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Sommaire du brevet 2772439 

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Disponibilité de l'Abrégé et des Revendications

L'apparition de différences dans le texte et l'image des Revendications et de l'Abrégé dépend du moment auquel le document est publié. Les textes des Revendications et de l'Abrégé sont affichés :

  • lorsque la demande peut être examinée par le public;
  • lorsque le brevet est émis (délivrance).
(12) Brevet: (11) CA 2772439
(54) Titre français: DOUBLURES DE CONFINEMENT DE SOL
(54) Titre anglais: GROUND CONTAINMENT LINERS
Statut: Octroyé
Données bibliographiques
(51) Classification internationale des brevets (CIB):
  • B32B 5/28 (2006.01)
  • B65D 90/24 (2006.01)
  • E04H 7/02 (2006.01)
  • F16N 31/00 (2006.01)
(72) Inventeurs :
  • POWELL, BETH P. (Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
(73) Titulaires :
  • NEW PIG CORPORATION (Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
(71) Demandeurs :
  • NEW PIG CORPORATION (Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
(74) Agent: SMART & BIGGAR LP
(74) Co-agent:
(45) Délivré: 2015-09-08
(22) Date de dépôt: 2012-03-23
(41) Mise à la disponibilité du public: 2013-05-04
Requête d'examen: 2014-05-27
Licence disponible: S.O.
(25) Langue des documents déposés: Anglais

Traité de coopération en matière de brevets (PCT): Non

(30) Données de priorité de la demande:
Numéro de la demande Pays / territoire Date
61/555,523 Etats-Unis d'Amérique 2011-11-04
13/404,992 Etats-Unis d'Amérique 2012-02-24

Abrégés

Abrégé français

La présente invention a trait à des gaines de confinement conçues pour protéger lenvironnement contre les déversements et les fuites sur des sites de production de pétrole ou de gaz et dautres sites. La gaine de confinement comprend une première couche de géotextile feutré et une couche barrière en polymère partiellement intégrée à la couche de géotextile feutré.


Abrégé anglais

The present invention provides containment liners to protect the environment from spills and leaks at oil and/or gas production sites and other sites. The containment liner comprises a first felt geotextile layer and a polymeric barrier layer embedded partially into the felt geotextile layer.

Revendications

Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.





CLAIMS:
1. A containment liner comprising:
a first felt geotextile layer;
a second felt geotextile layer covering at least a portion of the first felt
geotextile layer; and
at least one liquid impermeable polymeric barrier layer between the first and
second felt geotextile layers partially embedded into the first and second
felt geotextile layers,
wherein the at least one partially embedded polymeric barrier layer extends
into the felt
geotextile layers at least 5 percent of a thickness of the felt geotextile
layers.
2. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer comprises a single layer that is partially embedded
into both of the
first and second felt geotextile layers.
3. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer extends into the felt geotextile layers from 10 to 80
percent of the
thickness of the felt geotextile layers.
4. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer extends into the felt geotextile layers from 15 to 50
percent of the
thickness of the felt geotextile layers.
5. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer extends into the felt geotextile layers a distance of
from 3 to 30 mil.
6. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and
second
felt geotextile layers comprises a heat treated surface.
7. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the first and second felt
geotextile
layers comprise heat treated outer surfaces.
- 13 -




8. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the first and second felt
geotextile
layers comprise fibers selected from wool, hemp, coconut, jute, polyester,
polypropylene,
nylon, rayon, polytetrafluoroethylene, aromatic polyamide aramid, poly para-
phenyleneterephthalamide and a combination thereof.
9. The containment liner of Claim 8, wherein the fibers are nonwoven.
10. The containment liner of Claim 8, wherein the fibers are woven.
11. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the first and second felt
geotextile
layers comprise needlepunched polypropylene or woven reinforced needlepunched
polypropylene.
12. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the first and second felt
geotextile
layers have thicknesses of from 25 to 500 mil.
13. The containment liner of Claim 12, wherein the thicknesses of the first
and
second felt geotextile layers are the same.
14. The containment liner of Claim 12, wherein the thicknesses of the first
and
second felt geotextile layers are different.
15. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer is extruded.
16. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer comprises polypropylene, thermoplastic olefin, linear
low-density
polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-
density
polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate.
polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), nylon, polystyrene, polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, styrene block
copolymers or
a combination thereof.
17. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein the at least one partially
embedded
polymeric barrier layer comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, thermoplastic
olefins or a
combination thereof.
-14-




