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Furling lines (also referred to as reefing lines) are an optional feature on turbidity curtains.  These ropes run vertically spanning the height of the turbidity curtain on both sides at set intervals.  The furling lines are attached at the top through tabs with grommets, at the bottom at the ballast chain through a grommet, and then looping back to the top on the reverse side of the skirt to another attachment tab.  The furling lines can be used to adjust the depth that the skirt extends below the surface.  They can also be used to slope the bottom of the turbidity curtain to mirror the contour of the bottom.  Because the depth of the turbidity curtain can be adjusted, it allows the curtain to be used in multiple locations, at locations with varying depths, and at locations with significant tidal swings.

Turbidity curtains are most effective when the bottom of the skirt is suspended a foot above the bottom.  This prevents the build-up of silt on the base of the skirt which over time can result in the freeboard of the turbidity curtain becoming submerged below the water surface.  The bottom of a turbidity curtain dragging on the bottom can also generate additional silt.   When the skirt drags on the bottom, it can also reduce the life of the turbidity curtain.  Finally, but leaving a gap between the skirt and the bottom of the body of water, it allows for fish and other wildlife to freely bypass the turbidity curtain without harm. 

Furling lines can also aid in the deployment and retrieval of turbidity curtains.  It is typically easier to handle a turbidity curtain when the skirt is furled or bundled against the flotation.  This reduces the impact of tides, currents, and wind.  The furling lines are typically loosened once a turbidity curtain is anchored into place, allowing the skirt to drop.  Likewise, the furling lines can be used to bundle the turbidity curtain skirt while it is still in the water, making the removal less burdensome as well. 

Texas Boom Company is a manufacturer of oil spill containment boom, silt curtains, turbidity barriers, secondary containment berms, and collapsible fabric bladder tanks.  In addition, Texas Boom Company offers custom fabrication of products constructed of industrial-grade fabrics.  These fabrics are typically vinyl-coated fabrics or urethane fabrics.  All manufacturing is performed in our Houston, Texas facility by our team highly skilled craftsmen.  TBC has been manufacturing these products since 1986, and we stand behind our work.  

Manufacturing these products requires a number of processes.  As an example, to manufacture oil spill containment boom, there are a number of steps involved to deliver a durable, well-built product.   High-quality closed-cell foam in sheet form is rolled into logs or cut to length from extruded foam logs.  PVC coated fabric is cut to width in roll form and either RF welded or heat sealed to form the appropriate foam chambers, seams, skirts, tension cable pockets, and ballast chain pockets.  Aluminum end connectors are cut to length, drilled with mounting holes and connector pinholes and assembled onto the booms with stainless steel nuts and bolts.  Coated tension cables are strung through pockets and secured with shackles to the end connector extrusions.  Ballast chains are added to pockets on the bottom of the containment boom skirts.  Adding brand labels to the containment boom is the final step before the sections are folded and bundled, and then palletized. 

Our products are heavily scrutinized throughout the manufacturing process.  Welds are checked for durability and continuity.  Dimensions are regularly verified.  Fabric is inspected for flaws.  Extrusions are examined to endure compatibility with oil spill containment boom from other manufacturers. Care is taken to avoid damage to the product during manufacturing, packaging, and handling.  Quality is the top priority on every order shipped from Texas Boom Company.   When you see the TBC brand, you can feel confident in the product you have purchased.    

Pillow tanks are collapsible fabric tanks that resemble a pillow when filled.  These type bladder tanks are made by welding or sealing durable fabric around all four sides and adding valves for filling, emptying and pressure relief.  

There are a number of benefits to pillow tanks, and many of these are highlighted below:

Texas Boom Company just completed fabrication of a large order of 250 gallon fuel bladders headed for use by the US Army.  These durable fuel bladders are constructed with fuel grade encapsulated Urethane fabric that is designed with this specific application in mind.  The tank seams are welded, meaning the seams offer the same strength as the fabric itself.   

Every day there are countless ongoing dredging and marine construction projects ongoing across the United States.  These marine projects are driven by the need for repairs, development, and shoaling.  These work zones typically require equipment and operations to be ongoing in waterways that are normally navigated by boat traffic.  As these projects are executed, safety hazards can often arise not only for the workers themselves, but also for anyone on a boat in the area.  

