Reducing The Environmental Risks Of Hydraulic Fracturing

U.S. Flood Control and the Tiger Dam™ System have been gaining popularity around the world for their involvement in the wake of natural disasters caused by flooding. CEO Paul Vickers has developed a new concept for the product’s use in hydraulic fracturing.

The original Tiger Dam™ System consists of a series of durable tubes filled with water (for temporary use) or concrete (for permanent use) which acts as a barricade between a threat and the area needing protection by replacing the need for sandbags. One tube is capable of replacing 500 sandbags and takes as little as 90 seconds to fill using a water pump.

Tiger Dams™ can be manipulated into almost any shape (circles, 90-degree angles) prior to filling to protect assets from potential damage. Once the threat has subsided, tubes filled with water can be drained and stored for future use making them a more cost-effective choice over traditional sandbags.

In October 2013, the 42-inch Super Tiger Dam™ product was awarded the Certificate of Compliance by The Association of State Floodplain Managers and FM Approvals for the product’s proven ability to decrease property risk.

Recently, Vickers has introduced a new application for the HAZMAT Tiger Dam™ System which has the potential to revolutionize hydraulic fracturing practices. Equipped with a “flow meter” and the capacity to hold one million litres of liquid (500,000 litres in each tube), the HAZMAT Tiger Dam™ is able to provide an accurate reading of fluid levels being used during the fracturing process.

Government regulating bodies, land owners, and residents of areas where fracturing takes place are constantly asking for answers as to what is going into their land and what is coming out. “They want facts, and now we’re going to give them facts. We can provide that information now in a very simplistic way,” says Vickers. The gauge is able to be read manually, directly onsite, but it also transmits the information electronically so that the numbers can be reviewed from anywhere in the world, on any device, including a laptop, mobile, or tablet.

Not only will the HAZMAT Tiger Dam™ System offer more confident numbers for fluids being used, the tubes also offer many environmental benefits as well. When comparing the Tiger Dam™ tubes to holding ponds (an open-water storage method commonly used in fracturing), the Tiger Dams™ offer a secure, enclosed storage option which protects the integrity of the freshwater source and contains the waste – water that is extracted from the well. While wildlife such as deer and birds can be harmed by holding ponds if the animals find themselves drinking from or landing in the pond, the Tiger Dams™ are completely enclosed and secured in place, protecting wildlife from the risks associated with the water sources.

Another environmentally-friendly aspect to the Tiger Dam™ System is the fact that the tubes are reusable. When extraction is completed at a site, the tubes can be properly drained and reused at other wells, greatly reducing the hazardous waste in landfills, and also saving hydraulic fracturing projects financially by reducing supply costs.

With an emphasis on environmental sustainability and the ability to provide accurate information, the Tiger Dam™ System has the potential to alter hydraulic fracturing practices currently used. When asked what the future may hold for U.S. Flood Control and the Tiger Dam™ System, Vickers stated, “[now that the product has been certified for flood protection, the] next step is to protect fracturing sites. [I envision] regulations changing since the technology is available.”