Posted on February 2nd, 2013 in Dust Control, Environmental, Soil Stabilization, Synthetic Fluids, Synthetic Organic Dust Control by Bob Vitale
$2 Billion in road repair needed for Texas!
Yes, that’s billions with a “B”. The energy boom in Texas is absolutely great for the local economy and for the country, but costly road repair is a consequence. This needed road repair requires an equally new and dramatic solution to remove this consequence.
A recently completed two-year study titled “Texas Energy Developments and TxDOT Right-of-Way” the first statewide assessment of the energy boom’s wear and tear on Texas roads released these findings. As part of the study, researchers developed a database and dynamic map that shows the location of existing and anticipated energy production sites throughout the state, including wind farms in west Texas and oil and gas wells in the Barnett Shale region of north Texas and the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas.
These township and county roads were not originally created to handle the truck and equipment traffic it takes to support the energy industry in this area.
The good news, Midwest and other companies are working with oil and gas producers to establish strong, durable roads, well pads and access roads with new “successful” construction technologies which can withstand the wheel loading and vehicle passes associated with oil and gas exploration and production. These new engineered processes include:
- A newly developed, patented, system of synthetic fluid and synthetic fibers for use in construction of roads and well pads where aggregate availability is limited, where marginal soils must be used, or where roads and pads undergo severe damage as a result of moisture and freeze thaw exposure.
- A system of synthetic fluid and binders which preserves the as-constructed surface integrity of unpaved or unbound gravel roads
Both engineered systems improve CBR, establish a water resistance matrix, and maintain surface strength during heavy load exposure in spite of thaw or rain events where normal construction methods are damaged and require costly repair
Energy independence is possible and our industry has to step up with new and innovative “inventions” which solve the problems our energy producers and local communities need.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE_303BKMKA
Bob Vitale, Founder & CEO Midwest
Erosion Control Magazine called Bob Vitale “the godfather of dust control” for a good reason: Long before the word “green” meant something other than a color or one’s inexperience, Bob recognized the hazardous short- and long-term dangers of the chemicals being used to control dust, erosion, and ice. Starting with the company’s first dust-control product which was introduced in 1978, Vitale’s company has been an environmental advocate not only by developing non-hazardous solutions and the equipment with which to apply them, but also through ongoing research – the company’s own and third party. Midwest has been named to the Inc 500’s list of top environmental services companies for five of the last six years. When he is not reading, breathing, educating about and actively working to develop Earth-friendly products and services, Bob is an avid collector of, and expert on, one of Earth’s bounties: fine red wine.
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