18. The containment liner of Claim 1, wherein a non-embedded portion of
each
partially embedded polymeric barrier layer has a thickness of from 2 to 60
mils.
19. The containment liner of Claim 1, comprising at least two of the
partially
embedded polymeric barrier layers, wherein one of the partially embedded
polymeric barrier
layers is partially embedded in the first felt geotextile layer, and another
one of the partially
embedded polymeric barrier layers is partially embedded in the second felt
geotextile layer.
20. The containment liner of Claim 19, further comprising at least one
intermediate
layer between the at least two partially embedded polymeric barrier layers.
21. The containment liner of Claim 20, wherein the intermediate layer
comprises
polypropylene, thermoplastic olefin, linear low-density polyethylene, low-
density
polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene,
polyethylene
terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon,
polystyrene,
polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate, styrene block copolymers or a
combination thereof.
22. The containment liner of Claim 20, wherein the intermediate layer
comprises
multiple polymeric layers.
23. The containment liner of Claim 20, wherein the intermediate layer
comprises
reinforcements selected from the group consisting of fibers, strings, scrim
cloth and
combinations thereof.
24. The containment liner of Claim 1, further comprising another
containment liner
section having an edge sealed to an edge of the containment liner.
25. The containment liner of Claim 24, wherein the edges are sealed by a
half lap
joint.
26. The containment liner of Claim 1, further comprising a berm surrounding
at
least a portion of the containment liner.
27. A containment liner comprising:
- 15 -




a felt geotextile layer; and
a liquid impermeable polymeric barrier layer partially embedded into the felt
geotextile layer, wherein the partially embedded polymeric barrier layer
extends into the felt
geotextile layer at least 5 percent of a thickness of the felt geotextile
layer, and the felt
geotextile layer comprises a heat treated surface on a side of the felt
geotextile layer opposite
from the polymeric barrier layer.
28. A method of making a containment liner comprising:
providing a first felt geotextile layer;
providing a second felt geotextile layer covering a portion of the first felt
geotextile layer; and
extruding a liquid impermeable polymeric barrier layer material adjacent to
the
first felt geotextile layer to thereby partially embed at least a portion of
the polymeric barrier
layer material into the first felt geotextile layer, wherein the partially
embedded polymeric
barrier layer extends into the first felt geotextile layer at least 5 percent
of a thickness of the
first felt geotextile layer.
29. The method of Claim 28, wherein the polymeric barrier layer material
contacts
the first felt geotextile layer in a molten state.
30. The method of Claim 28, wherein the polymeric barrier layer material is

extruded at a temperature of from 175 to 300°C.
31. The method of Claim 28, further comprising pressing the first felt
geotextile
layer and the polymeric barrier layer material together after the extrusion
step.
32. The method of Claim 31, wherein the pressing step is performed by nip
rollers.
33. The method of Claim 31, wherein the pressing step is performed at a
temperature of from 4 to 300°C.
- 16 -

Description

Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.


CA 02772439 2012-03-23
GROUND CONTAINMENT LINERS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
100011 The present invention relates to ground liners useful for the
containment of waste
water and other potential contaminants at oil and gas well sites, and other
locations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Efforts have been made to contain various types of contaminants at oil
and gas
well sites. For example, at non-conventional shale gas drilling sites, there
are large quantities of
fuel, drilling mud, fracturing chemicals, corrosives and flowback water.
Spills of any of these
liquids must be reported to regulatory agencies, and the contaminated soil and
water must be
remediated. To reduce the amount of contaminated soil and water and to
eliminate regulatory
fines, many operating companies excavate the site, cover it with stone or
crushed rock, place a
geotextile over the crushed rock, and then loosely place a geomembrane over
the surface. For
non-conventional shale gas drilling sites, the preferred geotextile is an 8 to
10 oz/ yd2
needlepunched polypropylene felt and the geomembrane is a 20 to 60 mil thick
high density
polyethylene (HDPE). The geotextile protects the geomembrane from sharp edges
in the stone or
crushed rock base. The felt is either sewn or heat tacked together with a hot
air tool. The
geomembrane is then placed over the geotextile and welded together with a hot
wedge welder, a
hot air tool or an extrusion fillet welder.
[0003] Once the layers are installed at the well site, the geomembrane is
pulled over
earthen berms, railroad ties or corrugated pipe to form containment walls
around the perimeter.
The geomembrane then contains the leaks and spills for subsequent removal,
e.g., until an on-site
vacuum truck can remove them without impact to the environment.
[0004] There are issues with the current configurations. Traditional HDPE
geomembranes for ponds and pits were not designed for foot and vehicle
traffic. HPDE
geomembranes are prone to punctures, e.g., from dropped hoses, vehicles and
equipment
movement. The geomembranes are also extremely slippery to work on, even with a
textured
- 1 -

