Dunnage for oil field pipe

rjwoelk · July 10, 2016, 08:44:54 PM

Got a fellow 100 miles south of me, that is looking for large timbers for oil drilling pipe(132000 lbs) to lay on. He did use 12x12 x 16 ft long. But he had to take a B train load and that set him back by $50,000.00.
They may have been spruce, but he was not sure. came out of British Colombia. I can get Logs (hemlock, aspen spruce, fir(order is according to price ) in and cut them, did some calculating on the beam load from the tool box, and with Jim Rogers help(Thanks Jim) came up with a 8x8x16 worked but a 10x10 is a better fit in western hemlock. Any one had a similar job? Any Recommendations?
The 12x12x16 were set on 2ft 12x12 as sleepers spaced 2ft apart. then the pipe lays on the 12x12x16.

LeeB · July 11, 2016, 02:32:09 AM

I would suggest to be very aware of any possible liabilities you might have for the finished product. Injury lawsuits for anything oilfield tend to be very high and they go after everyone.

Den-Den · July 11, 2016, 10:11:27 AM

I suggest that you sell them the size they ask for and do NOT attempt to do the engineering for them. Sizing to support a known weight is easy; sizing for unknown impact loads is asking for trouble. At some point a large pipe will get dropped from ?? height.

Percy · July 11, 2016, 10:21:46 AM

Quote from: Den-Den on July 11, 2016, 10:11:27 AM
I suggest that you sell them the size they ask for and do NOT attempt to do the engineering for them. Sizing to support a known weight is easy; sizing for unknown impact loads is asking for trouble. At some point a large pipe will get dropped from ?? height.

This advice is right on the money IMO. I avoid recommending anything as it has come back to bite me in the keester more than once.

rjwoelk · July 11, 2016, 10:25:52 AM

Den-Den That was what i was looking at as well that impact drop, mind you they are moving these pipe around with a grapple on the forks, and don't want to be damaging the pipe, safety is huge in canada compare to my long haul travels in the us. Some places they go nuts and the next place its like just a vest and hard hat.
Weight on this is just over 4000 lbs per lineal ft.

rjwoelk · July 11, 2016, 10:31:15 AM

Thanks Percy, I was going to see if they had that size recommended by a a engineer, and that was what I was going to suggest to them if they had not, Just wondering if one can use a different species of tree, such as cotton wood, spruce or if one needs to stay with the fir or hemlock, He did not know what he is using right now but was going to find out.

starmac · July 11, 2016, 02:10:34 PM

I don't have a clue what your guy is using, but the mill I haul to cuts most of the dunnage for the north slope and it is all white spruce, they do get contracts for 12x12's, but a lot of smaller dunnage too.

rjwoelk · July 11, 2016, 03:49:42 PM

He thought it was spruce, but would let me know. Can't see hemlock being a problem, as it is stronger than spruce, and it is cheaper than spruce. Got to bring it in from BC as all the spruce around northern sask of that size is bought up by the mills.

Magicman · July 12, 2016, 04:29:58 PM

Along those lines, I do not ask any customers what the intended use is for anything that I saw for them. If they volunteer intended use, I do not question their judgement. If they specifically ask a question, then I am obligated to answer as accurately as I can based on my experience.

Asking unneeded curiosity questions and giving "expert" opinions puts you in a possible liability situation. I tend to keep my mouth shut and saw their cut list.

woodmills1 · July 12, 2016, 08:27:13 PM

I am not big on offering information on structural uses of my products. I do often get involved it discussion of handling, drying or storage of materials to preserve their integrity. I also often recommend one species over another for an intended use.