Patent Publication Number: US-11040826-B1

Title: Portable hazardous spill ground containment system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a portable containment system for collecting and holding in place a leaking hazardous material, waste water, and the like and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a portable hazardous spill ground containment system. The system used for placing on a ground surface and under and around equipment, tanks and storage containers used during and after an oil and gas drilling operation or storing waste water to be treated. Also, the system can be used in other industries for similar applications. 
     (b) Discussion of Prior Art 
     Heretofore, little thought has been given to leakage of chemicals and toxic materials in and around an oil and gas drilling operation, tank farms and the like. But, with today&#39;s environmental concerns related to the possibility of a hazardous material contaminating a ground surface, leaking into nearby ponds, streams and lakes, migrating into an underground aquifer, killing wildlife and damaging foliage, new environmental laws and regulations, passed by the EPA, now require the oil and gas industry to include some type of ground containment system around a drilling site to collect spillage before it contacts the ground surface or face a large fine and/or stopping the operation. 
     Currently, ground containment barriers are built with an earth berm or straw bales and the like and disposed around drilling equipment and storage tanks with a heavy tarp spread across the ground surface with the sides of the tarp received over the top of the berm or the straw bales. This type of structure is obviously not portable, reusable or particularly reliable. Also, this type of structure doesn&#39;t hold the tarp securely in place on the ground surface. 
     The subject invention is similar to what is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,445 to the subject inventor. In this patent, a containment system provides for a high strength, light weight metal, portable, variable size, ground containment system that can be quickly assembled for holding a heavy liner securely on a ground surface. The system can then be disassembled for reuse when the drilling operation is completed. The subject invention, as described, is more portable, easier to assemble, and can be configured into various geometric configurations, such as a circle or oval, for receipt around fluid storage equipment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is a primary objective of the subject invention to provide a portable containment system, which includes light weight, spaced apart, vertical, angular-shaped metal posts used to hold a plurality of plastic horizontal straps and hold a heavy plastic liner in place. The vertical metal posts can range in height from 4 to 6 feet and greater. 
     Another object of the invention is the containment system can be made for creating various geometric sizes of an annular-shaped containment area. The containment area can be used for covering various types of ground surfaces. 
     Still another object of the containment system is the vertical posts and horizontal straps hold a heavy liner securely on a ground surface to prevent movement of the liner when equipment is placed thereon and prevent movement of the liner during cleanup of a toxic spill or treating waste water in the containment area. 
     Yet another key advantage of the portable containment system is it eliminates the need for pit excavation and land reclamation and without requiring a permanent permit for its use. 
     Still further, the portable containment system can be used not only in the gas and oil industry, but in other industries where equipment and tanks are subject to toxic spills or liquid waste on different types of indoor and outdoor surfaces. 
     The subject portable hazardous spill ground containment system includes a plurality of spaced apart vertical metal posts used to hold a plurality of horizontal plastic straps, disposed one of top of the other. Also, the posts are used to hold a plastic liner in place on a ground surface. The liner is adapted for receiving various types of equipment, tanks and containers holding various types of toxic chemicals, waste water, and other liquid materials. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with various types of outdoor and indoor containment systems used to hold and contain spillage of hazardous liquids and material and prevent contaminating a ground or floor surface when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate complete preferred embodiments in the present invention according to the best modes presently devised for the practical application of the subject portable ground containment system for collecting and holding spilled hazardous materials and other liquids, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the subject portable ground containment system and shown surrounding a large annular-shaped, portable storage tank used to hold oil, waste water, or chemicals used in an oil and gas drilling and fracing operation. 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the containment system shown in  FIG. 1  with sections of a heavy plastic liner place on a ground surface and prior to heat sealing the liner together in one piece. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a sectional view taken along lines  3 - 3  of a vertical post and horizontal straps, shown in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate front views of an inside post and an outside post, shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a sectional view taken along lines  4 - 4  of a vertical post and horizontal straps, shown in  FIG. 1 , 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate front views of an inside post and an outside post, shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of one of the vertical metal posts held in place using anchor cables and a ground anchor. Also, waste water is shown on top of the ground surface liner and being held inside the containment system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In  FIG. 1 , the subject portable hazardous spill ground containment system is shown having general reference numeral  10 . In this drawing, the system  10  has an annular shape for receipt around, in this example, a large waste water storage tank  11 . 
