Accessibility Tools

Water Hyacinth Removal Project

Cattail Marsh is a 900 acre wildlife area located in Beaumont, Texas.  This marsh is located adjacent to Tyrrell Park and serves as a component of the waste water filtration system for the city.  The marsh features a 520 foot boardwalk that was installed in 2016 at a cost of $285,000.  Cattail Marsh and the surrounding area support a wide variety of local wildlife and is a popular bird watching site. 

As is common in many bodies of water in the area, Water Hyacinth has taken root and spread rapidly across the entire marsh.  Water Hyacinth is an invasive plant species that is recognized as one of the fastest growing plant species in the world.  The plants primary means of reproduction are runners that eventually form sister plants.  It also produces large volumes of seeds that remain viable for up to 30 years.  Because of its ability to rapidly reproduce, coverage areas can double in periods as quickly as two weeks.  

If left unchecked, Water Hyacinth can completely cover a body of water, resulting in reduced water flow, complete blocking of sunlight to submerged plant species, and a depletion of oxygen from the water itself.  These results can have a major detrimental impact on plant and animal species.  This plant is difficult to control once introduced to a lake, pond or stream.  Water Hyacinth has no know direct food value for wildlife.  

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Boom and Sorbents at the Ready

When a call comes in as the result of an active spill, office hours don't much matter.  Texas Boom Company stands at the ready to equip companies to quickly and effectively respond to oil spills.  The most recent example occurred when a leaking wellhead was identified in Tabbs Bay near Baytown, TX.  The exact source of the leak was unknown, so each of the companies that potential own the wellhead responded quickly.  TBC was asked to provide conventional oil spill containment boom and sorbents and responded by getting a trailer loaded in short order.  Our company also worked to provide additional sorbent boom the following day and consulted on deployment as well.  The goal at TBC is to have inventory at the ready for just such a need and to provide the knowledge needed to effectively deploy the products.  

While we hate to hear of any spill, we take pride in knowing that our products are used to mitigate the damage that results from any spill.  Containment boom keeps the oil from spreading.  Sorbent boom adsorbs the oil without taking on the water.  Oil skimmers collect the oil without intaking the water.  These three primary components are all be used in conjunction to reduce the environmental impact until the oil can be recovered and the shoreline cleaned.  It's not a perfect system, but it serves a tried and true means to lessen the damage caused by any spill.  

Workboat sets a perimeter with Texas Boom Company's oil spill containment boom.

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Red Drift Algae Containment Boom

Texas Boom Company was pleased to help facilitate the initial trial for equipment designed to help address the challenges posed by Red Drift Algae in Sanibel, Florida.  Red Drift Algae periodically accumulates along beaches, resulting in littered beaches and unpleasant odors.  This is certainly a deterrent to beach-goers, and detrimental to businesses that depend on beach tourist traffic.  The intent is for this type of equipment to eliminate the presence of this nuisance algae in beach areas that are frequented as recreational and resort areas. 

 

 

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TBC's Spill Containment Boom Used by US Navy

Texas Boom Company has a long history of providing oil spill containment boom, buoys, markers, bladder tanks and containment berms to all branches of the US Military and the civilian organizations that provide support for them across the globe.  Our company is proud to manufacture our products in the United States and to support our military in their mission to keep our country safe and maintain our freedom.  As such, we are pleased to recently receive these pictures of our 10 inch oil spill containment boom being used in port by the USS Wichita in Puerto Rico.  

 

 

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Accessories for Containment Boom and Turbidity Curtain Installations

Whether you are installing oil spill containment boom or turbidity curtains, these products are only one of the items you will need for a successful deployment.  Factors such as wind, tide levels, currents, boat traffic, and safety issues are all considerations when developing your plan. Texas Boom Company offers a wide range of accessories that can make your installation easier, safer, and more effective.  Anchors, lines, buoys, lights, beach stakes, and tow bridles can all be important additions to a successful installation.  

Installation layouts can result in varied layouts and patterns to best accomplish the intended goal of containing material or silt.  These same considerations come into play with traditional oil spill containment boom, sorbent containment boom, inflatable containment boom, shore barrier boom, or permanent type fence boom.  Texas Boom Company offers installation instructions and a number of diagrams that show different layouts for containment boom installation or turbidity curtain installation

Layout:

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Golden Ray Spill Clean-Up Continues

On the early morning of September 8, the MV Golden Ray capsized off the coast of Brunswick, GA in St Simon Sound, approximately 80 miles south of Savannah.  The exact cause of the accident has not been finally determined.  Initially, four of the twenty-four individuals on board were trapped.  They were subsequently rescued safely.  However, the ongoing environmental hazards continue now over a month later. 

Fuel and oil continue to leak from the vessel.  When the accident occurred, the ship contained roughly 300,000 gallons within its tanks.  To date, 220,000 gallons have been successfully pumped off.  Unfortunately, there have been ongoing oil slicks located in the area, as well as oil coating the plant life along shorelines.  Thousands of feet of oil spill containment boom have been deployed in the area to control the spread of the hydrocarbons and protect the shorelines.

The US Coast Guard is leading the Unified Command, a joint recovery and salvage effort between the state of Georgia, the USCG, and the shipping company Hyundai Glovis’ contractor, Gallagher Marine Systems.  Crews of up to 400 people and 70 vessels are participating in the clean-up and recovery effort. 

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Spill Containment Boom Manufacturer

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.    

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Hurricane Induced Spill Highlights Need to be Prepared

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

 

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21401 Park Row Drive Suite #340
Katy, TX 77449

Local: (281) 441-2002
Toll Free: (844) 444-8144