“We are pleased about the award from the Chamber of Engineers and see it as an appreciation of the entire team that worked on the construction of the DCPD unit. For us, it does not only mean a victory in a competition but also recognition of our work and efforts to innovate the chemical industry. The construction of the unit was preceded by a multiple-year research and development in collaboration with scientists from the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague. Our designed and implemented method of distilling dicyclopentadiene is quite unique. I am delighted that we underscored the uniqueness of this production solution with the construction of a modern, fully digitalised production unit that is at the top of today’s available production possibilities in terms of technology,” says Tomáš Herink, a member of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group’s board of directors responsible for production, research and development.
The panel of experts recognised the project as a unique technological building. According to the jury, it is extensive work comprising the complete construction of a new DCPD unit, involving the work of our authorised persons in the field of technological equipment of structures. These attributes attracted the judging panel so much that they awarded it the main prize.
“The structure was also unique because of the effective collaboration of the academia, the future operator, and us as the general contractor. The initial idea was to utilise the waste product from the steam cracker to produce a product in great demand. The investor required an end-to-end turnkey installation, i.e., the construction of the entire production unit, including the control centre, a training simulator, storage tanks, and a distribution terminal,” said Richard Marcalík, head of Intecha’s implementation team. He also added one curiosity: “The history of the place of the construction was a big surprise for us. When excavating the production unit’s foundations, we found an unexploded air bomb weighing 250 kg from the massive air attacks at the end of WWII. The entire ORLEN Unipetrol site had to be evacuated; the traffic between Most and Litvínov was interrupted, and the bomb was disposed of by the bomb specialists of the Police of the Czech Republic.”
Projects ranging from building construction through transportation and water resource engineering to bridge and footbridge construction can be registered for the competition announced by the Czech Chamber of Authorised Engineers and Technicians Working in Construction. This year’s jury presented four main awards, six honourable mentions and one special award for environmental contribution. Projects from all regions of the Czech Republic were submitted to this year’s competition, and, to a large degree, buildings that serve people from the beginning have been awarded.
“Without the jury wanting to have all registered authorised disciplines in the portfolio of the awarded engineering designs, it became a reality, and I am happy about that. I especially appreciate my colleagues who submitted exciting engineering designs of technical buildings, with one of two such designs receiving the highest recognition – the main award,” says Ing. Renata Zdařilová, PhD, chair of the jury of the Czech Chamber of Authorised Engineers and Technicians Working in Construction.
The liquid hydrocarbon that the awarded production unit at the Litvínov site produces is a highly sought-after product with a high added value for its wide application range, which includes the automotive industry, the construction sector, electrical engineering, medicine, and the pharmaceutical sector. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group manufactures up to 26,000 tonnes of it per year, making it one of the four largest European producers. The expert jury found the design and construction of the sophisticated turnkey operational unit, including the construction of the entire production unit, which comprises a control room, a training simulator, storage reservoirs and a distribution terminal within the plant’s defined area, in merely two years, to be a demonstration of the genuine art of engineering.
The ORLEN Unipetrol Group is the largest refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude oil processing and the production, distribution and sale of vehicle fuels and petrochemical products – particularly plastics and fertilisers. It belongs among the key players on the Czech and Central European markets in all these areas. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group encompasses refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo in Pardubice, Spolana in Neratovice, REMAQ in Otrokovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. ORLEN Unipetrol also includes the ORLEN Benzina network of petrol stations in the Czech Republic and the ORLEN network in Slovakia and Hungary. ORLEN Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic in terms of turnover. It employs almost 6,000 people. ORLEN Unipetrol is also a socially responsible company, particularly in the areas of supporting sustainable development, education, local communities and the environment. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became part of the ORLEN Group, the largest oil refiner in Central Europe.