A containment pad has a single test to pass: when something spills, the liquid must stay where the design says it will. Everything we do on a bunded slab, a curbed tank area or a truck load-out apron is organized around that test, from the slope to the sump to the way the joints are sealed. Cracks, cold joints and penetrations are the usual failure points, so they get more attention than the surface finish.
We form and pour containment pads, curbed dikes, sump pits, truck unloading slabs and tank bases next to equipment pads for energy operators, plant owners and general contractors in Midland and the surrounding Basin. The owner's environmental consultant or engineer defines the required volume, the lining or coating and the inspection program. We build the concrete envelope so those items can be applied correctly, and we leave a record that shows what was placed, when and under what conditions.
This page walks through the industries we serve, the permitting questions that come up, our method, and the scheduling issues that decide how fast a containment area can go from forms to service.
Owners who need containment
Tank batteries, chemical storage, produced-water handling, fuel islands and truck load-out areas all rely on secondary containment. Oil, gas and midstream operators in the Basin are the most frequent buyers, and many sites sit on lease land reached by a caliche lease road. Processing plants and industrial users add containment around chemical totes, lube storage and wash bays.
Municipal and utility owners also call us. Water treatment chemicals, generator fuel tanks and substation oil-filled equipment may need dikes or sumps, and public works departments often want a clear maintenance and inspection plan with the pad. We outline what the owner will need to check after the pour, such as the sealant condition and any standing water, so the structure remains serviceable.
Specifications, drawings and who approves what
Containment design rests with the engineer of record, while the owner's environmental team sets the program. Between them they decide the volume to be held, the freeboard, the permitted drain arrangement and whether a coating, liner or additive is required. Our role is to build the pad to the issued drawings, to confirm that the specified materials are on site before the pour, and to document the work.
Where the local permit office or another authority reviews the structure, we allow time for that review on the calendar. Midland's roads help here: Interstate 20, Business I-20 along Wall Street and Front Street and former US 80, State Highways 158, 191 and 349, and Loops 40, 250 and 268 give truck access to most industrial areas, but a heavily loaded vessel or crane still needs a route check. We confirm weight limits and escorts with the owner before delivery day.
How we keep a containment slab tight
We start by reducing the joints. A larger monolithic pour with fewer construction joints is usually better than many small ones, so we plan crews and truck spacing to hold a continuous placement. Reinforcement is detailed to control crack width, and we check cover with a gauge before the pour. Penetrations for piping and drains are set before concrete goes in, with the sealing method called out in the drawings.
Curing is the second discipline. A containment slab that dries out too fast will crack, and cracks defeat the purpose. We cure promptly and keep the surface protected until the coating partner takes over. If the specification calls for a repair of defects before sealing, we document the repairs and the dates.
Containment around buildings and yards
Some containment is attached to a building: a chemical room inside a plant, a generator pad beside a hospital, a battery room in a data hall. Other containment lives in a yard, such as a bermed tank farm or a wash pad. A manufacturing plant may combine both, with trench drains leading from the production floor to an outdoor sump.
The type of facility decides who inspects it and how often. Inside a building, access for cleaning and inspection is usually easy. Outside, rain, dust and sun load the slab, so we plan for drainage and surface protection. We discuss the facility's operating practices with the owner so the pad matches how the site will really be used.
What the scope includes
A typical containment package includes grading the subgrade with a partner, forming the floor and the curbs, placing the reinforcement, pouring the slab and the dikes together where the design allows, setting sump boxes and pipe sleeves, finishing to the specified slope and curing. Sealants, liners and coatings are installed by specialty partners we coordinate. We confirm product compatibility with the concrete mix before the pour.
Caliche matters here. It forms where annual rainfall is below about 26 inches, and Midland's normal is 13.51 inches. Caliche is widely used as road base and performs poorly when wet, so a caliche subgrade under a containment slab needs proper drainage and compaction, and the geotechnical engineer should confirm it is acceptable as a base before forms are set.
Getting from forms to service
Containment work is on the critical path of many tank and plant projects, since equipment cannot be set or filled until the area is complete. We write a calendar that shows subgrade approval, formwork, steel inspection, pour, cure, coating and final inspection, with the day each partner is expected on site. When the owner has a commissioning date, we plan backward from it.
Road work can affect delivery. A state accessibility filing lists the I-20 reconstruction at Cotton Flat Road, covering main lanes and frontage roads from STA 750+00 to STA 824+00 at an estimated $46.7 million, with work from May 1, 2022 to January 1, 2025. SH 349 also follows a reliever route around the west side of Midland that opened December 10, 2009 and shares pavement with I-20 for about 10.2 miles. We watch detours and lane closures so trucks arrive when the mix is still workable.
Crews and partners
The containment scope assigns forms, placement, finishing and curing to the concrete specialists. We coordinate trade partners for earthwork, plumbing, coatings, liners and electrical items such as leak detection. Qualified trade partners handle utilities and earthwork, and each appears by name in the schedule we give the general contractor.
This keeps accountability clear. If a seal fails, the record shows who installed it and under what conditions. If the concrete has a defect, our pour log shows the date, the mix ticket and the weather. A clear record helps the owner act quickly and keeps small problems from growing.
Send the containment drawings
Share the civil and structural plans, the containment volume calculation and any coating specification. We will return a pour plan, a joint layout and a price that lists concrete and partner items separately.
Common Questions
How do you prevent cracks in a containment slab?
We reduce joints through larger continuous pours, follow the reinforcement detail closely, start curing immediately and avoid placing in the worst heat or wind. Cracks can still form, so the specification usually includes a coating or joint sealant for added protection.
Who decides how much volume the containment must hold?
The design engineer sets it, working with the owner's environmental consultant. We build to the dimensions on the drawings and check wall heights and floor elevations with a level before closing out.
Can a containment pad be poured on a caliche subgrade?
Sometimes. Caliche can make a firm base when it is dry and compacted, but it performs poorly when wet. The geotechnical engineer should approve it, and we coordinate drainage and proof rolling before forms are set.
What happens after the pour before coatings are applied?
The concrete cures and reaches the moisture and strength conditions the coating supplier requires. We share break results and surface tests with the coating partner so application starts on time.