the northeast ong marketplace - december 2013

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

BECKLEY, WV 25801

PERMIT NO.19

DECEMBER 2013

MA

ILE

DFR

OM ZIP CO

DE

25

801COVERING ALL NORTHEAST U.S. SHALE PLAYS

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

SUBSCRIPTIONSARE FREE!!!

THE NORTHEAST ONG MARKETPLACE • DECEMBER 2013 • PAGE 2

FOR LINKS TO INDUSTRY EVENTS - - - ONGMARKETPLACE.COM

TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW THEIR AD IN

THE NORTHEAST ONG MARKETPLACE

2258 S. Main St., Mansfield, PA

**Rental Units available with full automation,24/7 Remote Satellite Monitoring and

Full Maintenance Packages.

Call (570)-637-4622

USING FLAMELESSHEATERS SAVEDCUSTOMERS AN

AVERAGE OF$14,000/PER HEATER

IN FUEL COSTSTHIS SEASON.

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PAINTING CONTRACTOR CORP.

MJ

Since 1970 Mike John, PresidentOlean Industrial Park • 291 Homer St.Olean, NY 14760Phone: 716-373-3033www.mjpaintingcontractor.com

Member of:

Veriforce

ISNetworld

Pipeline Testing Consortium

Midwest Energy Assoc.

Certified In:

SPC Coatings

Denso Coatings

Plural Component

NACE CIP Level 1

Services offered:

Sandblasting

Epoxy Coatings

Above and Below Ground Coatings

Tanks and Towers

Natural Gas Compressor Stations

Natural Gas Pipe Lines

Oil Refineries

Regional • National

Reply:

ELAHS GAS CO. PO Box 3813, Charleston, WV 25338

or [email protected]

1957 ACRES HBP20 INJUN WELLS& 1 BEREA WELL

WAYNE COUNTY WV - TUG FORK


ADVERTISER INDEX PAGE

Alberts Spray Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Alpine Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

American Refining Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Bri-Chem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Cam-Tek Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

CARES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Colorado Lining International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Complete Coating Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

CPI Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Crown Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

DR Wellsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Drill Baby Drill Staffing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Ernst Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

ETC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Godwin Pumps - Xylem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Hart Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

In-Line Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ITL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Keystone Clearwater Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Kuhns Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Lee Reger Builds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Lightning Energy Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Mansfield Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Marcellus Safety Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Marietta Coal Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

McCluskey & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Mid-Atlantic Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

MJ Painting Contractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Mustang Aerial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

New Pig Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

New River Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

North American Field Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Oil Center Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

PSB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Quality Bridge and Fabrication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Rig Maids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

SAMCO Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Shale Tec (Penn College) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Shannon Safety Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SiteSaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Skycasters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

ST!CK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Sunnyside Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Thomas Petroleum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Unit Liner Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

V-F Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Weavertown Environmental Group . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The Northeast ONG Marketplace will not be liable for anymisprint in advertising copy which is not the fault of TheNortheast ONG Marketplace, and if a misprint shouldoccur the limits of our liability will be the amount chargedfor the advertisement.

We do not assume responsibility for the content of adver-tising or articles herein. Any warranties or representationsmade in the advertisements are those of the advertisersand not The Northeast ONG Marketplace.

ARTICLES

FOCUS: COLD WEATHER - Baby, It’s Cold Outside . . . . . .6-7-8

FOCUS: COLD WEATHER - How Will Plunging Temperatures Af-

fect Your Shale Operations? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16-17

BUSINESS PROFILE: Hole New Direction; F.T. Seismic . . . . .20

NEW TECHNOLOGY: Frac Tanks Transition to Lighter Weight, In-

sulated Floating Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13

SAFETY ON THE JOB: Personal Protective Equipment Focus -

FR Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24-25

CALENDARS

Association Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Training and Workshops Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Upcoming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

EVENTS

Marcellus-Utica Midstream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

NAPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

CONTACT US FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

OR MAILING LIST CHANGES:

THE NORTHEAST ONG MARKETPLACE

P. O. BOX 1441 • OAK HILL, WV 25901

1-855-269-1188

FAX: (304) 465-5065

E-MAIL: [email protected]

EVERY ISSUE COVERS EVERY ISSUE

Starting in January, we’re not going to cover

one topic in each issue. We’re going to

cover everything that impacts your busi-

ness in the oil and gas industry.

• Water Management

• New Technology

• Legal and Regulatory Updates

• Environmental Management

• Health and Safety

• Industry Insights

You don’t need to wait if you want to learn

more about one of these topics. Each issue

will cover all of them. If there’s something

specific you want to know or something you

want to share, let us know.

