Engineering Excellence: Building North America’s Largest Cryogenic LNG Tank in a Seismic Zone

Entrepose Contracting, in partnership with VINCI Construction Grands Projets, has successfully completed the foundation design for North America’s largest cryogenic LNG tank, located in a high-seismicity zone. This milestone was achieved through close collaboration with Soletanche Bachy Canada, a geotechnical specialist within the VINCI Construction group.
The project features a pioneering foundation system using a dense grid of close-ended driven steel piles, designed to enhance bearing capacity, resist soil liquefaction, and control differential settlements — ensuring the long-term integrity of the 225,000 m³ structure.
This achievement reflects the group’s commitment to innovation, resilience, and excellence in delivering complex energy infrastructure solutions.

To construct the largest cryogenic LNG tank in North America — located in a high-seismicity area — Entrepose Contracting and VINCI Construction Grands Projets developed a truly innovative foundation system. This ambitious undertaking was made possible thanks to the expertise of Soletanche Bachy Canada, a specialist in foundations and soil technologies, and a sister company within the VINCI Construction group. Their close collaboration ensured seamless technical integration throughout the project.

The challenge? Guaranteeing the long-term stability of a 225,000 m³ structure weighing several thousand tons, while preserving its integrity throughout its operational life.

The solution? A dense grid of close-ended driven steel piles, not connected to the tank slab. These piles act as rigid inclusions, delivering:

  • Increased bearing capacity
  • Resistance to soil liquefaction
  • Control of differential settlements — a critical factor in maintaining the tank’s structural integrity over time

Field data validated the performance of this custom-designed foundation system, tailored to the site’s specific geotechnical conditions.

This achievement showcases our ability to rethink conventional engineering methods and deliver robust, adaptive, and cost-effective solutions for today’s most demanding energy infrastructure projects.

Stay tuned with Entrepose Contracting in the coming weeks as we unveil the key milestones of the LNG Canada project.