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The Design and Engineering of the 187 km Khouribga to

Jorf Lasfar Phosphate Slurry Pipeline
Alan Rosewall, Paterson & Cooke, Perth
Slurry Pipelines and Flow Equipment Conference 2015

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 1

Introduction
Morocco now has one of the largest ore slurry pipeline
systems in the world
The main delivery pipeline is 187 km long and transports
4400t/h of phosphate ore
The system has become an integral part of the OCP value
chain and their expansion plans

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 2

Introduction
Client: OCP
Client representative: JESA
EPC Contractor: Tekfen Construction
Design engineers: Paterson & Cooke and Tekfen
Engineering

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 3

Construction Statistics
50 000 tons of pipeline steel
1.7 million man days
At the peak of construction - 1800 people and 800
construction machines were employed
This paper provides a system overview and highlights some
of the challenges

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 4

Location
Diameter

Nominal Length

Daoui Feeder

DN450

22 km

MEA Feeder low grade

DN400

1.8 km

MEA Feeder high

grade

DN300

1.8 km

Halassa Feeder

DN500

15 km

Ouled Fares Feeder

(future)

DN500

10 km

Mainline MEA to Jorf

DN900

187 km

Total

227 km (10 km
future)

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 5

System Description

22.2 km pipeline
1400 t/h
2 trains of 4 pumps
each
Variable choke
station

1.8 km pipeline
700 & 1400 t/h
Utilises thickener
underflow pumps

14.9 km pipeline
1500 t/h
2 trains of 5 pumps
each

187 km
pipeline
4400 t/h
2 trains of 6
pumps each
Valve Station
Pressure
Monitoring
Stations
Variable
choke station
8 Storage
Tanks

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 6

Feeder Pipelines Daoui

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 7

Feeder Pipelines El Halassa

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 8

Feeder Pipelines MEA

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 9

Feeder Pipelines

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 10

Main Pipeline Route

Key Statistics
187 km long
Head station
elevation: 650m
Maximum
elevation: 770m
Discharge
elevation: 100m
Maximum slope:
12%
Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 11

Control of Main Pipeline

Control of the pipeline
must ensure
No slack flow on the
predominantly
downhill route profile
High enough velocity
to avoid solids
deposition on pipe
invert
Turbulent rather than
laminar flow
Flow rate and
pressure within the
design limits
Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 12

Control of Main Pipeline

The system must
accommodate a
wide range of
operating
conditions while
satisfying the
design criteria
The figure shows
the relationship
between
volumetric and
solids throughput
Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 13

Control of Main Pipeline

Trained operators
guided by a visual
grade line display
of the system
They select flow
rate and choking
within limits
System
automatically
controls to flow rate
by adjusting speeds
of pumps 1,2,5,6
and stopping or
starting pumps 3, 4.
Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 14

Control of Main Pipeline

The valve station
is required to
divide static head
during shut-down.
Pressure
monitoring
stations monitor
intermediate
conditions along
the pipeline.

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 15

Control of Main Pipeline

Instruments used for control and monitoring of the overland
pipeline:
Tank level transmitter and level switches
Pressure transmitters
Flow meters
Density meters
BPL Analysers

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 16

Control of Main Pipeline

Batch Tracking:
Different grades of phosphate ore are mined, processed in
the wash plants and fed into storage tanks dedicated to
the pipeline.
The control system tracks these batches and is able to
automatically control valves in order to directed these into
specific tanks.

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 17

Equipment Piping
Overland piping dimensional standard according to API 5L
Main line has API 5L X70 material
Feeders have API 5L Grade B material
Flanges are ASME B16.5 and B16.47 Series A with ASTM
A105 and ASTM A694 F70 material
Overland pipelines are internally lined with HDPE
Slurry station pipelines are lined with Polyurethane or
rubber
Water pipeline are internally lined with Epoxy

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 18

Equipment Piping
The test loop is used to monitor
the pipeline hydraulic losses
before the slurry enters the
main pipeline. The
requirements made design and
manufacture a challenge:
Matches the mainline ID
Smooth joints despite being
made up of several
relatively tight radius bends
HDPE liner sections were
custom made for each
spool and have a finely
grooved surface finish
creating smooth join
Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 19

Equipment Piping
High pressure PU-lined pipe spools for pump and
choke stations
Cast into straights, bends and tees using unique, removable patterns
Special rubber lined steel gaskets with inward facing ears contain
the pressure while allowing a smooth transition between spools

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 20

Equipment Main Pumps

Six operating and six standby
1850 kW motors with air-cooled
gearboxes
Separate, wear resistant volute
liners
Pressure limits of 6200 kPa
Variable speed drives give a
large head range from 10m to
50m for slurry and 80m on water
Separate gland seal water
plunger pump for each slurry
pump
Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 21

Equipment Terminal Choke Station

Choke station designed for 10MPa
Four loops each with two ceramic orifice plates

Fixed
chokes

Bursting
disk take-off

Variable choke
bypass

Choke
loops

Slurry feed
line

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 22

Equipment Terminal Choke Station

The orifice plates are different sizes and by
combining various combinations, the control system
provides a wide range of choking

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 23

Equipment Terminal Choke Station

The effect of choking on the hydraulic grade line

Low flow

High flow
Pumping
head

Pumping
head

Choke
head

Choke
head

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 24

Equipment Tanks
Each tank is 20m x 20m
250 kW agitators
Head Station: 4 tanks
(2 groups of 2 tanks each)

Terminal Station: 8 tanks

(3 groups of either 2 or 3
tanks each)

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 25

Hydrostatic Testing
Pipeline must be pressure tested to 1.1 the design pressure
for not less than 4 hours (ASME B31.4)
With multiple elevation changes, pipeline must be divided
into sections for testing
Plan was devised to
Minimize number of test sections
Allow filling from Oum er Rbia River
Minimize water discharge
Allow test and filling equipment to be removed after
testing

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 26

Hydrostatic Testing

Test Plan
showing test
sections, transfer
points and test
heads

Transfer point
between
sections 2 and 3

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 27

Conclusion
The sheer size and complexity of the OCP Khouribga to Jorf
Lasfar phosphate slurry pipeline presented a number of unique
engineering challenges, all of which were overcome. The
system has since been commissioned and it provides OCP
with a highly efficient transport system which is an essential
component of their value chain.

Pipeline
ROW

Slurry Pipelines Conference 2015, Khouribga to Jorf Lasfar Pipeline , Slide 28