As the recovery in the Bahamas continues following the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian, it offers a lesson in the value of preparedness.  Companies and governments around the globe work to balance the expense and efforts to plan for all contingencies against the threat of a wide variety of disasters and the resulting damage.  With regard to oil spills, there is no doubt that the damage can vast and extensive.  It highlights the need to have oil spill response equipment on-site and ready for immediate deployment.  Waiting to bring oil spill containment boom, oil skimmers, and other equipment in after the fact, especially when infrastructure may be damaged and access severely limited can often compound an already serious problem.  The sooner the equipment is deployed after a spill, the more effective the containment and recovery efforts will be.   

Photo Credit:  Ramon Espinosa/AP

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 ...

Oil spill containment boom is deployed in a wide range of applications.  As such, the containment boom is typically held in place either by anchor systems or by attaching the containment boom to a fixed point on shore.  In this article, we will discuss a particular technique for using beach stakes to hold the oil spill containment boom in place.

In some scenarios, there are permanent structures or pilings that serve as stable anchor points for containment boom.  These can range from docks, piers, pilings, posts, poles or other permanent objects that offer enough strength and stability to hold the containment boom in place.  Factors to consider when assessing the strength required include tides, current, and winds.  Another option is to utilize anchors on land, which allows them to be placed and ensure their security.  This is typically an option used only if the placement is temporary and anchor kits are on hand, as this is a more costly option.  A common solution is the use of stakes driven into the ground along the shoreline to offer a secure point to affix the boom.  

Beach stakes can be something as simple as rebar or metal fence posts, as long the posts are strong and can be driven deep enough to adequately secure the oil spill containment boom.  There are also anchor posts designed to offer better holding strength.  The variety of styles include helix and ground screw type designs.   It is recommended that the standard stakes are driven three feet into the ground to provide adequate holding power when possible.  

One of the difficulties in keeping a pump running in environments where there is vegetation, debris, and sediment in the water that is being pumped is keeping the in-take filter clean.  When the suction from the pump draws in materials other than water, they will typically either be caught at the filter of the intake hose, or worse, be passed through the pump and delivered onward.  If the water is being pumped to supply equipment, this can cause serious subsequent problems.

In the instance shown here, a pump was being used to supply water to mining equipment.  Because there was so much vegetation suspended in the water, the plant material was being transported to the mining equipment and clogging those machines.  In order to greatly reduce the amount of vegetation that was reaching the supply pump, the miners used these turbidity curtains to enclose the pump.  These turbidity curtains had permeable skirts, allowing water to flow through while filtering the debris.  These curtains were 5 feet in height and worked very well for this application.  The installation plan uses anchor kits to hold the turbity curtain in place away from the pump.  

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.  

Bladder tanks are a great way to provide ballast for a wide range of applications.  These fabric tanks lay flat and can be rolled for storage and ease of transport.  By simply adding water, you can add weight quickly and easily.  Disposing of the weight for transport is as easy as dumping the water.  Safe, quick, and effective.  The fabric used to make the collapsible bladder tanks is durable, and is reinforced opposite the valves to avoid any issues with abrasion inside the tank during transport.  We use top quality Monsun valves on these tanks. 

A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds.  These 25 gallon collapsible tanks weigh less than 5 pounds empty.  Filling these 25 gallon tanks to capacity provides over 200 pounds of ballast weight.   For outdoor applications, you can use a hose to bring the weight directly to your location, and the water can typically be dumped without needing to relocate the bladder.  For indoor applications, the bladder would need to be moved to a drain for emptying. 

Applications could include balancing weight on a trailer, providing stability with any type stand or trade show display, providing temporary anchor points for a tent of shade structure, or countless other uses.  Shapes can be customized to meet your exact need.  Call Texas Boom Company at 281-441-2002 to discuss your exact needs and get pricing. 

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.

There are two major categories of floating oil boom:  Absorbent Floating Oil Boom and Non-Absorbent Floating Oil Boom.  Both serve a specific purpose, and they can be used in tandem to help contain oil spills in bodies of water such as oceans, gulfs, bays, rivers, streams, lakes, canals, and ponds.

Absorbent Floating Oil Boom is comprised of a mesh sock or tube filled with polypropylene.  The fibers in the boom absorb oil and other hydrocarbons while repelling water.   In addition, the properties of the polypropylene fibers also provide buoyancy, allowing these absorbent booms to float with no additional material required.  These floating oil booms are effective until they become saturated, reaching the end of their useful life.  Upon saturation, these booms are then disposed of properly, having removed a significant volume of oil from the water where they were deployed.  Absorbent floating boom are typically deployed in calmer waters.  

As the year comes to an end, everyone at Texas Boom Company is proud of the work done at our manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas.  Texas Boom is a manufacturer of top quality oil containment boom, silt curtains, pillow tanks and bladders, containment berms, and many other products that leverage our RF welding capability.  We place an emphasis on quality, provide short lead times, offer the ability to customize a job to exact specifications, and offer it at a competitive price.  There may cheaper import product on the market, but you get what you pay for in this industry.  Made in America means something to us.  It translates into jobs for the talented people we employ, and it equates to satisfaction for our wide range of customers.  While we ship our products worldwide, Texas Boom makes them right here.  Made in Texas.  Made in USA.  

The question is often asked:  Should I use a permeable or non-permeable silt curtain?  We hope to shed some light on the topic to help our customers understand the difference between these two types of turbidity curtains.  For reference, these are also referred to as turbidity barriers, silt barriers, silt curtain, sediment filter barrier, floating silt fence, floating curtains, and floating sediment fence.

There are typically five primary types of containment boom manufactured and deployed in the United States and Canada.  We provide a brief description of each for the benefit of those not familiar with containment boom.  All containment boom is sold in managable sections that can be joined end to end to form longer lengths.  Boom manufacturers typically utlize universal connectors so that boom from different companies can be used in combination.   In emergency deployments, containment boom can be strung continuously for miles.  

1 - Foam Filled Containment Boom

Also referred to as Conventional Boom, Contractor Boom, Standard Boom.  This boom has flotation chambers filled with closed cell foam and sealed to provide the buoyancy needed to keep the boom afloat and provide the freeboard that contains the oil.  These booms also feature a skirt that is suspended below the water to help with oil containment.  This skirt provides the draft height.  Tension cables and ballast chains provide strength and stability.  Containment boom is light and can be quickly and easily deployed.

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.