CA 02772439 2012-03-23
surface. Friction treatment of geomembrane or geotextile surfaces to prevent
slippage is
disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,056,960 and 5,137,393, respectively.
[0005] To increase traction in standing water, snow and ice, some operating
companies
now place, but do not bond, an additional layer of a geotextile over the HDPE
geomembrane to
reduce slip hazards. For example, an 8 to 10 oz/yd2 needlepunched
polypropylene felt may be
used for this purpose. While the geotextile improves traction on the top
walking surface, it has
disadvantages. The geotextile slides around on the geomembrane, producing a
slip hazard.
Geotextiles can bunch and can be pulled into vacuum hoses while removing
liquids from the
surface. Geotextiles can also absorb a considerable amount of fluid that then
can freeze, negating
any increased traction. Loose geotextiles can mask punctures in the
geomembrane beneath it,
which may only be discovered after a spill or leak. Furthermore, the
geotextiles complicate the
installation of grounding rods through the geomembrane, since the geotextiles
need to be cut
away so the geomembrane can be sealed to the grounding rod.
[0006] A polymer sheet that has geotextiles laminated on both sides is
disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 5,747,134 for use in ponds, landfills and hazardous and non-
hazardous waste
disposal. The covers and barriers are designed to provide primary containment,
but not to
withstand foot and/or vehicle traffic. Because this laminate is not subject to
abrasion and/or
shear forces, the three separate continuous layers can be joined together by
tie layers or with
adhesive. While this laminate protects the geomembrane from punctures on both
sides, tie layers
and adhesives are not adequate to prevent delamination under heavy vehicle
traffic, such as
cranes, frac tanks and track hoes at gas drilling pads. Once delaminated, the
layers can move
around and result in the same issues as the loose laid geotextiles. The
continuous polymer sheet
also leads to thick, stepped seams, which can be a tripping hazard.
[0007] The present invention has been developed in view of the foregoing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides containment liners to protect the
environment
from spills and leaks, for example, at oil and/or gas production sites such as
drilling sites and
surrounding areas.
- 2 -

CA 02772439 2014-10-08
79461-120(S)
[0009] An aspect of the present invention is to provide a containment liner
comprising a first
felt geotextile layer, a second felt geotextile layer covering at least a
portion of the first felt
geotextile layer, and at least one polymeric barrier layer between the first
and second felt
geotextile layers, wherein the at least one polymeric barrier layer is
embedded into at least one
of the first and second felt geotextile layers.
[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a containment
liner comprising a
felt geotextile layer, and a polymeric barrier layer embedded into the felt
geotextile layer,
wherein the felt geotextile layer comprises a heat treated surface on a side
of the felt
geotextile layer opposite from the polymeric barrier layer.
[0011] A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of
making a
containment liner comprising providing at least one felt geotextile layer, and
extruding a
polymeric barrier layer material adjacent to the at least one felt geotextile
layer to thereby
embed at least a portion of the polymeric barrier layer material into the at
least one felt
geotextile layer.
[0011a] A further aspect of the invention is to a containment liner
comprising: a first felt
geotextile layer; a second felt geotextile layer covering at least a portion
of the first felt
geotextile layer; and at least one liquid impermeable polymeric barrier layer
between the first
and second felt geotextile layers partially embedded into the first and second
felt geotextile
layers, wherein the at least one partially embedded polymeric barrier layer
extends into the
felt geotextile layers at least 5 percent of a thickness of the felt
geotextile layers.
[0011b] A further aspect of the invention is to a containment liner
comprising: a felt
geotextile layer; and a liquid impermeable polymeric barrier layer partially
embedded into the
felt geotextile layer, wherein the partially embedded polymeric barrier layer
extends into the
felt geotextile layer at least 5 percent of a thickness of the felt geotextile
layer, and the felt
geotextile layer comprises a heat treated surface on a side of the felt
geotextile layer opposite
from the polymeric barrier layer.
- 3 -

CA 02772439 2014-10-08
79461-120(S)
[0011e] A further aspect of the invention is to a method of making a
containment liner
comprising: providing a first felt geotextile layer; providing a second felt
geotextile layer
covering a portion of the first felt geotextile layer; and extruding a liquid
impermeable
polymeric barrier layer material adjacent to the first felt geotextile layer
to thereby partially
embed at least a portion of the polymeric barrier layer material into the
first felt geotextile
layer, wherein the partially embedded polymeric barrier layer extends into the
first felt
geotextile layer at least 5 percent of a thickness of the first felt
geotextile layer.
[0012] These and other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent
from the
following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Fig. 1 is a partially schematic side sectional view of a containment
liner in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] Fig. 2 is a partially schematic side sectional view of a containment
liner in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Fig. 3 is a partially schematic side sectional view of a containment
liner in
accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] Fig. 4 is a partially schematic side sectional view of a containment
liner in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Fig. 5 is a partially schematic side sectional view of a containment
liner in
accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] Fig. 6 is a partially schematic side sectional view of a containment
liner in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
- 3a -