855-269-1188

[email protected]

COMING FOR 2014ASSOCIATION MEETINGSIOGAWV WINTER MEETING -- WWW.IOGAWV.COM

FEBRUARY 4-5, 2014 - CHARLESTON, WV

2014 OOGA WINTER MEETING -- WWW.OOGA.ORG

MARCH 5-7, 2014 - COLUMBUS, OH

OGIS NEW YORK -- WWW.IPAA.ORG

APRIL 7-9, 2014 - NEW YORK, NY

IPAA MID-YEAR MEETING -- WWW.IPAA.ORG

JUNE 18-20, 2014 - COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

IOGANY SUMMER MEETING -- WWW.IOGANY.ORG

JULY 16-17, 2014 - FINDLEY LAKE, NY

IOGAWV SUMMER MEETING -- WWW.IOGAWV.COM

AUGUST 3-5, 2014 - WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV

2014 OOGA SUMMER MEETING -- WWW.OOGA.ORG

AUGUST 4-5, 2014 - ZANESVILLE, OH


HAVE SURPLUS EQUIPMENT TO SELL? - LIST IT IN THE NORTHEAST ONG MARKETPLACE

WELL PAD - 26’ X 52’

TOTAL VOLUME:

400 BBL TANKS - 3,200 BBL

350 BBL TANKS - 4,200 BBL

CROWN TANK COMPANY

ELMIRA HEIGHTS, NY 14903

WWW.CROWNTANK.COM

(855) - CROWN TANK

(855) - 276-9682

FAX: (607) 733-8397

350/400 BBL TANK - FOOTPRINT COMARISON350 BBL UPRIGHT TANK

INTL. & U.S. PATENTS PENDING

MAXIMIZE WELL PAD SPACE AND CUT TANKTRANSPORT COST WITH THE ROAD LEGAL

350 BBL INFINITY TANK

Experienced Commercial DriversDeliver within the surrounding area

DAY and NIGHT shifts available

Requirements:• Class A or B CDL w/X

Endorsement (2 yearsexperience preferred

• Clear MVR and CriminalRecord Required

• Liquid Hauling Experience

• Oilfield Experience a Plus

We will provide:• Modern and Well-Maintained

Equipment

• Premium Pay for Nights

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life

• 401(k)

• Vacation and Sick Leave

• Quarterly Bonus Program

• Holidays - six (6) paidholidays each year

• Uniforms Provided

Top Pay! Call for details.

(361) 573-8074Apply online at:

www.thomaspetro.com

The Northeast ONG Marketplacecirculation is targeted to cover

producers, operators, equipment

providers and services providers. It

is mailed out each month free of

charge to over 10,800 recipients:

OUR CIRCULATION IN THE NORTHEAST

• PA - 3,268

• OH - 1,794

• WV - 1,269

• MI - 735

• Other Notheast - 2,092

• Outside Northest - 1,728

Our ever growing mailing list is frequently updated using a variety of re-

sources to maintain the most current industry names and businesses working

throughout the region. The Northeast ONG Marketplace is also distributed

at most shows and expos in the region.


With the holiday season here, many radio stations have changed over toplaying all holiday music. You may hear, Baby, It’s Cold Outside, whichmay put you in the winter spirit. Or if you’re ‘walking in a winter won-derland,’ it may be time to outfit yourself in a warm coat, hat and gloves.While the winter months may bring some pleasure from the festivities,activities or apparel, it may bring others pain, who are trying to stay warmor dealing with driving in or shoveling snow. Whether it affects you pos-itively or negatively, one thing is certain, the winter months greatly af-fect the shale, oil and gas industry.

First of all, cold weather benefits the shale, oil and gas industry. RickStouffer, Editor, Gas Business Briefing, a division of Platts, explained,“Many consumers, whether homeowners or large industrial complexes,rely on natural gas as a primary source of heat. Obviously, in most cases,colder temperatures lead consumers to turn up their thermostat. Usingmore heat creates a higher demand for the product.” In other words, astemperatures drop in the winter months, natural gas usage goes up.

“Consumers using more natural gas help both producers and pipelinecompanies, who like it when more natural gas is pulled from the ground.The producers, who extract the gas from the ground, know that there isa large market for the product during the winter months,” stated Stouf-fer. Stouffer also says a misnomer from a couple decades ago is thatpipeline companies set the price of oil and gas and points out, “Pipelinecompanies only make money from what is shipped through the pipelinesand only charge what the government allows. When more natural gasflows through the pipelines, pipeline companies make more money. Sincemost consumers use more natural gas during the winter months, it bene-fits the pipeline companies, most during the coldest season.”

Not only does cold weather benefit the shale, oil and gas industry, butmany precautions must also be taken because of it. There is no down-time when it comes to oil and gas production. Some equipment is uti-lized 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Like any outside activity, cold weathercould impact the process of collecting oil and gas. For instance, thatequipment could freeze up. Specific measures must be taken to protectthat equipment and shield it from the weather, whether it be a tarp orheater.

Portable heaters are one way to keep equipment from freezing; however,due to the risk of combustion on a well site, not just any heater will work.Superior Heating Solutions offers a solution to this problem and sells andrents flameless heaters. Mike Peruffo, GM, Superior Heating Solutions,relayed, “From a safety prospective, the industry is moving to flamelessheaters that create heat through the shearing and agitation of hydraulicfluid. We represent Therm Dynamics flameless heaters that provide thesafest, simplest, most fuel-efficient heating and freeze protection op-tions to the energy industry. These units provide the added safety of noflame on a well pad and, as an added bonus, run 90%+ efficient for fuelconsumption, thus reducing the carbon footprint.” Plus, they meet or ex-ceed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safetyand Health Administration (MSHA) and American Petroleum Institute(API) standards.

