Rig mat system and method of making the same
AssigneeStrad Energy Services Ltd.
InventorsLeonard BLEILE, Jared Michael BATHELT, Brian Matthew STASIEWICH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-layer rig mat system and a method for implementing the rig mat system is provided. The rig mat system has a rig mat formed by interconnecting a plurality of panels in an edge-to-edge arrangement and one or more barrier layers placed between the rig mat and the terrain. The barrier layer prevents contamination of the terrain below the rig mat by water and other undesirable fluids seeping through gaps or discontinuities in the rig mat. The barrier layer also prevents heat transmission from the rig mat to the terrain below the rig mat.
Claims32
A rig mat system for protecting a terrain from at least liquid, the system comprising:
- a plurality of panels having connecting edges;
- a rig mat comprising the plurality of panels interconnected by their connecting edges in an edge-to-edge arrangement, discontinuities being formed along the connecting edges and forming a leak path to the terrain below;
- and
- a barrier layer between the rig mat and the terrain,
- wherein a surface area of the barrier layer is at least equal to a surface area of the rig mat so as to form a substantially continuous liquid barrier between the discontinuities and the terrain.
A method for implementing a multi-layer rig mat system on a terrain for protecting the terrain from at least liquid, the method comprising:
- forming a barrier layer of a desired dimension;
- placing the barrier layer over the terrain;
- forming a rig mat of a desired dimension by arranging a plurality of panels in an edge-to-edge relationship and interconnecting the panels at connecting edges of the panels, discontinuities being formed along the connecting edges and forming a leak path to the terrain below;
- and
- placing the rig mat on the barrier layer such that the barrier layer is below the discontinuities in the rig mat and the barrier layer forms a substantially continuous liquid barrier between the discontinuities and the terrain.
The method of 19 wherein placing the rig mat on the barrier layer comprises offsetting the discontinuities in the rig mat from the section edges.
The system of 22 wherein the first stop comprises a first horizontal projection extending from the upstanding member of the first channel towards the depending member of the second channel and the second stop comprises a second horizontal projection extending from the depending member of the second channel towards the upstanding member of the first channel;
- wherein fitment of the filler in the assembly gap aligns the second horizontal projection below the first horizontal projection so as to prevent lifting of the depending member of the second channel from the recess of the first channel, and
- contacting of the second horizontal projection against the upstanding member of the first channel prevents relative movement of the second panel away from the first panel.
The system of 22 wherein the first stop comprises a first L-shaped member extending from the upstanding member of the first channel towards the depending member of the second channel, shorter base portion of the first L-shaped member is parallel to the depending member and the second stop comprises a second L-shaped member extending from the depending member of the second channel towards the upstanding member of the first channel, shorter base portion of the second L-shaped member is parallel to the upstanding member of the first channel, wherein contacting of the shorter base portion of the first L-shaped member against the depending member of the second channel prevents relative movement of second channel towards the first channel and contacting of the shorter base portion of the second L-shaped member against the upstanding member of the first channel prevents relative movement of second channel away the first channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.