Heavy Wall Reactors

Heavy wall reactors are used in high pressure and high temperature processes in refineries and petrochemical plants such as Hydrocracking, Hydrotreating, Desulphurization and similar processes.

GE Oil & Gas Heavy Wall Reactors are the solution of choice in those processes where high temperature and high pressure are critical.

Design Philosophy

Key design factors for successful fabrication of this type of equipment are:
  • Full qualification and experience in manufacturing reactors with advanced, high-strength materials (Cr Mo V), where GE is the world most referenced constructor
  • Automatic welding technology with ultra-narrow gap beveling
  • First class facilities, such as the GE Oil & Gas Massa plant, ideally located near the seaport of Marina di Carrara for shipping and equipped with lifting devices and rollers easily capable of handling reactors as heavy as 2,000 tons

Experience and Applications

GE Oil & Gas with over 30 years of experience and hundreds of heavy wall reactors for Hydrocracking, Hydrotreating, Desulphurization and similar processes installed in refineries all over the world, is one of the most referenced large vessel constructors.

GE Oil & Gas is fully qualified with all major process licensors, including UOP, Chevron Lummus, Shell and Exxon Mobil.

Performance & Product Characteristics

Given the extremely high pressures and temperatures required by the process and the sheer scale of the units involved, welding integrity is critical to safety and productivity.

GE Oil & Gas has developed the most advanced technologies for the welding and manufacturing of reactors. Our capabilities include:
  • Wall thickness up to 400mm
  • Unit capacity up to 2,000 tons
  • Unit length up to 60 m

Continuous technology upgrades and the use of the most advanced facilities result in very successful, defect-free welding operations.

These results have been achieved by the full implementation of:
  • Direct supervision of welding processes at the shop floor
  • Flux handling with no moisture absorption using the SAW welding technique
  • Controlled pre- and post-heating procedure
  • Ultra-narrow gap beveling
  • Ergonomic arrangement of welding stations

Site Activities and Technical Services

Site Activities:

There can be practical constraints to shipping fully assembled reactors to some job sites. In such cases, GE's capabilities enable field assembly of reactor sections shipped from our Massa plant. With leading edge technology, manufacturing capabilities and unparalleled field experience, our teams can provide complete field fabrication of complex hydroprocessing reactors to the same specifications and standards as units assembled at our own facilities.

Our teams have experienced extensive experience assembling and installing units in many locations worldwide, under adverse weather and environmental conditions.

Technical Services:

GE Oil & Gas offers comprehensive technical service programs for all types of static equipment designed to help deliver reduced plant operating costs and increased plant efficiency.

Extensive technical expertise, advanced diagnostics, NDT systems, and regional service teams combine to guarantee coverage of customer needs.

Our services include:
  • Installation assistance
  • Spare parts supply
  • Routine inspection, repairs, and maintenance
  • Predictive inspections
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Performance assessment, upgrading, and modifications
  • Diagnostics and NDT inspection
  • Residual life assessment and failure analysis
  • Plant shutdown planning
  • Gas turbine heat recovery

Download More Information

For More Information