CA 02772439 2012-03-23
[0019] Fig. 7 is a partially schematic exploded side view illustrating various
layers of a
containment liner in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] Fig. 7A is an enlarged view of a portion of one of the layers shown in
Fig. 7.
[0021] Fig. 8 illustrates a section of a containment liner and berm in
accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Fig. 9 is illustrates a section of a containment liner and berm in
accordance with
another embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Fig. 10 is a partially schematic plan view of a containment liner
comprising side
berms and central openings or cellars to accommodate drilling equipment in
accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Fig. 11 is a partially schematic isometric view of a roll of
containment liner sheet
material in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Fig. 12 is a partially schematic side view illustrating a seam between
adjacent
containment liner sections in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0026] Fig. 13 is a partially schematic side view illustrating a seam between
adjacent
containment liner sections in accordance with another embodiment of the
present invention.
[0027] Fig. 14 is a partially schematic side view illustrating a seam between
adjacent
containment liner sections in accordance with a further embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] An embodiment of the present invention provides a containment liner
that
provides an all-weather work surface for various sites. The containment liner
may comprise an
integrated composite including at least one polymeric barrier layer embedded
into and between
outer layers of a puncture-resistant felt base, and a slip-resistant work
surface felt that is also
resistant to puncture and abrasion. In accordance with the present invention,
the term
"embedded", when referring to the polymeric barrier layers, means that at
least a portion of the
polymeric material of the barrier layer flows into and impregnates the
adjacent felt layer such that
voids between the felt fibers are at least partially filled with the polyermic
barrier material. In
certain embodiments, one of the longitudinal edges of the containment liner
composite is not
covered by the base felt layer and the opposite longitudinal edge is not
covered by the surface felt
- 4 -

CA 02772439 2015-03-12
79461-120(S)
layer in order to form felt-free offsets for thermal joining of contiguous
sections of the
composite liners.
[0029] Figs. 1-6 schematically illustrate containment liners in
accordance with
embodiments of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a
containment
liner 1 includes two felt geotextile layers 10, each of which comprises an
interior felt material
section 11, a heat treated outer surface 12 and an impregnated region 13
comprising polymeric
barrier layer material embedded in the felt material. The containment liner 1
comprises two
polymeric barrier layers 15. A portion of each polymeric barrier layer 15 is
embedded in an
adjacent felt geotextile layer 10 to form a region 14 comprising the embedded
portion 13 of
the polymeric barrier layer material and a non-embedded portion 15 of the
polymer barrier
layer material. The felt geotextile layers 10 are offset with respect to each
other to form an
offset edge providing a seam bonding surface 20 comprising exposed surfaces of
the polymer
barrier layers 15.
[0030] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the containment liner 2 is
similar to the
embodiment shown in Fig. 1, with the addition of an intermediate layer 30
positioned between
the embedded regions 14 of the felt geotextile layers 10. In the embodiment
shown in Fig. 2,
one of the offset edges providing a seam bonding surface 20 comprises an
exposed surface of
the polymeric barrier layer 15, while the other offset edge providing a seam
bonding surface
comprises an exposed surface of the intermediate layer 30.
20 [0031] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the containment liner
3 is similar to the
embodiment shown in Fig. 2, except the lower felt geotextile layer 110 is of
greater thickness
than the upper felt geotextile layer 10.
[0032] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the containment liner 4 is
similar to the
embodiment shown in Fig. 2, with the addition of a separate loose laid
puncture-resistant layer
36 below the containment liner 4. The puncture-resistant layer 36 may be any
suitable
material such as a needlepunched material that may be placed over an aggregate
base (not
shown) prior to installation of the containment liner 4.
[0033] In the embodiment of Fig. 5, the containment liner 5 comprises
a single felt
geotextile layer 10 and single polymeric barrier layer is secured to an
intermediate layer 30.
In this embodiment, the containment liner 5 may be installed over a loose laid
puncture-
resistant layer 36.
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CA 02772439 2014-10-08
79461-120(S)
[0034] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the containment liner 6 comprises a
single felt .
zeotextile layer 10 and a single polymeric barrier layer 15 is secured to an
intermediate layer 30.
In this embodiment, the containment liner 6 may be installed in a desired area
first, followed by =
installation of the separate puncture-resistant layer 36.
[0035] The felt layers 11 may comprise fibers such as natural fibers,
e.g., wool, hemp,
coconut and jute, or synthetic fibers, e.g., polyester, polypropylene, nylon,
rayon,
polytetrafluoroethylene cfetIonP1, aromatic pOlyamide aramid (Nomex) TM and
poly-para-
phenyleneterephthalamide (Kevlar) TM. The felt layers 11 may also comprise a
blend of such natural
and synthetic fibers. The felts layers 11 may be produced by pressed, needled,
fleeced, and other .
nonwoven and woven techniques. Woven reinforced felts may be used. The fibers
of the felt
may be bonded together by various types of polymeric resins. A preferred
material is
needlepunched felt because of its abrasion and puncture resistance. In certain
embodiments, the =
felt may be treated with an antistatic agent and/or may contain conductive
fibers to reduce the =
risk of a spark in flammable environments. =
= [0036] In certain embodiments, a surface of each felt layer 11 may be
heat treated to
provide the heat treated outer surfaces 12 illustrated in Figs. 1-6. Heat
treatment may be =
accomplished by infrared radiation, hot calendaring or any other suitable heat
source. Typical
temperature ranges for the heat treatment are from 110 to 175 C. The felt
layers 11 may have a
low-heat set side and a high-heat set side, or, as with the natural fibers,
may be surface stabilized
with an adhesive. The low-heat set side provides bonding depth and an
entanglement area for the.
adjacent polymeric barrier layer. The high-beat set side provides an improved
abrasion-resistant
surface to protect the entanglement area. This reduces the amount of scuffing
and pilling during
use. =
[0037] The use of polymeric barrier layers 15 embedded in felt layers 11
in accordance =
with the present invention avoids problems associated with conventional bonded
layers. =
Adhesives tend to have limited tolerance to low and high temperatures, as well
as compatibility
with hydrocarbons and corrosives that may be present at drilling, fracturing
and completion sites.
This leads to delamination in the field under shear forces. Tie layers, which
adhere dissimilar =
Materials together, are typically 0.2 mil to I mil thick. This results in
limited surface contact
with the felt, yielding low mechanical interlock, which leads to delamination
in the field under
= =
- 6 -
=