Peruffo explained, “Flame heaters must be kept a distance from any com-bustible environments on a well site. The heat would then be ducted towhere it is needed. Flameless can be placed right next to a well head or

Baby, It’s Cold Outsideby Kristie Kubovic, Director of Communications, Shale Media Group

Edited by: Mindy Gattner, Editor, Shale Media Group

Continued e

FOCUS COLD WEATHER

Image Courtesy of Mike Peruffo, GM, Superior Heating Solutions

Image Courtesy of NiSource Midstream Services


or in a combustible environment for the freeze protection of the equipmentwithout the risk of combustion.”

There are two types of portableheat generally used on well sites:forced-air and hydronic. Flame-less and indirect fired are underthe forced-air category, whichuses air to transfer heat. Hy-dronic heaters utilize a liquid totransfer heat via direct contact.“For pipeline freeze protectionhydronic heaters employ a glycol/water blend that is heated then circulatedthrough a flexible line or hose that is wrapped around a pipeline to provideheat via direct contact,” responded Peruffo.

Flameless heaters have evolved with the oil and gas industry. Since flame-less heaters were first introduced to the industry, they have grown to bevery popular and successful due to their safety and fuel efficiency. In addi-tion, to preventing equipment from freezing, the flameless heaters also pro-vide heat for on-site personnel.

In addition, to flameless heaters, on-site personnel can help keep warm withspecific apparel. Kim Wilson, President, Slate Rock Safety, says, “Warm,safety apparel has come a long way, both in terms of appearance and qual-ity. Every manufacturer has heard the feedback from the industry and con-tinues to develop more comfortable and stylish products each season.”Wilson recommends that workers exposed to the cold wear a base layer, sim-ilar to what a snow skier may wear. “National Safety Apparel and Drifire offerflame resistant moisture wicking apparel that help regulate the body tem-perature by wicking or pulling moisture away from the skin. These are of-fered in long and short sleeve varieties in addition to long pants. The

moisture wicking is tremendous, plus the base layers start at HRC 1 and aredesigned to be worn under other FR garments,” relayed Wilson.

HRC stands for Hazard Risk Category and ranges from one to four with onebeing low risk and four being most dangerous. In addition, Wilson recom-mended Carhartt quilted jackets and lined bibs and says, “They look likestandard work wear, but offer warmth and flame resistance with HRC level3 or 4 compliance. Carhartt is really modeling their work wear line for theirFR line. This provides comfort and extended style options.” As for the ex-tremities, Slate Rock Safety offers flame resistant, fleece neck gaiters, hatsand mittens to protect a worker’s neck, head and hands.

No matter how much heat is applied or how many clothing layers are worn,sometimes other solutions need to be enacted. Joe Hogan, President,Sheffield Fire & Safety Co. and 1st Fire Protection, explained that every ve-hicle at a well-site must be outfitted with a high flow fire extinguisher forsafety. However, this sometimes creates another set of issues. Doug Hig-gins, Account Executive, Sheffield Fire & Safety Co. and 1st Fire Protection,says, “Each fire extinguisher is encased in a reinforced vinyl cover that is de-signed to protect the fire extinguisher against the weather elements at thewell-sites. This cover could either be solid or have a clear window.”

Continued e

FOCUS COLD WEATHER

Image from www.wackerneuson.com

Image Courtesy of Kim Wilson, President, Slate Rock Safety


HRC stands for Hazard Risk Cate-gory and ranges from one to fourwith one being low risk and fourbeing most dangerous. In addi-tion, Wilson recommendedCarhartt quilted jackets and linedbibs and says, “They look likestandard work wear, but offerwarmth and flame resistancewith HRC level 3 or 4 compliance.Carhartt is really modeling theirwork wear line for their FR line.This provides comfort and ex-tended style options.” As for theextremities, Slate Rock Safety of-fers flame resistant, fleece neckgaiters, hats and mittens to pro-tect a worker’s neck, head andhands.

No matter how much heat is applied or how many clothing layers are worn,sometimes other solutions need to be enacted. Joe Hogan, President,Sheffield Fire & Safety Co. and 1st Fire Protection, explained that every

vehicle at a well-site must be outfitted with a high flow fire extinguisherfor safety. However, this sometimes creates another set of issues. DougHiggins, Account Executive, Sheffield Fire & Safety Co. and 1st Fire Pro-tection, says, “Each fire extinguisher is encased in a reinforced vinyl coverthat is designed to protect the fire extinguisher against the weather ele-ments at the well-sites. This cover could either be solid or have a clearwindow.”

Shale Media Group (SMG) is your news, information, education and mappingresource dedicated to the shale, oil and gas industries by messaging acrossInternet, radio, publications, video and events. For more, check out Shale-MediaGroup.com, TheMarcellusShale.com, The UticaShale.com, TheShaleA-cademy.com, Shaleadvantage.com or listen to Tejas Gosai on “Shale EnergyNow” at ShaleEnergyNow.com.

