Petro-Pipe®, Petro-Plug® and Petro-Barrier have been installed in the United States, Canada and other foreign countries in Oil containment systems around transformers in substations, oil tanks, Oil valves, storm drains and many other applications over the last ten years. Solidification Products International's patented products and systems allow for rain water to discharge passively continuously while only reacting with hydrocarbons in a spill scenario. All SPI products have been used in actual customer spills with no oil being released from any of the containment areas or drains. Spills to date have included over 200 gallons of Hot 150° #6 oil, 1000's of gallons of cable oil, numerous transformer oil spills, Diesel fuel, and hydraulic oil just to name a few. In all spills the product immediately sealed when contacted with the spilled hydrocarbon, totally containing any liquids from discharging.

A long time client of SPI that is located in California has installed Petro-Pipes® in hundreds of applications, providing water discharge during the rainy season and oil containment if needed from small spills to major failures. No fire had ever accompanied a spill with the use of the products until a transformer in Escondido, California exploded and all of the oil was discharged into the surrounding containment area. One Petro-Pipe® was installed in the concrete containment area to provide drainage and oil containment. When the explosion took place the majority of the oil spilled into the containment area while also being on fire. The fire raged for over three hours and exposed the Petro-Pipe® to extreme temperatures even laboratory testing could not have reproduced. The fire department responded, applying both water and foam. The fire extinguished itself after consuming the remaining oil.

Bill Gannon of SPI was contacted and asked to come to the site to evaluate how the Petro-Pipe® performed under these conditions. The Petro-Pipe® used in this application is two parts, a flanged 7" Diameter housing made of PVC and the actual 6" flanged Petro-Pipe® also made of PVC that slides into the housing and is attached with 5 stainless steel screws. The housing is cast into the 8" thick concrete wall and then the Petro-Pipe® is inserted into the housing. Upon viewing the pictures of the melted flange inside the containment area it was difficult to determine if the Petro-Pipe® withstood the severe conditions it was exposed to. While on site Gannon removed the Petro-Pipe® by driving the housing through the concrete containment wall with a sledge hammer. The Petro-Pipe® was removed and the melted flange examined. It appeared to be fused together where the two flanges were joined with the screws. With client personnel present, Gannon started to disassemble the melted Petro-Pipe®. Only the flange area had melted. The inside of the Petro-Pipe was intact. The next stage is the media that filters the water and stops the oil. The media was absorbed and solidified and it was removed from the inside of the Petro-Pipe . The oil had penetrated about 3-4 inches into the media and formed a solid jell material that binds to the Petro-Pipe® wall and prevents any more oil or water from escaping. Underneath the solidified layer was discolored unused media for the next 2 - 3 inches. The inner walls of the Petro-Pipe® were oil free and no oil had escaped down past the solidified portion of the media.

The clients other concern was if any oil escaped the area between the housing and the Petro-Pipe through the flanges. This area was also checked for oil with none present. The concrete containment wall had insulated the Petro-Pipe®. Even excessive temperature of a prolonged fire did not compromise the integrity of the Petro-Pipe®. The Petro-Pipe® performed as it was designed, not allowing any oil to escape the containment area despite extreme conditions.

Since the beginning of the company in 1991, SPI products have went through extensive internal testing and performed in extreme conditions. Now going on three decades, SPI continues to raise the bar in producing quality oil containment products that are second to none in the Utilities industry year after year!

For More Information Contact
Solidification Products International, Inc. (SPI)
Address:
524 Forest Road
P.O. Box 35
Northford, CT
USA, 06472
www.oilbarriers.com