CA 02772439 2012-03-23
shear forces. The embedded barrier layers of the present invention eliminate
the need for
adhesives or tie layers.
[0038] The embedded polymeric barrier layers 15 of the present invention may
comprise
hydrocarbon and acid-resistant extruded plastic resins, such as polypropylene
(PP), thermoplastic
olefins (TP0s), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), low-density
polyethylene (LDPE),
medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE),
polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyvinyl chloride
(PVC), nylon,
polystyrene, polyurethane, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), styrene block
copolymers (SBC) such
as styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-isobutylene-styrene (SIBS), styrene
isoprene polymer
(SIP), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and the like.
[0039] The intermediate layers 30 as shown in Figs. 2-6 may comprise similar
polymeric
layers as the polymeric barrier layers 15. In certain embodiments as shown in
Figs. 7 and 7A, the
intermediate layer 30 may comprise multiple layers 31, 32 and 33, which may be
the same or
different from each other. In one embodiment, the upper layer 31 may be a
thermoplastic
polyolefin, while the middle layer 32 and lower layer 33 may be polypropylene.
At least one of
the layers 31, 32 and 33 may comprise reinforcements, such as fibers, strings,
scrim cloth or the
like.
[0040] In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, polymeric
barrier layer
resins are extruded directly into a side of the felt, for example, a low-heat
set side of the felt.
This provides an embedded mechanical interlock and eliminates the need for
adhesives. In
certain embodiments, the extruded resin barrier layers 15 may be at least 2 or
3 mils thick and
can be as thick as 30, 60 or 100 mils or more. The barrier layers 15 extend
into the adjacent felt
layers 11 a distance of at least 1 or 2 mils, typically at least 3 mils. Thus,
the embedded portion
13 of the polymeric barrier material as shown in Figs. 1-6 may have a typical
thickness of from 3
to 30 mils. The interlocking in the embedded portion 13 creates a strong
cohesive bond that does
not pull apart.
[0041] To prevent a slippery surface, the embedded polymeric barrier layer
material
should not extend through the entire thickness of felt. For example, extruding
5 mils of a
polypropylene barrier layer into a 3 oz/ yd2 felt may result in bleed through
of the barrier layer
onto the exposed surface of the felt. Bleed through may also make the
composite less tear and
- 7 -

