by Ben Fox, President & CEO, Legacy Building Solutions
Any operation, fracking included, runs more efficiently when all the necessary materials are in one place – a task complicated by the fact that most fracking occurs in areas with minimal infrastructure. In response, most fracking companies are forced to make do with inadequate sand storage facilities. But a new generation of fabric storage structures simplifies storing and handling large amounts of silica sand.
Source Energy Services (SES) recently commissioned a custom fabric structure for their operation in Wembley, Alberta. “By today’s standards, the buildings we’re designing are of world class caliber in the U.S. and Canada,” said Mike Miller, vice president of construction for SES. The building has a storage volume of over three million cubic feet, along with lean-tos for easy access to stock piles, space to load feed hoppers and for a heated shop. An attached conveyor system, offset peak and varying column heights were also required.
SES decided on a fabric structure from Legacy Building Solutions, which met all specifications and came with the added advantages of a fabric membrane and quick construction. The fabric membrane of the Legacy building lets sunlight in, allowing SES to save on ongoing electricity costs. And perhaps most importantly, Legacy’s crew constructed the building in less than a month – saving weeks of downtime and lost profit.
“As drillers have been needing to facilitate larger fracs, silos or tank transloads do not have the operational capacity to fill those needs,” said Miller. “The large format facility in Wembley is designed to solve any supply issues that a driller would ever have, mainly a reliable source of sand.” With the new frac sand storage structure in place, SES’s operation will become easier and more efficient.
Petroleum Connection additional comment:
Don’t miss the opportunity to chat with Legacy Building Solutions at the 4th annual frac sand supply & logistics, where they are a Gold Sponsor and will be moderating a roundtable discussion!