What is a shared steam network?
A shared steam network is a joint infrastructure that allows several companies within a cluster to exchange steam, heat and sometimes electricity. In a cluster such as Delfzijl, these networks have grown over the years from the historical choices of the industries present, and multiple sources have been connected to them over time. For the exact composition, capacity distribution and energy and CO₂ effects of a specific cluster, we refer to the publications of the companies involved, the grid operators and the cluster organisations. That is very much the domain of the energy and process experts of those parties.
From an engineering perspective, what can be said in general terms is this: a shared steam network fulfils a system function. Different consumers and producers are hydraulically, thermally and control-wise interconnected. This makes the network efficient in use, but it also means that any change at a single point can have effects on other parts of the system. That is precisely why careful engineering is so important when making modifications.
Industrial symbiosis: why interfaces are critical
In industrial symbiosis, residual flows such as heat, steam or by-products from one company are used by another. Whether, and to what extent, this leads to CO₂ reduction depends heavily on the specific situation and is a question for energy specialists and the asset owners involved. What we as an engineering partner focus on is the physical and technical translation of that collaboration: pipe routing, tie-in points, metering stations, pressure controls, valves, safeguards and the accompanying documentation.
This interconnectedness makes the interfaces between parties a central engineering topic. Every tie-in point is a place where liability, measurement boundaries, design conditions and safety philosophies of different companies come together. Clear agreements on design pressure, design temperature, material selection, insulation, corrosion protection and safety integrity level are needed to prevent uncertainty about who manages which part and where the scope boundary lies.
Critical cluster utilities: engineering implications
Utilities such as steam, electricity, compressed air, cooling water and CO₂ lines are often designated as critical infrastructure within clusters. For our role as an engineering partner, this translates into a number of concrete focus points for every project on or near such systems:
- Thorough inventory of existing design principles and the current state of the infrastructure.
- Analysis of the effects of a change on the rest of the network, such as pressure profile, temperature profile, heat losses and piping flexibility.
- Alignment of maintenance and commissioning windows with other parties in the cluster.
- Clear handover documents and procedures, so that operational teams and asset managers know where they stand in the event of disruptions.
- Consistent application of management of change across company boundaries.
These points are not unique to Delfzijl. They apply to every cluster where multiple companies are connected to a single utility system. What differs from cluster to cluster are the exact governance arrangements, tariffs and responsibilities. Those aspects are a matter for the companies, grid operators and authorities involved.
What does this mean for your engineering and project teams?
For technical managers, plant managers, project managers and installation owners, the playing field for modifications to shared utility infrastructure shifts from internal process management to collaboration within the cluster. A project can rarely be designed purely within your own fence line any more. When connecting a new consumer, replacing a steam line, fitting an additional heat exchanger or reconfiguring part of the network, you have to take into account effects that reach beyond your own scope.
Based on the disciplines in which we have demonstrable experience, the following engineering questions typically arise in these types of projects:
- Piping and stress analysis. Changes to a steam network often lead to different thermal expansion, different support loads and sometimes to resonance problems. A proper stress analysis prevents leaks, failures at connections and overloading of existing supports.
- Civil and structural assessment. Support structures, penetrations, foundations and pipe racks must be suitable for new lines or additional weight. That is often an integral part of the scope, even when the trigger is a process-related change.
- 3D surveying and as-built documentation. Existing installations often deviate from the original drawings. Accurate 3D scans and up-to-date documentation prevent new designs from running into obstacles only during execution.
- Mechanical and process integration. New branches, metering stations or control valves must match the existing hydraulic behaviour of the network, including peak and part-load scenarios.
- Electrical, instrumentation and control. Measurements, interlocks and communication with network operators must align with the existing philosophy of the cluster.
- Safety and risk assessment. HAZOP, LOPA and related studies help to map the effects of changes on the entire utility system, including behaviour during disturbances.
Timing often makes the difference. Work on shared utilities regularly takes place in short periods during major shutdowns, coordinated with the schedules of other companies in the cluster. Budget cycles, production stops, summer periods, public holidays and weather conditions therefore call for early preparation. A technical partner who can support studies as well as engineering and work preparation helps you safeguard overview and feasibility.
Future-proof design without assumptions about the energy mix
The debate on alternative heat sources and energy carriers for industry is developing rapidly. Which sources will ultimately supply the heat in a specific cluster is a question for energy planners, grid operators, policymakers and the asset owners involved. We have no expertise in predicting market developments or the returns of individual technologies, and therefore deliberately limit ourselves in this article to the engineering side.
From an engineering perspective, the practical question is above all: how do we design changes to existing utility infrastructure so that future modifications remain possible? Think of reserving space in pipe racks, tie-in points that can be used later, material choices that suit possible alternative operating conditions and documentation that stays up to date after handover. These kinds of choices are made in close cooperation with the owner of the installation, who has the best insight into the strategic direction of the cluster.
The role of infrastructure and collaboration
What we consistently see in our projects is that the quality of the collaboration between companies, engineering partners and asset managers determines the success of modifications to shared infrastructure. When agreements on scope, interfaces, safety and planning are clear, engineering and execution run considerably more smoothly. Missing agreements or unclear responsibilities are precisely the places where risks arise, including technical ones.
Our contribution lies in the practical engineering work around this: translating shared ambitions and policy choices into feasible, safe and well-documented technical solutions on an existing site. The substantive choices about the energy mix, climate targets and market developments we leave to the parties who are demonstrably specialised in those areas.
Reliable throughout the conversion
The core challenge for the industry of tomorrow is a combination that is anything but self-evident: keeping production running reliably while you help build or implement changes in shared utility infrastructure. That calls for multidisciplinary engineering, careful interfaces with other parties and close collaboration with asset managers, clients and contractors. With short communication lines, a single point of contact and practical engineers, you keep projects safe, feasible and manageable, while your plant simply keeps running.