CA 02772439 2012-03-23
abrasion resistant. For example, in an 8 oz/yd2 needlepunch fabric, the
barrier layer resin may be
embedded 10 to 80 percent into the thickness of the needlepunch, typically
from 15 to 50 percent.
Since the felt layers 11 and the barrier layers 15 are fused together,
slippage between the layers is
avoided and the composite is safer to walk on. Additionally, the composite can
be treated on
site, e.g., with brine solutions to prevent the formation of slippery ice
during cold weather and,
since there are no voids between the barrier layer and the felt, the brine
stays on the felt layer
where it is most effective.
100421 In accordance with the present invention, the resin of the barrier
layer may be
matched to a resin contained in the felt. The matched resins do not require
tie layers to achieve
adequate bond, which eliminates weak adhesion transition zones that can lead
to delamination.
Furthermore, the matched resins provide similar resin types for recycling
purposes. For example,
gas drilling pad liners are installed for short durations, typically one week
to one year. Without a
means of recycling the large covered area, significant amounts of liner are
disposed of in
landfills. Needlepunched polypropylene felt provides good chemical and
puncture resistance in a
recyclable resin. By using polypropylene-based resins in the barrier layer,
the composite can be
pressure washed or elutriated to remove dirt and grime, and then recycled in
its entirety as
polypropylene. Current liners that use dissimilar resin types in the
geomembrane and the
geotextile need to have the layers physically separated as not to contaminate
the recycle streams.
Also, lighter barrier films (e.g., 10 mils) used in accordance with
embodiments of the present
invention produce less material to landfill if the material is not recycled.
[0043] The polymeric barrier layers 15 may include modified resins in portions
of the
layers that may not significantly impact recyclability but may improve overall
performance. For
example, rubber modified resins, such as rubberized thermoplastic olefin (r-
TPO) and impact-
copolymer polypropylene, may be added to the polymeric barrier layer to
provide improved cold
crack resistance over straight polypropylene resins. In one embodiment, such
resins are not
provided on the top surface of the polymeric barrier layer due to decreased
chemical resistance to
hydrocarbons, such as gasoline and diesel fuel.
[0044] In certain embodiments of the invention, the composite containment
liners are
capable of being seamed together in the field to cover relatively large areas.
Otherwise, a single
sheet of material would be extremely heavy to position, especially when wet.
For example, non-
- 8 -

CA 02772439 2015-03-12
= .` 79461-120(S)
conventional drilling sites utilizing a fracturing step tend to range in size
from 150 x 150 feet
to over 400 x 400 feet. The containment liners may also be pieced and seamed
together
around well bore cellars and other structures.
[0045] Typical seam sealing techniques include hot air and hot
wedge lamination.
Since thermally welded felt-to-felt seams are not liquid tight without using a
sealant, or
without using an extremely slow wedge welding speed, the composite containment
liners may
be seamed by fusing together the embedded polymeric barrier film layers 15 on
adjacent
sections. A composite containment liner with an embedded polymeric barrier
layer exposed
on the top side of an offset edge providing a seam bonding surface 20 of one
longitudinal edge
and on the bottom side of an offset edge providing a seam bonding surface 20
of the opposite
edge may be used. Thus, side-by-side sections of the composite containment
liners can be
seamed together using, e.g., a half lap joint to form a liquid-tight seal that
has minimal raised
or loose edges. Low-profile seams mitigate tripping, and reduce the
probability of the seam
being snagged and pulled open by traffic and equipment movement.
[0046] Thermal seam sealing equipment typically has a sealing or fusion
width of 1.5
to 3 inches. Narrow offsets provide for very little room for error during the
seaming process.
Conversely on wide offsets, if the seaming process is not carried out close to
the exposed edge
of the offset, it can result in an unfused flap that can be caught by moving
equipment. The
offset distance D may be from 1 to 6 inches, typically from 2 to 3 inches.
[0047] The containment liners of the present invention may be made by
extrusion
processes that embed the polymeric barrier layers 15 into the felt layers 11.
An embodiment
of the present invention provides a two extrusion die process, such a tandem
coating line or a
two-pass operation. The dies can provide monolayer or coextruded films. If a
coextrusion die
is used, a modified resin may be used in the center layer. Alternatively, the
composite may be
made in a single pass with a single die. However, by extruding a polymeric
barrier layer into
each felt layer separately, it is unlikely that any pinholes in one layer
would align with any
pinholes in other layers through the composite. In an alternative embodiment,
an additional
separate film can also be thermally fused to the embedded polymeric barrier
layer in an
extrusion nip. This film can contain the modified resins. If may also contain
tints or pigments
to designate which side of the composite contains the additional film.
- 9 -

CA 02772439 2012-03-23
[0048] The combined felt layer and embedded polymeric barrier layer, with or
without a
thermally fused film that matches the width, can be laminated together with
offsets in a number
of ways. For example, the low-heat set side of a first felt layer can be
coated with a first
polymeric barrier layer in an extrusion nip. The coated material then passes
into a second
extrusion nip where the low-heat set side of a second felt layer of
approximately the same width
is also coated with a second polymeric barrier layer. The two coated felts may
be offset from
each other by 1 to 12 inches and, with the polymeric barrier layers facing
each other, may be
pressed together while the second extruded barrier layer is still molten. In
another embodiment,
the polymeric barrier layers may be embedded into the felts in separate
operations and then
joined together in an extrusion nip or by heating the embedded film surfaces
and pressing
together. Finished roll edges may be trimmed to 1 to 6 inch offset width,
preferably 2 to 3 inch
for ease of seaming in the field.
[0049] If a separate heat fused intermediate layer is incorporated, it may be
limited to the
width of the felt in the first extruder of a tandem line or in the first step
of the two-pass operation.
Extending this film past the felt to provide an offset for the second extruder
to cast upon may
result in poor adhesion of the separate heat fused film to the second embedded
barrier film of the
second felt layer in this offset area. This is due to the reduced thickness of
the offset, which
results in a low pressure area in the nip rollers. Since heat, pressure and
dwell time are critical to
fuse the layers together without adhesive, such a low-pressure area can result
in unwanted
delamination in the field. A separate film may thus be limited to one of the
sealing offsets unless
a contoured nip system is used.
100501 Fig. 8 illustrates a section of a containment liner 40 wrapped around a
pipe 46 to
form a berm. An edge 45 of the containment liner is secured to the remainder
of the containment
liner 40 by any suitable method such as heat bonding. The pipe 46 may be
smooth or corrugated,
or could be replaced with a solid material such as a railroad tie or a plastic
barrier. Stakes 50
including upper hooks 52 may be used to keep the berm from shifting. The upper
portion of each
stake 50 provides an area to drive the stake 50 into the ground, e.g., by a
hammer drill.
[0051] Fig. 9 illustrates a section of a containment liner 40 including a berm
60 wrapped
in the composite liner 40. An additional strip of liner material 47 may
optionally be positioned
below the berm 60 and may be bonded to the underside of the containment liner
40 by any
- 10 -

