RED DEER, Alta. – The spread of clubroot by energy companies dragging contaminated soil from field to field can be eliminated with the use of an oilfield containment system, says its inventor.
Eric Wassick said his Enviro-Pads Containment System allows oilfield equipment to be easily washed before it enters and leaves a farmer’s field.
The system’s giant steel trays can be placed under rigs, semi trailers and heavy construction equipment to catch water, oil spills or clubroot-contaminated soil washed off the equipment.
“The Enviro-Pad is a viable option for the containment of this clubroot,” said Wassick from his Red Deer farm home.
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Depending on the side of the pads used, the metal trays can hold almost 1,000 gallons of fluid.
The pads click together almost like Lego blocks to allow for bigger equipment to be washed or prevent oil spills on the ground from fueling stations or drilling rigs.
Wassick invented the containment systems after years in the oilfield business watching oil drip to the ground and hazardous waste being washed off the equipment onto the ground or a piece of plastic.
“You’re not allow to wash the equipment onto the ground, but they do because there’s no enforcement,” said Wassick, who has worked around the world in the oil and gas business.
“I understand the need. When people wanted to wash equipment, it would be just dumped on the ground. I saw a better way.”
With Wassick’s system, any oil leaks or soil washed off the equipment is contained into a tray and sucked out with a vacuum truck.
“Everything falls below. When you drive off, the equipment is clean. They’re not driving through the crap they just washed off.”
Wassick’s Enviro-Pads are rented to oilfield companies around the world from the Arctic to the Amazon and Kuwait to Colombia.
In the Arctic, the precious water is vacuumed out of the tank, filtered and reused to clean the next piece of equipment.
Hazardous waste sucked out of the trays is taken to the appropriate disposal site.
“It’s an extremely simple, practical design, built to last 25 years,” he said.
Depending on its use, the pads are built out of stainless steel or aluminum.
Wassick believes farmers in clubroot-infected areas should demand energy companies that cross their land use the Enviro-Pads to clean their equipment.
The pads could be parked at the entrance of the field and any equipment entering or leaving the field could be washed, he said.
