The purpose of the Performance test is to simulate the operation of each compression stage, and the Mechanical Running test is to validate critical speeds and vibration during start-up and shutdown.

JV and Company representatives witnessed the tests, and their feedback includes the following:

• The most impressive to me was the Performance test to draw the tested performance curve for the compressor. It confi rmed the calculated “guarantee point” at 100% speed and “surge point” fl ows at 100%, 90%, 80% and 70% of speed. The com-pressor entered surge a few times with a noise like that of a train passing by at a distance. The fl ows at which the compres-sor went into surge were very evident by monitoring the gas fl ow from the compressor and audibly hearing the surge. It was interesting to feel the surge phenomenon that I previously knew only from performance curves.

• I visited the MCO shop for the Performance test of the Cracked Gas Compressor LP Casing. Visiting the supplier’s shop during the manufacturing stage enhanced my ability to visualize as clearly as possible what was shown on the drawings.

• The Mechanical Running test brought the LP compressor case and turbine up to expected normal operating speed, during which vibrations were very closely monitored and the “critical speed” was confi rmed by observing the vibration very closely. The compressor was able to achieve the target speed with minimal vibration, even after the addition of weights to unbal-ance the rotor.

• We are looking forward to safe ocean transit of these compressors and to seeing them arrive at the site.

Performance test and Mechanical Running test for CompressorBy Hiroshi Ishikawa, JGC Business Manager

It’s a time for celebration for incumbent Manila Electrical Discipline Lead Marlito Bolanos and his wife Sheribeth, who welcomed their child Zach Jacob into the world on July 21. Baby Zach Jacob has older siblings Jairus, 10, and Lance, 6. Marlito could not be happier with the arrival of his child, whom he considers as a blessing to his increasing brood. The proud father confessed that he would prefer Zach Jacob to follow in his footsteps and become an engineer. Marlito is grateful that his Fluor teammates performed so well during his absence to attend to the baby’s birth. Marlito has 16 years of experience in the industry as a fi eld engineer and electrical engineer and has been with Fluor Philippines for three years.

USGC Family Spotlight

USGC Family Spotlight

All smiles! Marlito together with his family Lance, Sheribeth, Baby Zach Jacob, and Jairus (from L to R)

Advisors:Jeff NachenbergKevin ThrushYasuyuki WakabayashiDavid Van der Linden

Contributers:Charles WebbJavier Vazquez

Kasey AydoganKathleen RothLaura NewmanLeslie CampbellMelissa DodsonSandeep SardanaJesson James CabaelMa Fatima Johara De Lara

Newsletter Staff

Have an idea? Want to suggest something or simply have questions or comments?

Send your thoughts, stories, or sugges-tions to HO-C6KR-News@fl uor.com

Are we missing something?

Across1. Physical boundary in a process plant that contains the primary process units 2. “Texas” in the Caddo language means6. Offi cial state sport of Texas7. Tallest building in Yokohama13. Third-largest city in the Houston Metropolitan Area

Down3. A two-carbon building block in the petrochemical industry 4. Japan’s second-largest city 5. Texas state bird8. � e o� cial state insect of Texas 9. � e highest point in Texas10. Japan’s national sport11. � e longest river in Texas12. Japan’s national bird

By Sandeep Sardana

Akira Sugiyama is the JGC/Fluor JV Project Director and JGC lead in our Project. We respectfully call him Sugiyama-san. Sugiyama-san’s prime role is to unite the JV organizations and leverage the JV’s performance by leveraging

each partner’s strong points. Sugiyama-san has over 30 years of experience in the EPC business; he started as an engineer, moved up to construction manager and then into project management, most of his career spent overseas. Sugiyama-san has faced and conquered many challenges over the years, this new great venture presents new challenges: new environments, different cultures, booming markets and delivering the project in time and with the highest safety record and quality. Sugiyama-san says: “The harder the challenge, the sweeter the success”.

This project is JGC’s 1st mega size EPC project in the USA, and considering the booming North American market, JGC considers our Project a Landmark project. Sugiyama-san has a very good view of our JV: “This JV was formed with a long term perspective in mind, we are expected to continue and expand the venture together. Two world-class Contractors, JGC and Fluor, shake their hands and start on a voyage for the ocean.”

Sugiyama-san’s ultimate goal is to deliver this project on time, with quality; however for him, doing so without excellent safety, cannot be considered a success. He wishes that: “At completion, I would like for every entity involved on the project to enjoy the harvest, fruit of our work, and keep this success in their minds”.

U S G C C R O S S W O R D1. Physical boundary in a process plant that contains the primary process units

3. A two-carbon building block in the petrochemical industry

By Sandeep Sardana

Sugiyama-san’s message to all Project team members:“I believe that teamwork is the most powerful tool that will get us to success. JGC and Fluor individualy, the JV and CPChem, have to respect each other by understanding the diff erence in culture, values, background and positi ons. I would like to request all individuals involved in this project to share the burden of accomplishment of teamwork.”