Mass Technology Corp. understands the hazards involved with aboveground storage tank maintenance. In the past, cutting tank bottoms involved exposure to noxious fumes, risk of injury and asset loss. With Safe- Cut, a unique mobile hydrocutting service by Mass Technology, you'll lower your risks and free up time for completing other necessary tasks. Safe-Cut can easily cold-cut through the steel plate bottom of an aboveground storage tank using ultra-high-pressure water, allowing the cut to be performed in only one pass.
SPR oil storage
Safe-Cut's exclusive Ragworm ultra-highpressure waterjet cutting systems produce no additional risks of fire, generate no noxious fumes, are not labor-intensive and finish the job faster than conventional methods. Because Safe-Cut's process uses only a fraction of the water and abrasive of other watercutting systems, there is very little waste to clean up. Other crews on-site can work inside the tank while Safe-Cut is working because of the reduced risk of fire and lack of fumes. Custom cutting applications can be readily adapted for automated cuts in unconventional arrangements and can cut the storage tank shell above the wall ring or cut off a storage tank roof.
In the past, extraordinary methods and efforts were required to cut the floors out of tanks where the tank had been previously lined with fiberglass or epoxy flooring. However, Safe-Cut is the solution for all watercutting jobs involving aboveground storage tanks. Ultra-high-pressure waterjet cutting is perfect for any number of materials, so the possible uses are seemingly endless. Safe-Cut can cut pipe, plate, billets, rods, bar stock, slabs and multilayer laminates.
Even aboveground storage tanks with double- bottom floors are no problem for Safe-Cut. Because of corrosion and the possibility of leaking products, tanks sometimes need extra protection, which comes from a double-bottom floor. A membrane is added over the tank's old floor and covered with sand, and a second steel floor is added on top. When the second floor is added, the tank's vertical walls have slots cut in to help pull the steel plates through, making the steel wall thicker than normal. Safe-Cut can easily cold-cut this double-slotted shell in one pass, the same as any other cut.
Cold hydrocutting is safe in virtually all hazardous environments. The efficiency of the Safe-Cut cutting method makes this an economical solution for dismantling storage tanks and refineries and handling other industrial cutting requirements.
Andrew Conques, president of CC Tank Solutions, has worked with Mass Technology Corp. and used its services for more than a decade. He has utilized the Safe-Cut hydrocutting service in numerous projects for his clients and is always satisfied.
"Any time I've ever had a hydrocutting need or cold-cut removal process for a tank, I've always called Mass Technology," Conques explained. "I've utilized them so much because of their speed and the Safe- Cut technology they use. The amount of water injected into the bottom of the tank is minimal compared to other companies that do hydrocutting."
Conques also touted Mass Technology's safety, saying, "Their safety is second-to-none, and that's something we look for in all of our jobs. They do everything with robotics so they are able to stay away from the machines while they cut. Safe-Cut is extremely quiet compared to other technologies that use hydrocutting.
"The safety of the Safe-Cut system and the amount of water that gets injected into the tanks are huge selling points to my clients when I tell them that their tank isn't going to be a sloppy mess when it's finished."
Holloman Corp. Senior Project Manager Clay Roberts has also used Safe-Cut for 10-plus years with great success. "It's a really intelligent system they have in place; everything is automated and fast. It's very clean and safe. I've managed projects for clients where we've actually demolished complete storage tanks," he explained. "Most of what we work on with Safe-Cut is cold cutting bottoms and door sheets on tanks that might be susceptible to hydrocarbons or any sort of LELs that may flash if they were removed by hot cutting. Safe- Cut is an all-around safer alternative. I've recommended and introduced Safe-Cut to many of our clients, and now they go to Mass Technology exclusively."
Another service Mass Technology offers to keep tank maintenance and work safe is the addition of a biosolvant agent into leaking tanks. The agent is a 3-5 percent solution that reduces volatility, increases solubility, and accelerates the biodegradation of spilled oil and hydrocarbon products. Using the biosolvant helps to reduce LELs as Mass Technology's Safe-Cut experts cut into the bottom of your leaking tank. With this solution, there is a lower likelihood of explosions caused by gas and vapors produced by the leak. With no fire hazard, other crews can work inside the tank while Safe- Cut is working, meaning more productivity for customers.
For more information, contact Carl Bracken at cbracken@safe-cut.com or call (713) 725-6939.