FOCUS COLD WEATHER

Image Courtesy of Joe Hogan, Presi-dent, Sheffield Fire & Safety Co. and

1st Fire Protection


DECEMBER9-11, 2013

DIGITAL OILFIELDS USA SUMMITWWW.DIGITALOILFIELDSUSA.COM

HOUSTONTX

FEBRUARY4-5, 2014

IADC HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT & TRAINING CONFERENCE & EXPOWWW.IADC.ORG

HOUSTONTX

FEBRUARY4-7, 2014

WINTER NAPE EXPOWWW.NAPEEXPO.COM

HOUSTONTX

MARCH4-5, 2014

IADC/SPE DRILLING CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITIONWWW.IADC.ORG

FORT WORTHTX

- - - - - - NATIONAL EVENTS - - - - - -

DECEMBER3-5, 2013

2013 OILFIELD EXPOWWW.OOGA.ORG

CLEVELANDOH

DECEMBER9-10, 2013

MARCELLUS SHALE EXTRACTIONWWW.MARCELLUSSHALEEXTRACTION.COM

PITTSBURGHPA

JANUARY14, 2014

SPE PITTSBURGH: OPTIMIZED SHALE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTWWW.SPEPGH.WEEBLY.COM/INDEX.HTML

CARNEGIEPA

JANUARY28-30, 2014

MARCELLUS-UTICA MIDSTREAM CONFERENCE & EXHIBITIONWWW.MARCELLUSMIDSTREAM.COM

PITTSBURGHPA

FEBRUARY18-20, 2014

ALTERNATIVE FUELING EXPO & CONFERENCEWWW.ALTERNATIVEFUELINGEXPO.COM

MONROEVILLEPA

APRIL7-9, 2014

SHALESAFE CONFERENCE AND EXPOWWW.SHALESAFE.INFO

WHEELINGWV

APRIL9-11, 2014

NAPE EASTWWW.NAPEEXPO.COM

PITTSBURGHPA

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR LINKS TO THESE EVENTS - ONGMARKETPLACE.COM


EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS - - STILL FREE - - LESS PAPER

We Offer A Full Range

of Gas Field Services

• Drill Cutting Processing

• Solids Dewatering

• Industrial Vacuuming

• Frac Tank Cleaning

• Vacuum Box / Roll Off

Services

• Hydro-Excavation

• Water Recycling

Advantages of Drill

Cutting Processing

The advantages of drill cutting

processing is that it is a portable

process, is environmentally safe,

reduces disposal cost by reduc-

ing weight of material transported

to landfill, reduces water use by

recycling water, smaller footprint

on drill pad, less truck traffic, and

less community impact.

Let Us Quote On Your

Next Project!

570-942-0222Web Site:

www.mobiledredging.com

Mobile Dredging & Pumping Co.northeastern PA location

Focused on service to the Marcellus Shale Industry.

Mobile Dredging & Pumping Co. is focused on providing our customers with the

highest level and most technically advanced gas field services in the industry.

All field technicians are 40 Hour Hazwoper trained. We are ISO/14001:2004 and

OHSAS 18001:2007 certified.

MOBILE DREDGING & PUMPING CO.167 Jones Road Nicholson, PA 18446 570-942-0222 E-Mail: [email protected]

A Carylon Company

Bri-Chem Supply Corp. is in the business of warehousing and deliver-ing products used for drilling, cementing, completing and producing oil& gas wells. Bri-Chem Supply also provides products in the mining,water treatment, water well drilling, environmental remediation andconstruction industries.

Our facilities in the Northeast is located at59 Leetsdale Industrial Drive, Leetsdale, Pennsylvania

and 318 North Elmer Ave., Sayre PennsylvaniaFacilities Manager: Ken Hicks

Phone: 724-318-8153 Fax: 724-385-0471 Cell: 570-637-6530Northeast Sales & Marketing Manager: James Browder

Cell: 512-587-5701The Leetsdale facility has a complete Liquid Mud Mixing

Plant for Oil Mud Based Fluids.

We handle a wide range of products:

Bri-Chem Supply aims to be your source forall of your drilling fluids additive needs.

Visit our main web site at: www.brichemsupplycorp.comProduct Data & MSDS: https://sites.google.com/site/brichemsupplycorpllc/Soda Ash Direct: www.sodaashdirect.comBentonite Direct: www.bentonitesupplier.comCaNitrate Direct: www.canitratedirect.com

• Weighting Agents• Viscosifiers• Shale Control Inhibitors• Lost Circulation Materials• Defoamers

• Filtrate Control Additives• Lubricants• Flocculants• Thinning-Dispersants• Oil Mud Products

BELFIELD, NDCASPER, WYDENVER, CO

FARMINGTON, NMMYTON, UT

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CLINTON, OKCLICKASHA, OK

ENID, OKLEETSDALE, PA

SAYRE, PA

CONTACT US TODAY FOR A PRICE QUOTE. PHONE: 303-722-1681


Colorado Lining International has worked infloating cover operations in all industries formore than 35 years. After close interaction withthe ONG field about the problem of wind uplift,the company has engineered a system that di-rectly addresses the need for strong protectionwhile enabling lightweight, insulated cover sys-tems.

Two systems have emerged, both of which givethe site operator considerable and simple cus-tomization:

• A lightweight, insulated cover with US &international patent-pending weightedtethers with a robust, adjustable mountingsystem that is reusable over numerous in-stallations.