CA 02772439 2015-03-12
79461-120(S)
suitable means such as heat bonding. An optional tethering rod or rope 65
extending along
the length of the berm 60 may be used to stake the berm into the ground to
prevent movement
thereof. In the embodiment shown, the berm 60 has a rectangular cross section,
however, any
other suitable shape such as triangular or crowned may be used. The berm 60
may be made of
solid or hollow material such as plastic, foam, wood or the like.
[0052] Fig. 10 illustrates a containment liner 40 comprising side
berms 72 and 74, and
central openings or cellars 70 configured to accommodate drilling equipment in
accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention. The berms 72 and 74 may be of
similar or
different construction. For example, the side berm 72 may be relatively hard,
while the side
berm 74 may be relatively soft or elastic to enable vehicular traffic or other
equipment to enter
onto the containment liner 40.
[0053] Fig. 11 illustrates a roll 48 of containment liner sheet
material 40 in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention. The containment liner 40 includes
offset edges
providing a seam bonding surface 20 for sealing adjacent liner sections
together, as described
above. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the roll 48
may be used to
install multiple sections of the containment liner 40 over a desired area. A
desired length of
the containment liner 40 may be rolled out across a portion of the site and
cut to length. Then
the same roll 48, or a different roll, may be used to roll out another section
of the containment
liner 40 next to the first section, and so on until the entire area is
covered. The adjacent
sections of containment liner 40 may then be sealed together, as described
above.
[0054] Figs. 12-14 illustrate embodiments of various joints for
sealing adjacent
sections of containment liners 40 together. In Fig. 12, the seal S comprises a
full lap joint
41 between the lower surface of one containment liner section 40 and the upper
surface
of another containment liner section 40. In Fig. 13, the seal S comprises a
half lap joint
42 that provides a low profile. The edges of the containment liner sections 40
have
offsets similar to those illustrated in Figs. 1-6 which fit together to
provide a half lap joint
42. In Fig. 14, the seal S is similar to the half lap joint illustrated in
Fig. 13, however, in
addition to a central half lap joint 43, the seal S of Fig. 14 includes side
joints 44 that
provide additional seam strength. Such a modified half lap joint 43, 44
minimizes the
joint height and increases seam flexibility as compared to a full lap joint as
shown in Fig.
12, while increasing seam strength as compared to a half lap joint as shown in
Fig.
- 11 -

CA 02772439 2014-10-08 =
79461-120(S)
= 13. The modified half lap joint 43, 44 may have about 0.25 to 0.5 inch of
the sealing offset 44
extending beyond the typical sealing area 43 of a half lap joint. It extends
onto the outer surface
of the liner where it is bonded to create a stronger seam. The side joints 44
of the
'modified half lap joint may be present on one or both surfaces of the liner.
If present on both -
surfaces, it may be optional to bond only one of the extended portions to the
felt.
[0055] The following example illustrates various aspects of the present
invention, and is
hot intended to limit the scope of the invention.
EXAMPLE
[0056] Three variations of containment liners were made with varying
thicknesses of
=
polymeric barrier layers of 10 mil, 20 mil and 30 mil. A layer of
needlepunched polypropylene .
felt having a density of 8 oz/yd2 was coated with HDPE using an extruder
having multiple die =
holes through which the molten HDPE passed. After the extruded HDPE was
applied to the
surface of the felt, another layer of similar needlepunched polypropylene felt
was placed on the
Molten HDPE coating and the layers were passed through a chilled roll nip.
Testing was
conducted in accordance with the standardized ASTM test procedures listed in
Table 1 below.
=
The measured physical properties are shown in Table 1.
Table 1
Containment Liner Physical Properties
Tensile Properties
=
(Max Strength) Average Puncture Average Tear
= Polymeric Barrier ASTM D 6693/GM,
Resistance Resistance
Layer Thickness 2 ipm rate, (ppi), (%) ASTM D
4833 (lbs) ASTM D 1004 (lbs)
(mil) Average Average
=
Break Elongation
85.5 20.0 192 47.5
90.0 15.5 182 42.5
85.5 19.5 192 48.5
= [00571 The differences in the measured physical properties of the three
constructions
having different polymeric barrier layer thicknesses were not significant.
[0058] Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been described
above for .
purposes of illustration, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that
numerous variations of
the details of the present invention may be made without departing from the
invention.
=
- 12 -
=

