The site was underlain by weak silts, which had to be excavated and replaced with engineered fill to create safe working areas at ground level. Traditional ‘dig and replace’ was found to be expensive and time-consuming (the platforms had to be ready within 60 days), so Petrofac International sought an alternative solution.

Tensar designed the platforms as Mechanically Stabilised Layers (MSL’s), with Tensar geogrid incorporated in the granular fill. This meant platforms could be 40% thinner, reducing excavation and imported fill, while providing safe bearing capacity and cutting costs by 30%. The lifting area platform was built on a TensarTech Stratum basal mattress below the MSL to support heavier loads. Design and construction took just 45 days.