An increase in fracking near El Reno, Oklahoma, meant an increased need for frac sand. To help meet the need of area drilling, Pontotoc Sands Company invested in storage buildings totalling about 20,000t of capacity.
Pontotoc Sands Company chose a fabric building for the expansion based on the flexibility of flat storage, as well as previous experience with fabric buildings. After researching suppliers, they chose a steel-framed building from Legacy Building Solutions.
"We chose the Legacy building after finding their website," said Josh Lehde, owner at Pontotoc Sands. "We liked the solid frame and the construction method used on their buildings."
Fracking is a fast-moving industry, so speed of construction was a priority, as well as cost and the ability to relocate the building in the future.
"I like these fabric structures, they are cost-effective to put up, you can put them just about anywhere and you can move them to a new location as our hotspots change," said Lehde. Less than two months elapsed between Lehde’s first contact with Legacy and installation being completed.
The finished building was from Legacy’s Eco series. Eco buildings use a solid steel frame and a single sheet of 15oz polyethylene fabric for the roof and walls. The cover is double-layered and laced to the frame, which prevents friction from damaging the fabric. This method means a lower cost and faster installation than traditional buildings.
Legacy and Pontotoc partnered together to design and build the structure for maximum efficiency. The building uses a 10ft-high cast-in-place concrete wall foundation, a choice that allows the company to pile and load their sand. A 20ft (W) x 25ft (H) rolling steel coil overhead door makes the building accessible to heavy equipment, while fixed-blade aluminium louvers provide ventilation throughout the structure.
After the design was completed, Legacy dispatched a crew to install the building, as well as two other fabric buildings that Pontotoc had purchased but never installed. The partnership between the two companies meant a smooth process.
"We had clear expectations, we prepped the site, there were a few days before it shipped, and once the crews arrived we were pretty hands off," said Lehde.