Dessin représentatif
Une figure unique qui représente un dessin illustrant l'invention.
États administratifs

Pour une meilleure compréhension de l'état de la demande ou brevet qui figure sur cette page, la rubrique Mise en garde , et les descriptions de Brevet , États administratifs , Taxes périodiques et Historique des paiements devraient être consultées.

États administratifs

Titre Date
Date de délivrance prévu 2015-09-08
(22) Dépôt 2012-03-23
(41) Mise à la disponibilité du public 2013-05-04
Requête d'examen 2014-05-27
(45) Délivré 2015-09-08

Historique d'abandonnement

Il n'y a pas d'historique d'abandonnement

Taxes périodiques

Dernier paiement au montant de 347,00 $ a été reçu le 2024-03-15


 Montants des taxes pour le maintien en état à venir

Description Date Montant
Prochain paiement si taxe générale 2025-03-24 347,00 $
Prochain paiement si taxe applicable aux petites entités 2025-03-24 125,00 $

Avis : Si le paiement en totalité n'a pas été reçu au plus tard à la date indiquée, une taxe supplémentaire peut être imposée, soit une des taxes suivantes :

  • taxe de rétablissement ;
  • taxe pour paiement en souffrance ; ou
  • taxe additionnelle pour le renversement d'une péremption réputée.

Les taxes sur les brevets sont ajustées au 1er janvier de chaque année. Les montants ci-dessus sont les montants actuels s'ils sont reçus au plus tard le 31 décembre de l'année en cours.
Veuillez vous référer à la page web des taxes sur les brevets de l'OPIC pour voir tous les montants actuels des taxes.

Historique des paiements

Type de taxes Anniversaire Échéance Montant payé Date payée
Le dépôt d'une demande de brevet 400,00 $ 2012-03-23
Enregistrement de documents 100,00 $ 2012-06-12
Taxe de maintien en état - Demande - nouvelle loi 2 2014-03-24 100,00 $ 2014-03-06
Requête d'examen 800,00 $ 2014-05-27
Taxe de maintien en état - Demande - nouvelle loi 3 2015-03-23 100,00 $ 2015-03-04
Taxe finale 300,00 $ 2015-06-26
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 4 2016-03-23 100,00 $ 2016-03-21
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 5 2017-03-23 200,00 $ 2017-03-20
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 6 2018-03-23 200,00 $ 2018-03-19
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 7 2019-03-25 200,00 $ 2019-03-15
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 8 2020-03-23 200,00 $ 2020-03-13
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 9 2021-03-23 204,00 $ 2021-03-19
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 10 2022-03-23 254,49 $ 2022-03-18
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 11 2023-03-23 263,14 $ 2023-03-17
Taxe de maintien en état - brevet - nouvelle loi 12 2024-03-25 347,00 $ 2024-03-15
Titulaires au dossier

Les titulaires actuels et antérieures au dossier sont affichés en ordre alphabétique.

Titulaires actuels au dossier
NEW PIG CORPORATION
Titulaires antérieures au dossier
S.O.
Les propriétaires antérieurs qui ne figurent pas dans la liste des « Propriétaires au dossier » apparaîtront dans d'autres documents au dossier.
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Description du
Document 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Nombre de pages   Taille de l'image (Ko) 
Abrégé 2012-03-23 1 9
Description 2012-03-23 12 668
Revendications 2012-03-23 4 146
Dessins 2012-03-23 7 247
Dessins représentatifs 2012-09-24 1 33
Page couverture 2013-04-29 1 56
Description 2014-10-08 13 707
Revendications 2014-10-08 4 158
Description 2015-03-12 13 715
Page couverture 2015-08-11 1 56
Cession 2012-03-23 3 87
Cession 2012-06-12 6 258
Poursuite-Amendment 2013-05-03 2 75
Poursuite-Amendment 2014-05-27 3 96
Poursuite-Amendment 2014-06-06 1 19
Poursuite-Amendment 2014-07-11 3 129
Poursuite-Amendment 2014-10-08 19 828
Poursuite-Amendment 2014-12-12 4 288
Poursuite-Amendment 2015-03-12 9 522
Correspondance 2015-06-26 2 74
Changement à la méthode de correspondance 2015-01-15 45 1 704