Bladder Tanks (also referred to as Pillow Tanks) offer users a wide range of applications and flexibility.  Because they can be compressed and rolled or folded when empty, the tanks can more readily be moved and set up in remote locations. Collapsed, the bladders require only a fraction of the space to store. Made of coated fabric, the weight of the material is also typically less than that used in rigid tanks, also making the bladder tanks easier to move.  While the fabric used is very durable, these type tanks are subject to abrasions and tears, so care must be taken during storage, deployment, and use.  When bladder tanks are deployed on rough surfaces, a liner is recommended below the bladder to help reduce wear.  While not suitable for every application, these bladder tanks offer great utility to end-users.  

As the 2019 WEDA Dredging Summit and Exposition wraps up, Texas Boom Company is pleased to announce that Seth Gintz with Certified Laboratories in Charleston, SC was selected as the winner of RTIC 30 Soft Cooler.  This event has proven to be an outstanding opportunity to interact with many of the outstanding dredging companies that operate across the United States and Canada.  

Texas Boom Company serves the dredging industry by providing top quality silt curtains used in dredging and marine construction projects.  TBC offers a wide range of these silt curtains including permeable and impermeable options.  The heights of these silt curtains range from three to 100 feet and they are typically supplied in 50 or 100 foot lengths.  Custom built silt curtains are no problem, as we can accommodate virtually any specification.  

In addition, Texas Boom offers drive-on berms that can be useful to decontaminate or wash down equipment while containing the run-off.  The side walls of these drive-on containment berms are filled with open cell foam that crushes under pressure but flexes back to the original shape, allowing vehicles and equipment to drive in and out without removal of the side wall to allow access.  

At the conclusion of the 2019 Clean Waterways Conference and Expo, Texas Boom Company selected a winner via a random drawing from all those who submitted a free entry at our booth.  The winner was  Brendan Crotty, who has served almost 4 years in the US Coast Guard and has earned the rank of MST3.  Brendan is stationed in Memphis, TN. Marine Science Technicians focus on marine environmental protection for the USCG. He was excited to win and we thank him for his service to our country. TBC also appreciates all the others who stopped by and entered the drawing.

Our next drawing will be held at the upcoming WEDA Dredging Summit in Chicago June 4-7.  Stop by booth #30 to see us and drop a business card in to win one of these great soft-sided coolers.  

Deploying containment boom is certainly a crucial component in the initial response to an oil spill.  However, there are a wide range of applications for containment boom that extend beyond just oil spills.  In industrial complexes all over the world, there is a constant risk of spills and runoff that threaten the environmental safety of ...

Every spill disaster is different and requires a unique response.  The oil spill removal organizations (OSROs) are typically the companies that respond to deal with these situations.  These companies contract with oil and chemical companies to be their resources to respond with the proper expertise, equipment, and crews.  The recent ITC fire as lead to a subsequent significant spill event into the Houston Ship Channel.  News reports have cited deployment of 27,000 feet of spill containment boom and 22 oil recovery skimmers in combination with a large number of response boats during this event in Houston thus far.  It demonstrates that a significant amount of containment boom has to be staged at the ready to respond quickly in the case of emergency.  The OSROs carefully manage their inventory to be prepared, and containment boom manufacturers like Texas Boom Company also carry inventory to backfill what is used with quick turnarounds.

With regard to the question of how much oil containment boom gets used, there is no right answer.  Huge spill events like the BP Horizon disaster consumed and estimated 5.5 million feet of oil spill boom.  This recent ITC spill has resulted in 27,000 feet of boom being deployed.  Other spill scenarios require less because the waterway may be smaller or contained in a stream or small river.  Oil containment boom is also commonly used before a spill event ever occurs.  The boom is deployed strategically just in case a spill occurs so that there is no delay betweent he release and the time required for boom to be deployed in response.   Companies regularly use this stategy to help reduce the damage that could result from an accident, thinking forward with a "what if" approach.  

Texas Boom Company is proud to join many other leading companies and organizations involved in the spill response industry who are active participants in the Spill Control Association of America (SCAA).  We join this group as a means to further contribute with oil spill response, and TBC is eager to engage in the positive work of the SCAA.  As a manufacturer of oil spill containment boom and related products, our company is firmly entrenched in this important segment,  and we support the goals of this key trade organization.  