• An intermediate weight, thermal controlcover with reusable, self-aligning hexago-nal panels

Both systems are designed to be installed, ad-justed and maintained by non-specialized crewsworking in diverse environments. The systemsare applicable to tanks of all sizes, from smaller60-ft. and even lesser diameter installations todiameters beyond 195 ft. They are applicable torounded tanks and rectangular plan-view shapedcontainments with vertical walls. With pre-fab-rication and non-specialized on-site labor/main-tenance involved, the systems areextraordinarily economical. They are even beingutilized in year-round evaporation and algae pre-vention, not simply as a winter-only heat-trap-ping stopgap.

The lightweight cover option, which utilizes pre-fabricated panels, is extremely manageable andcan be installed and locked into place by inexpe-rienced crews. In addition, they are designed tobe easily field configured to make allowances forpiping and tank system appurtenances that pro-trude into the tank’s interior perimeter to avoidsnagging as contained water levels rise and fall.

While CLI has worked internationally in highlysensitive sectors such as potable water reservoirfloating covers, the immediate ancestor of this

economical tethering ring-based security for fractanks rests in the agriculture sector. There, CLIdeveloped its first lightweight tether systems toprotect open-top livestock tanks from algae andevaporation.

The lightweight tether restrained cover systemsfeature tethering rings that are essentially alarge/compressive grommet which distributespoint-load forces over a larger area. They act asa buffering wear surface at the tether cable tocover membrane interface. The full outsideperimeter of the cover is designed to roll belowthe water surface elevation to prevent windfrom getting underneath the cover. The proventether/ring combination enables covers to sig-nificantly resist both lateral and rotationalmovement from high wind loads.

Storm water drains are built into the pre-fabri-cated product and a separate US & internationalpatent-pending “Omega Clip” system for coverpanel joining and perimeter ballasting provide el-egantly simple solutions addressing wind vulnera-bilities from uplift in these areas. Further, thepreferable cover color is opaque black for en-hanced snow melt and avian deterrence. Translu-cent colors can actually attract water fowl(thereby requiring expensive bird netting) and en-courage detrimental algae growth. Thoughtranslucent cover membranes can impart some

Frac Tanks Transition toLighter Weight, Insulated

Floating Coversby Andre Harvey, Colorado Lining Inter-

national, Inc. (CLI)Images by CLI

Continued e

Wind uplift is an expensive threat to containment operations. Frac tank installations benefit from flexible cover systems, but strong winds can lead toloss of poorly secured covers, downtime, replacement costs, and great loss of overall material and energy costs. Traditionally, proper security has re-quired heavier, more cumbersome cover materials and rudimentary locking measures that offered marginal restraint against wind forces. Beyond that,solid tank covers have had to be used. Those options ultimately compromise operational efficiency and lead to higher site costs.

CLI’s TetheringSystem

NEW TECHNOLOGY


solar heat gain and reduce externally applied heat-ing energy costs, those benefits are far less signif-icant during winter months with short daylighthours, cloudy skies and snow loads. Opaque cov-ers are excellent for controlling algae without thenecessity for biocide additives. In translucentcover systems algaecides are typically requiredand overdosing of these products results in spon-taneous liner and cover damage that can becomecatastrophic.

Importantly, all types of popularly used mem-branes (including double-lined systems) work withthe lightweight, prefabricated design.

For the intermediate weight system, the hexago-nal blocks consist of a water-permeable bondedmatrix comprised of post-consumer closed-cellfoam products. They embed into the water sur-face where water is taken on. This makes themheavy yet buoyant while inducing surface tensionwith the contained liquid. As such, the blocks donot require connections or tethers.

The blocks allow water flow but preserve thermalcontrol.

COMING TO A SITE NEAR YOUThe earliest adopters of these new frac tank cov-ers have been in Colorado and Wyoming—siteswhich have provided significant, open wind chal-lenges. Both systems have performed very welland subsequent projects are being served in Utah,Pennsylvania and Canada. Both small companies

and large energy corporations have embracedthese systems.

Users report that they can not only re-use thehardware, but often the cover membranes them-selves. The stability and practicality of the teth-ered cover systems have been well appreciated,providing a non-intimidating, easily imple-mentable solution for the many “boots on theground” crews work often in difficult conditions tomake the ONG field thrive.

CLI provides the light and intermediate weight sys-tems, guidance, and pre-fabrication services outof its primary facilities in Colorado and Texas.

Mr. Harvey has a 20+ year career inthe designing of geosynthetic sys-tems all over the world with a focuson energy, mining and municipalsystems and routinely consults touniversities and algae cultivationentities globally.

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The holiday season always brings excitement to see the first snowfall andthe grandeur it casts across the landscape. Oil and gas operations managerslocated throughout the Marcellus and Utica shale plays, however, have aless romantic view of what is to come this winter weather season.

With shale fields located in some of the most remote regions of thecountry, everyone on the team, from field service engineers to crew man-agers, knows that the drop in temperature signals yet another set of chal-lenges. Blizzards, freezing rain, high winds and severe thunderstormsplague operators in the Northeast, threatening crews, equipment andproduction schedules.

Winter Weather WorriesAccording to Forrester Research, weather is the leading cause of businessdisruptions1. For most shale operators, downtime caused by an extremeweather event, such as freezing rain or a blizzard, can cost a single opera-tion thousands of dollars. When multiplied by the number of rigs that com-pany has located throughout the affected region, those costs then becomemillions of dollars in profit leaks resulting from a single weather event.

