One of world's biggest cranes does heavy lifting in Beaver County
One of the biggest cranes in the world is now on the job in Beaver County.
The MOAC ring crane — 695 feet tall, 163-foot in diameter and 1.1 million pounds — is lifting and putting into place the two slurry loop reactors that will be used by the Shell petrochemical plant to make high density polyethylene, also known as HDPE. These will be the tallest structures on site, Shell officials told the Business Times.
It's been a busy fall for the Shell petrochemical plant, which has seen another big crane lift the quench tower into place alongside the Ohio River.
"The MOAC is a ring crane, which means it can pivot in a full circle to complete many lifts without having to move or disassemble – increasing efficiency and safety on our the site," Shell said. "The crane can remain in its current location while still being able to reach modules that are farther away."