SCAA's Mission Statement:

The custom made inflatable bladder shown below was the result of collaboration between a customer and the TBC team to create what is in essence an inflatable pipe plug.   This bladder will be inserted into a pipe and then inflated to form a barrier that will redirect equipment at a particular joint in the pipe system. The rod pockets were added to help position the bladder in place prior to inflation.  It's a creative solution to a problem, and Texas Boom Company was pleased to be able to assist in working towards an answer.

This is yet another example of TBC's ability to turn a sketch into a finished product.  Our fabrication technicians are skilled at their craft and always deliver quality products.  Have a unique challenge that requires some sort of custom bladder or tank?  Texas Boom has you covered using our RF welding technology to meet your needs.  

Texas Boom Company is willing and able to fabricate silt curtains to a customer's exact specifications.  Depending on the application, the silt curtains vary in length, freeboard and skirt height, connectivity, fabric weight, permeability, color, and whether tension cables and ballast chains are needed.  DOT requirements can also vary from state to state.  If you can describe it or provide the specifications, we can build it quickly and economically.  The way the curtain will be used and where it will be used dictate what solution will work best to meet the project's needs.  TBC also offers a selection of standard models, including Type I, II, and III turbidity curtains.  Consult with one of our experts if you are unsure which silt curtain is best suited for your project.  

Below is a customized Type I silt curtain that was recently built with a permeable skirt and without a top tension cable or ballast chain.  These silt curtains were shipped to Georgia, so keep in mind that Texas Boom company serves customers all over North and South America.  

Most manufacturers of oil containment boom in the US utilize ASTM F962-94 aluminum connectors at both ends of the boom.  These universal Z connector bars allow sections of boom from any manufacturer to be used together to form longer sections of deployed containment boom.  In the event that the pin holes don't line up across boom makers, additional holes can quickly be drilled through the aluminum connector plates.  

When you purchase products from Texas Boom Company, you are joining good company.  Our company has a history of delivering a wide range of quality products at competitive prices to many recognizable organizations.  Texas Boom's track record includes sales to the US and foreign governments (including GSA contracts), spill response organizations, as well as global leaders in the energy and chemical industries.  The US military, municipalities and ports are also frequent customers.  Texas Boom is proud of our past, and looks forward to expanding moving forward.  We hope to add your company amongst this growing list of prestegeous customers.

For those not familiar with oil containment boom, Texas Boom Company is providing an overview to share the basics of what spill containment boom is, how containment boom is made, and where containment boom is used.

One of the first actions taken when oil has spilled into or in the vicinity of a body of water is to encircle the spill with containment boom.  Because oil and other hydrocarbons don’t mix, the oil typically stays on the surface of the water in a slick.  Since the oil floats, a barrier at the surface of the water can be effective in capturing the oil until it can be addressed.  That's where oil spill containment boom comes into play.  

Containment boom comes it two basic forms:  absorbent boom that captures the oil until the boom becomes saturated, and non-absorbent boom that contains the oil until it can be absorbed, skimmed, or dispersed.  These two types of boom can be used independently, or can be deployed in combination. 

As Texas Boom Company has evolved since its founding in 1986, the product lines and branding have varied over the years.  In order to help clarify where to find an appropriate product when referencing older marketing material, order invoices, or product markings, we are providing a guide below.  If you ever have any questions about what current products are suitable to meet your needs, please feel free to call us at 281-441-2002 or contact us via the Website.  Texas Boom is here at the ready to help you make the proper purchase.

Containment Boom:

Conventional Boom now covers what was previously referred to as Seagull Series (10 in – 24 in boom), Petrel Series (30 in – 60 in boom).  Texas Boom’s oil containment booms were also referred to as Texaboom at times.

Hall D - Booth 707

Texas Boom Company will be represented at the Clean Gulf 2018 Exhibition in New Orleans, LA on Nov 14 and 15th.  The exposition will be held in conjunction with the trade conference in Hall D at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and Texas Boom will be located in booth 707.  Please stop by to see us and discuss how TBC can help meet your needs.  Contact us if you need passes for free admission to the Expo, we can provide a code to use during registration.