Safety is another major concern among operators, especially when fore-casts call for thunderstorms that produce lightning and tornadoes. Thesestorms often cause serious injuries, or worse, death. Developing year-roundin the Northeast, severe storms are particularly prominent ahead of strongcold fronts. Lightning also presents a very dangerous situation for operatorsbecause it often extends laterally for many miles regardless of whether ornot the storm is directly overhead.

Rapid freezing and thawing of the ground creates the hazard of equipmentbecoming stuck in mud, or in ruts carved by other heavy machinery. Thedelay in production caused by these mishaps is an avoidable headache iftemperature fluctuations are known ahead of time.

Blizzards are the typical culprit for downtime and damage from Decemberthrough March. They halt rig moves, chemical transportation, and interruptthe movement of crews and service providers. These drilling and schedul-ing delays can hand the competitive advantage to another operator whoavailed themselves of crucial weather data.

HOW WILL PLUNGING TEMPERATURES AFFECTYOUR SHALE OPERATIONS?

by Jennifer Groff, Marketing Coordinator - ImpactWeather, Inc.

Continued e

FOCUS COLD WEATHER


From drilling and scheduling delays to reduced personnel safety, legal liabili-ties, profit leaks and loss of market share, winter weather can wreak havoc oneven the most seasoned of shale operations. To combat these challenges,many operators are enlisting the guidance provided by weather service pro-fessionals who specialize in oil and gas exploration and production.

Combating the ColdSome operators rely on weather information, gleaned from publicly availableSmartphone applications or the internet. The limitations of these data are par-ticularly apparent for rigs located in rural areas. Public weather information,such as that provided by the National Weather Service (NWS), is generatedfor the purpose of serving major population centers. Most drilling sites arelocated a long distance from major cities, weather observation stations andDoppler radar stations, therefore NWS data fall far short of covering threatsto these sites. Information generated by the NWS is not designed to serve pri-vate businesses or forecast for commercial endeavors.

In order to safely protect their assets, shale operators are increasingly seek-ing additional weather support that focuses on accurate and timely forecasts.Weather service providers, like ImpactWeather, offer site-specific forecast-ing honed to the latitude and longitude of a drilling operation’s location. Im-pactWeather’s team of highly-trained meteorologists is available 24 hours aday, seven days a week to speak with operators regarding any winter weatherchallenges that might arise, no matter the rig’s position. The high degree ofgranularity in these forecasts allows operators and rig supervisors to avoidbeing surprised by shutdown-causing weather events.

With access to the world’s largest and fastest lightning network, Im-pactWeather’s severe thunderstorm alerts have an average lead time of 27minutes, which is 50 percent greater than the NWS weather warnings. Formany operators across the Marcellus shale, ImpactWeather provides weeklysoil temperature and quantitative precipitation forecasts for ground freezeand thaw, to assist operators in scheduling moves with little impact on theenvironment. These meteorologists also provide short and long-range weatherforecasts that could reveal potentially hazardous conditions to a shale oper-ator’s exact location days before a storm’s arrival.

FOCUS COLD WEATHER

Continued e

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FOCUS COLD WEATHER

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Marcellus Shale’s ForecastNow that winter weather is on the horizon, it is time to prepare for potentialproblems. According to ImpactWeather’s long-range forecast specialist andStormWatch Manager Fred Schmude, the Northeast will see colder than nor-mal temperatures and potentially stormy weather patterns for much of De-cember. This is based on long range computer models, current and projectedwater temperature trends, and analog and solar cycle data from the past andpresent. In addition to the winter storm risk, shale operators in the Northeastcan expect a higher frequency of colder air masses from Canada shifting south-

east across the region, bringing lower than normal temperatures for themonth, with average readings at least two to four degrees Fahrenheit belownormal.

January will not bring any relief for winter weather challenges. According toSchmude’s winter forecast, the Northeast U.S. and adjacent parts of South-east Canada will see a greater frequency of winter storms with a higher thannormal risk of one or two major winter storms during the first month of 2014.Temperatures will trend cooler than normal and average one to three degreesFahrenheit below normal.

Anyone operating in the Northeast shale plays is no stranger to the harshnessof winter weather. Safeguarding operations and personnel by preparingahead of time alleviates much of the stress of planning and moving rigs, al-lowing operators to focus on more pressing matters. To learn how a privateweather service provider can mitigate downtime and increase the productiv-ity of a rig site, visit www.ImpactWeather.com.

1: Forrester Research, Inc. (Q4, 2011). [151 Global Business Continuity Decision-Mak-ers and Influencers Who Have Had to Invoke a Business Continuity Plan]. DisasterRecovery Journal Business Continuity Preparedness Survey.

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To say that Mike Comstock has an interesting background is an understatement. Theshort version is that after returning to the construction business in his home state ofNew York after doing well in Alaska as a transport boat owner-operator and an Alaskanice road driver, he and his wife established a small company cutting trails, grading ac-cess roads and pads, and improving sites for large drill rigs. Natural gas in the Marcel-lus Shale of northeast Pennsylvania and upstate New York was beginning to create aboom in the regional economy.

