Energy Transfer | Marcus Hook Industrial Complex

Dock 2A Modifications
Project Overview
Project Goals
Data Points
Group 34 Created with Sketch.
Our Team
Project Details
Community Impact
Marcus-Hook-Refinery-dock-2a-modifications

An Opportunity for Growth

When Marcus Hook Refinery shifted their operations to become Marcus Hook Industrial Complex, they needed a routine dock inspection to determine whether the existing dock could accommodate a new LPG tanker vessel. They hired S. T. Hudson, and once the project was underway, it evolved into a complete dock upgrade that included new breasting dolphins, fender systems, mooring systems, marine loading arms, gangway system, a jib crane, and a dock house operation center.

Energy-Transfer-Dock-2A-Modifications

Project Goals

Converting the facility to an entirely new system was an ambitious venture. It was imperative to complete all the necessary steps with precision to ensure the outcome would be a success. As such, the goals for this project were to:

Assess Facility Needs

A thorough and complete dock inspection was necessary to understand the scope of the project.

Provide Complete Structural Design Services

From FEED to construction, the S. T. Hudson team provided Marcus Hook Industrial Complex with the resources they needed to transition their facilities.

Overhaul Existing Structures

Switching from petroleum product storage to a liquified gas storage center required both demolition and installation of new dock structures, piping, marine loading arms, and firefighting system.

Enable a Lucrative Business Opportunity

With economic uncertainty and fluctuations in demand for petroleum products, exploring a new sector would create stability and an influx of new jobs for the area.

Key Data Points

1,196
sq ft
Loading
Platform
2
New
Breasting
Dolphins
4
New Triple
Quick-Release
Hooks
5
New
Fender
Systems
920
sq ft Sump Containment Area With Pump
1
New
Jib Crane
for Hose Handling

Our Team

Want to learn more about our individual expertise? Get to know our team!

Robert Hudson, P.E.

President and Chief Executive Officer
Robert Hudson, P.E. Robert Hudson, P.E.

Robert Hudson, P.E.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Hudson is a Senior Civil/Structural Engineer with over 40 years of experience in the design and construction of marine facilities. He has special expertise in construction methods and estimating. Over the course of his career, Mr. Hudson has been involved in a wide range of construction activities, with emphasis on marine structures, bridges and pile foundations.

In 2002, Mr. Hudson became President and Chief Operating officer of S. T. Hudson Engineers, Inc and continues to serve in that capacity today. Mr. Hudson is a Registered Professional Engineer in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. His professional affiliations include The Ports of Philadelphia Maritime Society; The Deep Foundation Institute; The American Society of Civil Engineers and The National Society of Professional Engineers.

James Thomas

Chief Operating Officer & Vice President
James Thomas James Thomas

James Thomas

Chief Operating Officer & Vice President

Mr. Thomas is Hudson’s Chief Operating Officer and has over 35 years of broad experience in the planning, design, management and execution of marine construction and dredging projects.

Mr. Thomas has worked on projects throughout the United States, the Caribbean, South America and the Middle East. His marine construction and dredging experience includes participation in small to large scale capital works, maintenance and superfund projects. He has managed the construction of offshore ocean ship berthing facilities as well as the construction of harbor berth facilities and terminals.

Leslie (Hudson) Gerhard

Vice President
Leslie (Hudson) Gerhard Leslie (Hudson) Gerhard

Leslie (Hudson) Gerhard

Vice President

Ms. Gerhard is Vice President at S. T. Hudson Engineers, Inc. with over 15 years of experience in marketing, company operations, contract administration, and client relationships. She is responsible for day-to-day office operations, generating and overseeing proposal submissions, marketing efforts, contract administration, team recruitment, and coordination and administration of the summer internship program. In addition, she is involved in developing business among existing clients and new clients which contribute significantly to corporate revenues.

Ms. Gerhard is part of the fourth generation of Hudson family members working in the business, working side by side with her father, Robert S. Hudson, P.E., to lead S. T. Hudson Engineers, Inc.

Anthony DePasquale, P.E.

Vice President & Director of Marine Engineering and Environmental Services
Anthony DePasquale, P.E. Anthony DePasquale, P.E.

Anthony DePasquale, P.E.

Vice President & Director of Marine Engineering and Environmental Services

Mr. DePasquale is a Civil & Geo-technical Engineer with 37 years of experience as a designer, construction manager, negotiator, and permitting consultant with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He specializes in the design, management, and construction of flood protection systems, bulkhead rehabilitation, and waste and dredge disposal containment facilities.

In addition, he has reviewed and negotiated numerous construction contract claims, permitting issues, and engineering disputes. Mr. DePasquale's experience has given S.T. Hudson valuable insight into the permitting process and environmental impact assessments from the viewpoint of the USACE and other regulatory agencies.

William Jenkins

Vice President & Director of Marine Services
William Jenkins William Jenkins

William Jenkins

Vice President & Director of Marine Services

Mr. Jenkins has 17 years of experience and a comprehensive knowledge of various hydrographic technologies and methods.

Recently, Mr. Jenkins has applied his talents to implementing various multibeam hydrographic surveys for ship navigation safety, object detection, clearance surveys, sediment transfer surveys, pre- and post-dredge surveys, and bridge inspection scour monitoring.

Project Details

What began as a dock inspection turned into a major overhaul of various dock structures to prepare for a new fleet of ocean-going ships. This EPC project led by S. T. Hudson included a large demolition of current structures, the design and installation of an entirely new pipe rack system, new cryogenic marine loading arms, and more.

Once a refinery, Marcus Hook Industrial Complex was transformed into a bustling storage and export center for liquified gases. It was built in 1902 and started out with the processing of light sweet crude oil from Texas, eventually transitioning to become highly advanced in the field for petroleum production. In 2012, the company was acquired by Sunoco Logistics, who merged with Energy Transfer in 2017. They saw an opportunity for advancement and decided to repurpose the refinery complex for building and storing cryogenic tanks to repurpose the refinery complex for storing and exporting liquified petroleum gas, requiring the building of new dock facilities and cryogenic tanks.

The project involved taking the existing docks that typically handle petrochemical products and converting them to a liquified gas export center for a new fleet of ships carrying natural gas liquids across the ocean. Using Optimoor software, a standard for international shipping agents, S. T. Hudson performed an analysis of the current state of the platforms — allowing them to calculate the forces ships would put on a dock. From here, the team was able to determine the structural designs necessary to safely moor the ship to the berth for safe loading and unloading of product.

S.T. Hudson served an EPC role in this project. Not only did we provide full design services, we were also the general contractor responsible for complete construction of the project. This project allowed us to showcase the full breadth of our capabilities; from marine and mechanical engineering hydrographic and dive services to estimating, purchasing, and construction services. In the end, the project was a complete success, giving Energy Transfer the ability to bring in new ships and commence the exportation of liquified gases, a move that created many new jobs for the area.

Project Highlights

The complete scope of work for this project included:

  • Dock inspection, including:
    - Optimoor mooring analysis
    - PIANC berthing analysis
    - Structural assessments
    - Recommendations with costs
  • Structural design from FEED to construction
  • Construction management services including all purchasing and construction support functions
  • Demolition of prior structures
  • Installation of:
    - New pipe track system
    - New cryogenic marine loading arms
    - New firefighting system

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