Landmark Port Stanvac chimney has been demolished
THE landmark chimney at the former Port Stanvac refinery is no longer standing, brought down in a series of explosions.
THE landmark chimney at the former Port Stanvac refinery is no longer standing.
The 98m-tall lube stack and a nearby vacuum tower and condenser structure were destroyed to Friday in a series of controlled explosions.
The demolition work was carried out about 10.40am.
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The toppling of the chimney is part of the final stages in the demolition of all above-ground infrastructure including the refinery process plant, piping, storage tanks and office buildings at Mobil's former Adelaide Refinery site.
Mobil's Adelaide Refinery Demolition Project Manager Greg Wheeler said the removal of the stack marked the end of an era for the area.
"The Adelaide Refinery was a prominent landmark in Adelaide's southern region," he said.
"Demolition of the 98m lube stack will certainly alter the skyline for locals, particularly those who have lived in the area since the Refinery first started operating in 1963.
"Today's safe demolition of the stack marks a significant milestone in our progress towards making the site suitable for future opportunities."
The demolition work was carried out by Mobil-appointed demolition contractor European Dismantling Services (EDS) Australasia Pty Ltd, assisted by specialist explosives subcontractor Precision Demolition.
In a media release following the demolition, EDS project manager Lee Smith said there had been minimal impact on the local community.
"The demolition was carefully controlled so that the direction of the felling and any potential impacts such as noise and dust were managed in the safest way possible," Ms Smith said.
"Following the charge initiation, all three structures fell within a few minutes of each other and, as intended, the Lube Stack fell towards the east while the vacuum tower and condenser structure fell to the south."
Once the structures were on the ground, site crews hosed down the area to further control dust and prepare for cleaning up of rubble and debris which will take place over the next few days.
Demolition of the above-ground infrastructure at the Adelaide Refinery site is due for completion in the following months.
Once the demolition is completed, Mobil will work over the coming years to remediate the site.
MORE: Push to save Port Stanvac jetty from demolition
The chimney was commissioned at the Lonsdale site in 1976.
Residents living south of the refinery received a letter from Exxon Mobil late last year, advising them the stack would be brought down.
At its peak, the refinery, which started operation in March 1963, employed more than 400 people and produced more than 8.5 million litres of refined products a day.
This accounted for about 90 per cent of South Australia's petrol and diesel requirements.
The refinery was mothballed in 2003 and officially closed in 2009.
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