It was while cutting trails for what Comstock called “tracked buggies” that he becameinspired to enter the drilling business. “I kept seeing these things going by while weworked. There was just something that seemed wrong about them to me. I said ‘I cando better than that.’” With that, Comstock committed himself to the seismic drilling in-dustry.

In seismic drilling, blasts in drilled holes serve as sonic sources that will produce a pic-ture of underground geology though their reflected vibrations. The process is some-what analogous to the way fishermen use sonar units to “see” fish below them. Eachof the holes receives a small charge just large enough to “bump” the ground. Vibrationfrom these charges reflects back from variance in underlying structures to an array ofgeophones systematically placed over the holes on the surface.

F.T. Seismic’s involvement is concluded after the charges are set. Other contractors willplace the geophones. The information they receive is sent to computer software thatinterprets and records it for a highly detailed 3-D graphic representation from which gascompanies can plan how best to harvest the resource.

Today seismic drilling is the company’s specialty. F.T. Seismic Support has become amajor supplier of field construction services throughout the northeastern U.S., as wellas an international manufacturer. Headquartered in Campbell, N.Y., the company hasa fabrication and repair shop in Avoca, N.Y., and a satellite office in Houston, Texas.F.T. Seismic Support has provided its services across the country, drilling in Arkansas,California, Oklahoma, and various locations in the Rocky Mountains.

Comstock credited the company’s incredible success to the quality people around him.Starting with just six employees, the company now has a 150-person workforce. “I’vegot my son, Chris, an aeronautical engineer who right now is completely running the mi-croseismic operations. Joe Baldwin is an incredible mechanic. I’ve got Corey Campbell,my fabricator and shop manager. There’s a lot of versatility in the company personnel.”

Tooling from Atlas CopcoWhen his fleet needed hammers and bits, Comstock contacted Atlas Copco in ClarksSummit, who set up F.T. Seismic with Secoroc products. F.T. Seismic primarily uses AtlasCopco Secoroc TD 35 and DHD 3.5 hammers to drive 3 7/8 inch Atlas Copco hammerbits 20 feet down on an average job. “When you’re getting paid by feet drilled, youwant the power to be in and out of the holes.” To gain perspective of his concern, con-sider that a recent job required F.T. Seismic to drill an 18,000-hole pattern in an 80square mile area of northeast Pennsylvania in the Marcellus Shale geography. That is typical in this line of work. Thousands of shallow holes are drilled over a large

geographic area, executed precisely to an engineer’s specifications in order to placethe sonic sources for readings.

It was just five years ago that Comstock contacted Atlas Copco for drilling tools. That’show he met Joe Mela of Atlas Copco at the Clarks Summit, Penn., store. “The thing thatimpressed me about Joe,” Comstock said, “is that he took the time to sit down and talkto me about what we wanted to do.”

Mela is not just an equipment salesman. He worked for 20 years as a heavy equipmentmechanic and has extensive experience setting up drill rigs. Part of his connection toComstock was his genuine interest in Comstock’s endeavor, and the rest was the im-pression Comstock made on him. “Mike’s steps are always longer than his stride,” Melasaid, the old expression used to describe those who are continually stretching their ca-pabilities.

Clarks Summit store manager Tim Tinsley said that was one difference in how AtlasCopco distinguishes itself from other manufacturers. The company’s first preference,of course, is to provide customers with Atlas Copco rigs, whose designs are based onthoroughly researched, globally field-tested technology. But Atlas Copco is also willingto help all customers, even fledgling companies, giving exactly the support deemed ap-propriate for that particular customer’s situation and needs.

Mela introduced Comstock to his colleague who specialized in rock drilling tools, JoeStewart, also of the Atlas Copco store in Clarks Summit. Stewart keeps F.T. Seismic insupply of pneumatic hammers and bits, as well as poly crystalline diamond compositebits, referred to as PDC, for rotary work.

F.T. Seismic is also doing microseismic drilling projects. Gas companies have been underpressure by concerned groups over the possibility that hydraulic fracturing might bean environmental hazard. To provide indisputable evidence of hydraulic fracturing’slow environmental impact, permanent ground-condition monitoring systems are setaround fields prior to fracking. The strategically located monitors are permanentlygrouted in holes typically drilled to 120 feet deep. The data they collect establishesconditions before fracturing, records any changes to conditions during fracturing andprovides permanent monitoring. As microseismic monitoring systems prove theirworth, demand for skilled drillers will only increase.

This past winter’s mild weather put some of his projects as much as three months aheadof schedule. Comstock saw no sign that business would let up any time soon. “I getcalls every day asking for more rigs, more rigs, more rigs,” he said. “But getting rigsisn’t the problem. It’s that I can’t find enough qualified operators to train. I don’t carewhat kind of drilling equipment you have. The wrong person can wreck a rig. We’ll lookat 500 candidates to get 20. And it takes us a year to train a driller.”

The sign in front of F.T. Seismic Support’s Avoca shop says “Help Wanted”—but onlyapply if you want to be counted among the best in the business. They won’t hire less.

