The Alumar alumina refinery expansion project in São Luís, Brazil included upgrades to the existing production train and
installation of a new alumina production train. The expansion has increased the alumina capacity by 1.75 Mtpa to 3.5
Mtpa and is the largest brownfield alumina expansion project completed to date.
Hatch mobilized into the São Paulo project office, building a team in excess of 600 people, fully trained in 3D delivery of
a “mega commodity project.” Worksharing of the 3D design delivery was undertaken with seven other Hatch offices
around the world before transferring the project team to the site in São Luís.
The ramp up to production of the facilities installed and modified as a result of the project was of world class performance.
More than 3,500 tie ins were also executed as a result of the project and all were implemented at or better than plan. At
completion, more than 75,000 m3 of concrete, 27,000 t of steel, 240,000 m of pipe and 3.5 million m of cable were
managed from design to installation and facility handover.
The project produced its first ton of alumina in September 2009.
Hatch completed the FEL-3 phase and is currently in the EPCM phase as part of an integrated team.
- Hatch mobilised into the project, trained and developed a 3D Project delivery team which at its peak numbered over
600 people in the São project office
- At the peak of construction there were more than 10,000 workers on site, including more than 130 Hatch staff actively
engaged in project management, field engineering, cost control, procurement, construction, commissioning and
human resources activities
- Production ramp up across the whole facility was of world class performance, enabling the ability to shut down and
transfer existing production facilities to the newly-installed facilities ahead of schedule
- Installation of an 1,800-t modularised ship unloader, barged from Argentina and installed on a dock exposed to a
6-metre tide was a significant success for the project
- Ramp up into production for the prototype Mark VII calciners, designed by Hatch Perth, was a significant achievement
for the whole project team and is now the benchmark calciner design for future Alcoa Alumina refineries
- The ease of commissioning, handover and ramp up into production of the newly designed digestion, precipitation,
evaporation and heat interchange department facilities were also standout achievements for the project, which
enabled the quick ramp up to production of the total facility
The project twice achieved 20 million work hours without a lost-time injury. Safety culture was paramount from the
design office in São Paulo to the field in São Luís. Visual felt leadership programs, HAZOP study methodology, job safety
analysis programs and daily safety tool box meetings drove the project to achieve an outstanding safety result that was
heralded within Brazil and by the Owner partners.
