Abstract:
The present invention comprises a surface mount secondary containment system comprising prefabricated pieces that may be assembled to form a wall and adjoining corner with overlapping sections to capture leaks, spillage or the like from a primary liquid container member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Priority is claimed from provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 61/989,762, filed on May 7, 2014 and incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     In general, the present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method of providing secondary containment in oil and gas operations such as but not limited to a tank battery. More particularly, the present invention provides a surface mount secondary containment system comprising prefabricated pieces that may be assembled to form a wall and adjoining corner with overlapping sections to capture leaks, spillage or the like from a primary liquid container member. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In the oil and gas industry, a major concern facing the industry is the ever growing and constant concern with environmental impact of oil and gas production coupled with the ever increasing need to maximize efficiency and recovery of natural resources associated therewith. Prior art methods that were perfectly acceptable just years ago are now politically and environmentally unfriendly. Whereas it was acceptable to allow by products from well production to be released onto the ground, it is not considered a viable environmentally sound method to date. 
     A secondary containment system provides an essential line of defense in the event of a failure of the primary containment, such as a tank, a bulk storage container, a mobile or portable container, piping, or oil-filled equipment. These systems are designed to provide temporary containment of discharged oil and other pollutants until the appropriate actions are taken to abate the source of the discharge and remove the unwanted fluids from areas where it has accumulated to prevent it from polluting the environment. 
     Furthermore, in the oil and gas industry, the term “battery” generally refers to a group of containers called “tanks” that are a grouping of interconnected storage tanks situated to receive the output of one or more wells for crude oil production and or a producing lease. A tank battery is also called a battery. Typically, in the tank battery, the oil volume is measured and tested before pumping the oil into the pipeline system and the group of tanks at a well site are used to store oil prior to sale to a pipeline company. A typical tank battery contains one or more tanks and usually has a capacity equal to four days production. 
     Concern for environmental pollution has resulted in governmental requirements that certain sites such as tank batteries in the oil and gas industry provide a containment system also referred to as secondary containment to guard against leaking from the operation into the surroundings. For several liquids, federal, state and local regulations require double containment systems for the protection of groundwater. General secondary containment requirements apply to bulk storage containers, portable containers, production tank battery, treatment and separation installations, oil filled operational or process equipment and transfer activities. 
     The EPA suggests providing secondary containment by dikes, berms, or retaining walls, curbing or drip pans, sumps and collection systems, culverting, gutters, or other drainage systems, weirs, booms, or other barriers, spill diversion ponds, retention ponds and sorbent materials. Specific containment provisions apply to bulk storage containers, loading/unloading racks, single compartment of a tank car or tank truck at a loading/loading rack, mobile/portable bulk storage containers, as well as production tank batteries, treatment and separation installations. 
     It is also desirable to provide secondary containment for other oil and gas operations other than the above. By example, it is often desirable to provide a temporary containment system during the drilling process around whole location, during fracking around storage containers called frack tanks and so forth. 
     In the prior art, berms and other types of walls have been utilized to provide the needed secondary containment. However, these prior art systems typically require either moving dirt to create the berm or digging into the dirt to form a pillar system for placing wall panels against. It is not unusual for oil and gas companies to prefer a surface mount as opposed to the prior art devices to minimize ground disturbance. Surface mounts are preferred when the ground pad has been treated to create a solid surface that will inhibit the soaking-in of fluids; the ground pad may contain solid bed-rock as its base and installing the prior art metal secondary containment is labor intensive, time consuming and therefore cost prohibitive; the company&#39;s personal preference and so forth. 
     It is obviously desirable to provide secondary containment in oil and gas operations in general and more specifically tank battery operations. The balance of cost, time and operational efficiency has created a need for a new and improved secondary containment system and method. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus, method and system that provides a secondary containment system for utilization in the oil and gas field as well as other applications where it is desirable to provide secondary containment that maximizes efficiency and is environmentally friendly. The current invention provides an inexpensive, time saving, more reliable apparatus, system and method where the prior art fails. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of secondary containment systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new and improved apparatus, system and method of use, which may be quickly deployed and removed. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved secondary containment system, which has all the advantages of the prior art devices and none of the disadvantages. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a series of interconnectable members, which can be interlocked together to form virtually any desired containment perimeter and a liner such as but not limited to a sheet of flexible plastic material that may be laid over the containment area and extends across to the containment perimeter structure. The interconnectable members may generally be a wall section for forming overlapping walls and a corner section for connecting the walls also in an overlapping manner. The modular system may be screwed together forming a barrier and may include a liner disposed inside said containment perimeter. The current invention may be utilized in well operations, well production in general, drilling operations, tank batteries and so forth. The invention is generally designed to capture toxic and nontoxic fluids 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same that provides easy installation with virtually no training necessary, allows for quick installation because of the one primary component, which can be critical in harsh weather conditions, provides dimension diversity, as well as provides panels that may be galvanized and powder coated steel in the customer&#39;s color of choice. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same, which may be easily and efficiently transported to the desired site, deployed, and removed as desired. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same, which is of a durable and reliable construction and may be utilized with multiple applications. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same, which is susceptible to a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible to low prices of sale to the consuming industry, thereby making such economically available to those in the field. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same, which provides all of the advantages of the prior art, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same that is environmentally friendly while practical. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same that may be trailered by trucks into hard to reach areas and deployed without large equipment such as forklifts. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same and is transportable along existing highways without special provisions. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same, which provides overlapping panels and is completely customizable. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system and method of using the same, which is generally safer since large equipment is not needed onsite for the installation. 
     These, together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAPHS, DRAWINGS, AND APPENDICES 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed pictorial illustrations, graphs, drawings and appendices wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a general perspective view illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention with a tank battery depicted. 
         FIG. 2  is a general perspective view partial illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention with a felt substrate. 
         FIG. 3  is a general top view illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention without a liner and or felt. 
         FIG. 4  is a general cross sectional illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a general top view illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention depicting a corner. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the illustrations, and to  FIG. 1  in particular, reference character  10  generally designates a new and improved secondary containment apparatus, system, and method of using same constructed in accordance with the present invention. Invention  10  is generally used with a tank battery  20  where it is desirable to provide a containment system that can capture the water, oil, debris, chemicals and so forth resulting from an oil and gas operation and tank battery  20  installation. It is understood that invention  10  may be utilized in numerous other applications where it is desirable to provide a containment system and the current invention should not be considered limited to just oil and gas applications. It is, therefore, understood that the current invention may be utilized with multiple applications and the current disclosure should not be considered the invention to such. 
     Again referring to the illustrations,  FIG. 1  generally shows rudimentary tank battery  20  of three tanks for accommodating an environmentally sensitive and potentially hazardous liquid such as petroleum or various other types of chemicals. Most commonly, such tanks are utilized to hold petroleum and assorted types of hydrocarbon fuels. Potentially hazardous chemicals are also stored in aboveground tanks of this type. Although the typical tank has a generally cylindrical configuration, the particular size, shape, construction and type of tank are not limitations of this invention. The version depicted is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to accurately depict all the elements associated with tank battery  20 . It should be understood that various alternative tank constructions may be utilized within the scope of this invention. It should also be understood that various types of liquids may be accommodated within and or associated with tank battery  20 . 
     Invention  10  may generally include modular section that may be a series of interconnectable members  30 , which can be interlocked together to form virtually any desired containment perimeter and or wall  40 . A liner  50  such as but not limited to a sheet of flexible plastic material may be laid over containment area  60  and extends across to the containment perimeter  40  structure. It is contemplated to provide a protective substrate and or layer underneath liner  50  such as but not limited to felt  55 . 
     In a preferred construction, interconnectable members  30  may generally have a triangular cross section as depicted. It is understood that numerous cross section designs are contemplated as will be discussed further below. Interconnectable members  30  may be made from but not limited to a galvanized sheet metal steel of numerous thicknesses, gauges and so forth. The invention further contemplates materials such as but not limited to aluminum, plastic, composite materials, combinations thereof and so forth. It is understood that the angle and construction generally add strength to the design as known in the art for containment of fluids as needed. 
     Interconnectable members  30  may be generally a wall section  70  having a top  75  as generally depicted. It is understood that other shapes may be utilized such as rounded corners and sections for more oval and or circular sections or types of containment perimeter  40 . 
     Invention  10  wall section  70  may be of numerous lengths with a preferred embodiment being 10′8″ wherein first end  90  and second end  100  may respectively include but is not limited to a 4″ section for overlapping and generally connecting to other members  30  such that a 10′ non-overlapping section is created. It is also contemplated that wall section  70  and corner section  80  may be but is not limited to 15″ to 20″ in height. Wall section  70  and corner section  80  may include apertures  110  for securing screws, stakes, bolts or other types of fastening devices where corner sections  80  overlap and generally securing to the ground and or base. Wall section  70  and corner section  80  may still further include an inner first flat portion  120  and an outer second flat portion  130  where apertures  110  may be located. Inner first flat portion  120  may include a lip  125  and outer second flat portion  130  may also include a lip  135  which may be ½″ in length although lesser and or greater lengths are contemplate. It is understood that corner section  80  may not include inner first flat portion  120 , outer second flat portion  130 , lip  125 , lip  135  and so forth. 
     Inner first flat portion  120  may further comprise anchor  140  and outer second flat portion  130  may further comprise anchor  150  for additional structural integrity, securing into the ground, slip prevention, combinations thereof, and so forth. Interconnectable members  30  cross section  160  are not limited to just the illustrations. It is contemplated that width  170  of cross section  160  may generally be the same as height  180  of cross section  160 . 
     It is also contemplated that cross section  160  may generally include an angle portion  165  and a perpendicular portion  175 . It is contemplated that perpendicular portion  175  may be generally located to be on the inside of containment perimeter  40  and 45 degree angle portion  165  on the outside of containment perimeter  40  as generally depicted. It is to be understood that the figures are for illustrative purposes to generally depict how member  30  may be aligned to containment perimeter  40  and is not intended to be limiting or inclusive. It is also to be understood that the perpendicular portion  175  may be put on the outside for a different configuration. Furthermore, it is to be understood that angle portion  165  may be of numerous angles other than that depicted. Still furthermore, perpendicular portion  175  may or may not be perpendicular and numerous other angles are also contemplated. 
     Liner  50  may be secured as known in the art to containment perimeter  40 . Liner  50  such as but not limited to a sheet of flexible plastic material may be laid over the containment area  60  and extends across to the containment perimeter  40  structure. Liner  50  may be but is not limited to water resistant material, reinforced PVC or urethane, a copolymer, combinations thereof and so forth. Liner  50  may be secured to the top of the containment perimeter  40  structure or otherwise. Liner  50  is preferably an impermeable material that may be adapted and or configured to cover the ground between tank battery  20  and containment perimeter  40 . It is also contemplated to provide liner  50  underneath tank battery  20  and installed before placing tank battery  20 . 
     Invention  10  may further include at least one drain  190  formed through liner  50  and or felt  55  and into the underlying ground or other desired location. A hydrocarbon sensor and containment valve system  195  may monitor the presence of petroleum in drain  190  wherein system  195  may respond to the presence of petroleum in drain  190  by closing drain  190  to prevent discharge of petroleum from containment area  60 , but still allow clean water to drain out of containment area  60 . 
     Invention  10  also contemplates other known means for removing accumulated fluid from containment area  60  such as but not limited to providing a sump pump  210  that may drain containment area  60  and transfer the fluid back to a tank and or container in tank battery  20 . 
     IN OPERATION 
     Invention  10  contemplates that the modular nature of members  30  lend to an easy to install and variable containment perimeter  40  as desired. The assembly is not pre-assembled, but is instead assembled and installed on site. To assemble and create containment area  60  on site, liner  50  may be located first on surface  200  before members  30  are formed into containment perimeter  40  although it is understood that containment perimeter  40  may be located before liner  50  is positioned on surface  200 . 
     Members  30  may be placed in an overlapping configuration and fastened together with screws through corresponding and lined up apertures  110 . It is contemplated that wall section  70  may generally create the width and length of containment perimeter  40  and be joined at corners by corner sections  80 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, liner  50  is placed after containment perimeter  40  is positioned and liner  50  is secured to member  30  by clamps, screws and other known fastening devices. It is understood that liner  50  may be secured to members  30  at the top of member  30 , over the top, along the back or outer side or along the inner side. 
     Still further, in a preferred embodiment, invention  10  may include the steps: 
     1. Building a level screenings or sand based pad such as but not limited to 10′ larger than the planned containment perimeter  40  and or containment areas  60 . The screenings base may be but is not limited to from 3″-6″ in height. It may be recommended to have extra screenings onsite to level any final areas that are off. It is known to be critical to have a level surface for setting tanks in later such as but not limited to tank battery  20 . 
     2. Laying out where the containment perimeter  40  will go with stakes and a string line and marking the width and length 8″ smaller than the desired containment perimeter  40  to account for the added 4″ of inner first flat portion  120 . This string line should be run along the inside bottom of member  30  wall section  70  just above the ground. It is understood that inner first flat portion  120  may be more or less than 4″ and staking should be relative to the width. 
     3. Cutting 4″ of the members  30  wall section  70  panel of inner first flat portion  120  on the inside corner for overlapping and laying flush. This may be accomplished with heavy duty metal snips. It is also understood that the cutting may be more or less than 4″. 
     4. Installing the containment perimeter  40  by setting members  30  wall section  70  along a long side and lining up the bottom inside of the member  30  wall sections  70  with a string line and then staking inner first flat portion  120  with anchor  140  through apertures  110 . 
     5. Installing corner section  80  before installing outside outer second flat portion  130  with anchor  150 . This may allow to push and pull the surface mount member  30  wall section  70  in order to get the desired height and straight line. 
     6. Getting a second string line going on the highest point of installed members  30  wall section  70  and using this string line as a guide to adjust the outer second flat portion  130  anchor  150  to keep the wall straight and level. It is contemplated that some slight pushing and pulling of each member wall section  70  to keep it going straight and level while securing anchor  150  on the outside stakes with outer second flat portion  130  apertures  110 . 
     7. Installing self-tapping screws  220  into the overlapping member  30  wall sections  70  such as but not limited to a preferred embodiment being two screws  220  on the inside and three screws  220  on the outside evenly spaced approximately 6″ apart around containment perimeter  60 . It is contemplated to not screw at the top because of trim cap liner hanger  230  that may be installed later. 
     8. Once the containment perimeter  40  is all the way up and secured, it is contemplated to cover the inside of the members  30  wall section  70  with screenings  240 . It is contemplated that before laying felt  55  and or liner  50 , screening  240  such as but not limited to sand, fine gravel, dirt, small rocks, combinations thereof and so forth such that sharp edges of members  30 , anchors  140  and or  150  are covered. This may also be utilized to fill in the corners for a better laying down of felt  55  and or liner  50 . 
     9. Leveling the containment area  60  area again. 
     10. Laying out felt  55  under where liner  50  may be. This may include covering sharp edges of member  30  and inner first flat portion  120  and associated anchors  140  and or  150 . 
     11. Laying liner  50  and push into position with care not to damage liner  50 . Folding liner  50  corners where there are no wrinkles in liner  50  and the sides are all generally straight up and down. 
     12. Installing liner  50  anchors such as but not limited to sand tubes, concrete tread steps, and so forth, around the edges of the containment perimeter  40 . 
     13. Pulling liner  50  over containment perimeter  40  and installing the trim cap liner hanger  230  with self-tapping screws  220  every 24″. It is understood that greater and lesser lengths are contemplated. To install trim cap liner hanger  230 , start one end, push liner  50  into place, then screw from the outside, then go to the other end and do the same thing, and then go back and fill in at 24″ spacing. It is understood that greater and lesser lengths are contemplated as well as spacing and or procedures. 
     14. Cutting excess liner  50  with but not limited to a box blade using trim cap liner hanger  230  as a guide. 
     15. Visually inspecting liner  50  to ensure there are no holes before placing any equipment inside the containment area  60  and or containment perimeter  40 . 
     It is also contemplated to spread the screenings  240  over the lip to cushion edges of liner  50  and further block air from getting inside or under liner  50 . Cattle Panels Fencing—install hat channel every 5′ and screw panels with a u bracket to the hat channel; and or hog ring panels together on each end as you overlap them by about 4″. It is also contemplated for a wall over 100′ long to build three sides of wall and leave one side open for placing felt  55  and liner  50  into position. 
     Changes may be made in the combinations, operations, and arrangements of the various parts and elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.