For more information on F.T. Sesmic’s services visit: www.ftseismic.com

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Last month I began a series of articles based on different articles ofpersonal protective equipment (PPE) with an overview of differenttypes of boots and other ways to keep your feet protected while onthe job. For this month’s installment, I have decided to give anoverview on FR clothing, which is probably the most important pieceof PPE to consider when working in the Oil and Gas industry.

For the purposes of this article, we will assume that a flash-fire haz-ard assessment has already been completed in compliance with NFPAStandard 2112 and OSHA 29CFR 1910.132, and that a flash-fire riskhas been established. It is important to note that, as the least ef-fective hazard control, PPE should be the last line of defense for pro-tection. Elimination or substitution of the hazard, engineeringcontrols, warning alarms and training are all more effective ways tokeep the worker protected.

FR clothing is defined as an article that will not support combustionafter the heat source is removed. FR materials are not fireproof,meaning if the heat source is allowed to stay in contact with the ma-terial, it will burn. There are two ways to achieve flame resistance intextiles, to use inherently flame resistant fibers in the fabric and tochemically treat the fabric. Knowing and understanding the differ-ence between these two types of technologies is extremely impor-tant for those responsible for evaluating, selecting and wearing FRclothing.

“Inherent”, as it relates to flame resistant fibers, means that theflame resistant properties have been embedded in the material sincethe fibers were first created. Because these flame resistant proper-ties are an intrinsic part of the fibers, flame resistance is permanent

and cannot be washed out or worn out if properly used and laun-dered. A key benefit to selecting an inherently FR garment is theknowledge that, as long as the manufacturer’s instructions for careand maintenance are followed, the wearer will always be protectedfor the life of the garment.

“Treated” fabrics, also referred to as “topically treated”, are fabricsthat have had a special mixture of flame resistant chemicals added inthe later stages of the manufacturing process. This blend of chemi-cals is added to make the final product flame resistant. Unlike fab-rics made with inherently flame resistant fibers, topically treatedfabrics could have their flame resistant properties diminished or re-moved completely depending on how they are laundered and/orwhat chemicals they are exposed to in the work environment. A keydrawback to selecting a topically treated FR garment is that afterprolonged use and laundering, there is no way to know if the flameresistant properties have been diminished or lost.

SAFETY ON THE JOB

Personal Protective Equipment Focus – FR Clothing

Continued e


Now that the types of FR materials available have been defined, it isimportant to verify that the materials being used by the manufac-turer have been tested to meet or exceed all standards set forth bythe NFPA and ASTM, and are certified as such. Some other things toconsider while selecting your FR garments are whether or not themanufacturer discloses where the fabric is made, if they follow anongoing testing protocol, whether they can track every item back tothe original roll of fabric from which it was made, whether the gar-ments are comfortable for the user and whether or not you feel thatthe standards the material has been tested to address your real-world conditions.

Once you have decided on the garments that will best protect yourworkers from the hazards they face, it is time to determine whetheryou are getting the best value in your product. Some manufacturersmight use the best fabrics available, but cut costs by using unrein-forced snaps, fewer bar tack reinforcement stiches, or single rows ofstitching on the pockets. Investigating the way seams are sewn to-gether, the number of stitches per inch, and how well the garment isreinforced in stress areas will be good indications as to the durabil-ity of the product. The higher quality garments might cost a littlemore up front, but will be a better value in the long run by being ableto last a lot longer than the less expensive options.

After your FR garments have been purchased and distributed to theworkers, an effort must be made to train the wearer on proper use,care and maintenance of the garment. Make sure that users areaware that FR clothing can only protect them where they are cov-ered. Making sure that all buttons are properly fastened, sleeves aresecured at the wrist and collars are secured at the neck can make acritical difference when dealing with flash fires. It is also importantto inspect garments before each use to make sure there are no frays,tears or holes, and to make repairs to or replace items as needed. Itis equally important to make sure that all users are sure to read andabide by the manufacturers laundering instructions. Bleach, harshdetergents and fabric softeners should never be used to launder FRgarments.

Hopefully this article has given some insight as to what to look outfor when selecting FR clothing. For more information regarding reg-ulations and standards for flash fire risk assessment and FR clothing,please visit the American Society for Testing and Materials website atwww.ASTM.org, the National Fire Protection Association website atwww.NFPA.org, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administra-tion website at www.OSHA.gov.

In last month’s article on safety footwear, I referenced the ANSI Z41-1999 standard, which was withdrawn and updated in 2005. I shouldalso have made reference to OSHA CFR (1910.132) Personal Protec-tive Equipment (PPE) General Requirements or (1910.136) Foot Pro-tection. Special thanks to Wayne Vanderhoof, CSP of RJR Safety, Inc.for bringing this mistake and oversight to my attention.

By Chris Chadwick, Safety Products Coordinator at SunnySide Sup-ply, Inc. www.SunnySideSupply.com

References:

“Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Departmentof Labor.” (8 June 2011). General Requirements for Personal pro-tective Equipment. 29CFR 1910.132. Web.http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9777

“National Fire Protection Association.” (n.d.). NFPA 2112 & NFPA2113. Web. http://www.nfpa.org.

Saner, M. (1 September 2010). “Flame Resistant Garments”. Web.http://www.ishn.com/articles/90365-flameresistant-garments. ALL OUR ADS ARE FULL

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