     The ground containment system  10  includes a plurality of spaced apart, vertical, angular-shaped, metal posts, having general reference numeral  12 . Each post  12  includes a inside post  14 , shown in  FIG. 2 , and an identical outside post  16  disposed next to each other and secured to each other using spaced apart, threaded post screws  18 . The inside post  14  and outside post  16  are used for receiving and holding parallel, horizontal plastic straps  20  disposed therebetween with one on top of the other for creating a selected height for the overall system  10 . 
     The straps  20  can have a width in a range of 2 to 4 inches and can vary in length. The length of the straps  20  can extend around the circumference of the containment system, with opposite ends of the straps secured between a metal post, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Also, the two posts  14  and  16  are used to hold a folded top portion  22  of a heavy plastic liner  24 . The metal posts  12  are typically 4 to 8 feet in length and have a width in a range of 1 to 1½ inches 
     In this drawing, the liner  22  has been placed on top of a ground surface  26  and attached to the top of the vertical posts  12 . The vertical posts  12  have been placed around a circumference of the ground containment system  10 . Also, liquid waste water  28  is shown being held inside the containment system  10  and next to the storage tank  11 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , another perspective view of the containment system  10  is shown with sections of the heavy plastic liner  24  place on the ground surface  26  and prior to heat sealing the liner together in one piece. When the liner  24  has been sealed, the top portion  22  of the liner is secured to the top of the posts  12 . The system  10  is now ready for receiving a storage tank or similar storage container inside it&#39;s perimeter. 
     In  FIG. 3 , a cross sectional view is shown, taken along lines  3 - 3 , of a vertical post  12  and horizontal straps  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , In this view, adjacent pairs of the straps  20  are shown compressed together between an inside post  14  and an outside post  16  using the post screws  18  for securing the posts together. Also, the top portion  22  of the liner is shown secured between the top of the inside post  14  and the top of the outside post  16 . 
     In  FIG. 3A , a front view of the inside post  14  is shown having spaced apart post screw holes  30  along a length of the post. The screw holes  30  are used for receiving ends of the post screws  18 . 
     In  FIG. 3B , a front view of the outside post  14  is shown having spaced apart post screws  18  along a length of the post. The outside post  14  also includes spaced apart post screw holes  30  for receiving the post screws  18  therethrough. 
     In  FIG. 4 , a cross sectional view is shown, taken along lines  4 - 4 , of a vertical post and horizontal straps, as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this view, the straps  20 , one on top of the other, are shown compressed together between an inside post  14  and an outside post  16  using the post screws  18  for securing the posts together. Also, the top portion  22  of the liner  24  is shown secured between the top of the inside post  14  and the top of the outside post  16 . 
     In  FIG. 4A , a front view of the inside post  14  is shown having spaced apart post screw holes  30  along a length of the post. The screw holes  30  are used for receiving ends of the post screws  18 . 
     In  FIG. 4B , a front view of the outside post  14  is shown having spaced apart post screws  18  along a length of the post. 
     In  FIG. 5 , a side view of one of the vertical metal posts  12  is shown and held in place using a ground anchor cable  32  and an angled anchor cable  34 . One end of the cables  32  and  34  are attached to eyelets  36 . The eyelets  36  are attached to post screws  18  disposed at the bottom of the posts and at a selected height on the posts, as shown in this drawing. An opposite end of the cables  32  and  34  are attached to one end of a tension spring  38 . An opposite end of the tension springs  38  is attached to a tension adjustment chain  40 . The tension springs and tension adjustment chains on the cables  32  and  34  are used for adjusting the tension placed on the vertical posts. An opposite end of the tension adjustment chains  40  is attached to a ground anchor  42 . The tension springs  38  and the tension adjustment chains  40  are used to hold the post  12  upright and in a vertical position. 
     In this drawing, waste water  28  is shown on top of a ground surface liner plastic liner  24  and being held in inside the containment system  10 . In should be noted, the cables  32  and  34 , tension springs  38 , tension adjustment chains  40 , and ground anchors  42  are shown in  FIG. 1 , disposed around the circumference of the containment system  10  for holding the vertical posts  12  in place. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed except as precluded by the prior art.