Crew Makes Moving Giant Structure Through Tulsa Look Easy

A moving crew demonstrated skill in moving a giant piece of refinery equipment through west Tulsa Thursday.

The piece of equipment is called a coker bubble tower and was built by Cust-O-Fab in Sand Springs. 

The tower weighs 316,850 pounds, is 170 feet 5 inches long and 146 inches (more than 12 feet) in diameter. The total weight of the tower and the contraption used to move it is 585,920 pounds.

The rig includes a truck pulling a special platform at the front of the scrubber with dozens of steerable wheels, with a second platform at the rear and another truck pushing it from behind. A crewman sits on the rear platform to steer it. 

Cust-O-Fab says the customer requested an expedited fabrication and delivery schedule and though it increased the complexity of the project, Cust-O-Fab was able to meet the customer’s needs.

“This accomplishment could not have happened without Cust-O-Fab’s expert engineers and skilled shop fabricators,” said Cust-O-Fab’s President and CEO, Tony Phillips.

The tower will be hoisted onto a massive pink barge Friday morning at the Port of Catoosa. The barge is painted pink for breast cancer awareness.

While we watched the crew made a turn at 41st Street West and Edison. Crew members temporarily removed two street signs, then expertly jockeyed the load around the corner, then put the signs back.

The crew is being escorted by the OHP and utility workers to help move power lines. 

News On 6 reporter Emory Bryan did a Facebook Live about the process: