Additives, Liquids, Terminals
LeBeouf Ships Asphalt Up Mighty Mississippi Stay Safe: Avoid Shocks
Solve Failed Heat Give Reps Plant Tours Spray Truck Beds Tank Bottoms Bind Mixes APRIL/may 2013
contents
Departments
48
Letter from the Editor 5 Don’t Interrupt the Concrete Folks Around the Globe 6 Safety Spotlight 8 Stay Shock-Free By Cliff Mansfield
Articles
Equipment Maintenance 10 Calibrate Your Heat Tank From Heatec, Translated by EZ Street® Mix it Up 12 Sludge Acts as Asphalt Binder Oman research shows positive use of tank bottoms for asphalt binder in base courses By Ramzi Taha Producer Profile 16 LeBeouf Partners with Heat Supplier By Sandy Lender Equipment Gallery 42 Monitor Compaction Continuously By AsphaltPro Staff Here’s How It Works 50 PHCo’s Drop-In Retrofit Heater Fix Resource Directory 52
24 Double Hull Safety Outweighs Efficiency Needs By Sandy Lender 26 Select Virgin Binder Based on RAP Region From National Center for Asphalt Technology
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36 Bring Your Rep to the Plant Staker Parson shares grass roots site visit with Matheson By Sandy Lender 30 GTR Processes Prove Compatibility Manufacturing asphalt rubber particles can go either way By AsphaltPro Staff 37 Mechanic Garners Patriotic Employer Award By AsphaltPro Staff 38 Wrap Up World of Asphalt Knowledge By AsphaltPro Staff
Last Cut 53 China Goes After More U.S. Interests By AsphaltPro Staff
48 That’s a Good Idea Spray Every Truck Before Milling By John Ball
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Additives, Liquids, Terminals
30 LeBeouf Ships Asphalt Up Mighty Mississippi Stay Safe: Avoid Shocks
Solve Failed Heat Give Reps Plant Tours Spray Truck Beds Tank Bottoms Bind Mixes APRIL/MAY 2013
On the Cover LeBeouf Brothers Towing, Houma, La., transports liquid asphalts and slurries along the Mississippi in their custommade barges. Recently, they added Heatec’s ThermEcon® heaters to boost heating efficiency for the trips. See related article on page 16. Photo courtesy of Heatec, Chattanooga, Tenn.
editor's note April/May 2013 • Vol. 6 No. 7
Don’t Interrupt the Concrete Folks
2001 Corporate Place Columbia, MO 65202 573-499-1830 • 573-499-1831 www.theasphaltpro.com Group publisher
Chris Harrison publisher
Sally Shoemaker sally@theasphaltpro.com (573) 499-1830 x1008 editor
Sandy Lender sandy@theasphaltpro.com (239) 272-8613 Art Director
Kristin Branscom operations/circulation manager
Cindy Sheridan business manager
Renea Sapp AsphaltPro is published 10 times per year: January, February, March, April, May, June/July, August/September, October, November and December by The Business Times Company, 2001 Corporate Place, Columbia, MO 65202 Writers expressing views in AsphaltPro Magazine or on the AsphaltPro website are professionals with sound, professional advice. Views expressed herein are not necessarily the same as the views of AsphaltPro or Business Times Company staff, thus producers/contractors are still encouraged to use best practices when implementing new advice. Subscription Policy: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the United Sates, Canada and Mexico to qualified individuals. One year subscription to non-qualifying Individuals: United States $90, Canada and Mexico $125.00. For the international digital edition, visit theasphaltpro.com/subscribe-2. Single copies available $17 each.
So far, nature has protected us from the zombie apocalypse I predicted back in December 2010. Instead of drinking runoff water from the products of a concretetitanium-dioxide-smog reaction, we’re watching the concrete industry scratch its collective head over the Route 141 debacle in Missouri. Last summer, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) opened a stretch of 141 between Olive and Ladue Roads that had been paved with a 2-inch surface of concrete containing titanium dioxide (TiO2). MoDOT chose to pave only 1,500 feet with the experimental concrete because the doctored mix was expensive—about $130,000 for that section alone, and that’s without the aggregate required for the ultra-white color. (Check out the article in the December 2010 issue of AsphaltPro.) The TiO2 is supposed to absorb pollution and then use sunlight to break down nitrogen oxides in a chemPublisher Sally Shoemaker, at right, and Editor Sandy ical reaction inside the pavement. As expected, the Lender, at left, paused for chemical reaction releases nitrogen and carbon dioxthe KPI-JCI camera during ide as end products. According to the Midwest’s News the World of Asphalt/ Magazine Network’s April 1 posting, the early testAGG1 trade show in San ing of the completed pavement showed 40 percent Antonio in March. removal of nitrogen oxides, “But subsequent testing showed a dramatically different outcome, with removal plummeting to 4 percent.” Not only has the so-called smog-eating concrete’s efficacy dropped dramatically in less than a year, it’s produced a calcium carbonate shell that MoDOT doesn’t have the funding to scrub off. The News Magazine Network report states “the experimental pavement had literally sucked carbon dioxide out of the air and combined it with calcium in the concrete to create a layer that prevented sunlight from reaching the titanium dioxide.” Call me overly cautious, but isn’t that something a scientist should have foreseen? My tongue-in-cheek editorial a couple years ago called out the faulty science behind letting the nasty products of a chemical reaction get into our air. Apparently, no one in the concrete industry realizes I achieved decent grades in my science classes. At this time, the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (NCPTC) at Iowa State University has arranged for a contractor to “physically scrub the pavement in the test area to remove the calcium carbonate” when he has equipment near Ladue Road. Neither the contractor who performed the Route 141 paving nor MoDOT is able to take on the clean-up costs. An NCPTC spokesperson has explained that the work will be done on a not-for-profit basis, and that’s why the concrete industry will have to wait on results. What’s interesting is the spokesperson seriously believes scrubbing the pavement and trying this same thing might give different results. I sure don’t want to suggest anyone in the concrete industry is insane, but there’s a famous quote out there about doing the same thing over and over. As Napoleon Bonaparte once advised, “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” Instead, let’s keep an eye on what’s going on with southbound Route 141 in Missouri. Stay Safe,
Sandy Lender www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 5
around the globe
Industry News and Happenings from Around the World Canada Montreal will be the hotbed for learning about petroleum robotics—and much more—this Aug. 11 through 15. Visit www. ISARC2013.org for information on the 30th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction and Mining, which hosts 600 delegates from around the globe and 300 exhibitors.
China China’s import of Bitumen dropped about 14 percent during 2012 from its 2011 level. In 2011, the country took in 3.19 million megatonnes of bitumen. In 2012, the amount imported was 2.73 million MT. Source: Petrosil’s Bitumart
Germany In March, German scientists backed out of the Helmholtz-Alberta Initiative that was researching better ways to upgrade oil sands bitumen, among other topics. With the Helmholtz Association of Germany no longer participating, Lorne Babiuk, the University of Alberta’s vice president of research said the Alberta government will continue to move forward with land reclamation work and research on how the oil sands are managed. Source: Financial Post
Qatar If you don’t make it over to Doha, Qatar, for the 4th Middle East Bitumen/Asphalt 2013 this May 6 through 8, you’ll still have opportunities to be a part of the country’s advancement. A recent press release states Qatar plans to spend more than $20 billion during the next five years to upgrade its road network. The Public Works Authority (Ashghal), which hosts and sponsors MEB 2013, plans to build about 136 kilometers of new roads in Qatar by 2014 and has just approved a new system for bitumen selection (within QCS2010), which could change the qualifying and trading of bitumen used in Qatar. Visit www. me-bitumen.com.
Singapore Argus Petroleum’s Coke Conference 2013 takes place May 21 through 22 at the PanPacific Hotel in Singapore. Visit http://www. argusmedia.com/Events/Argus-Events/Asia/ APC2013/Register. 6 APRIL/MAY 2013
South Africa
The South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia) chairman for 2013, Christian des Closieres stated in early February that the lack of bitumen in the country will be a continuing concern as companies try to match supply and demand. PetroSA is supposed to be building a new oil refinery in the Eastern Cape during 2013 that will make South Africa less reliant on bitumen imports. In the meantime, the International Trade Commission (Itac) announced in March a rebate waiver on the import of petroleum bitumen because of the continued shortage. Itac is implementing a permit system rather than a straight reduction of duty imposed on the import of bitumen. This appears to be an attempt to monitor supply and demand in light of actual industry size and rebates and to avoid cartel activity of the recent past. The rebate waiver will be in place for three years. Sources: multiple
Spain
Petrosil’s Bitumart reported that Spain’s bitumen prices surged up by 8 percent in April compared to January prices.
United States
• The American General Contractors reported that construction spending overall was 7.9 percent higher in February of 2013 than it was the same time in 2012. Ken Simonson, AGC’s chief economist sees a lot of activity involving pipelines, manufacturing, railroads and trucking, and warehouses on the nonresidential side of construction. • For up-to-the-minute info and updates that impact the asphalt industry, follow http:// twitter.com/AsphaltPro.
Nebraska To enhance its IronClad Assurance® and inspection services capabilities, IronPlanet acquired Asset Appraisal Services (AAS) based in Omaha.
North Dakota The Associated Press reports that the Three Affiliated Tribes has applied to begin construction on a refinery near Makoti, N.D. The refinery will be able to convert 20,000 barrels per day of crude oil from the Bakken Shale play into propane, naphtha and diesel fuel, according to Rich Mayer, the CEO of Thunder Butte Petroleum Services.
Ohio Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a $7.6 billion transportation and public safety bill. It’s a two-year bill that supplies $4 billion to transportation infrastructure and about 65,000 jobs to the construction industry. Source: Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer
Washington, D.C. • Republican Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania has been appointed the new House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair. • The NAPA Legislative Committee task force will develop NAPA’s legislative recommendations to Congress, which will be released during the NAPA asphalt flyin in September 2013.
Wisconsin
The California High-Speed Rail Authority admits that the new $878 million budget for preconstruction planning of California’s proposed high-speed rail network is 12 percent higher than the original budget. That’s about 1 percent of the total cost of the project. Source: American General Contractors
Gov. Scott Walker has proposed $6.4 billion for transportation infrastructure for 2013 through 2015, and $824 million of that is “new money.” The Zoo Interchange rebuild project would receive $550 million; the reconstruction of the Hoan Bridge deck and Lake Interchange would receive $236 million; while routine highway maintenance would receive $55 million. Source: The Business Journal
Maryland
Wyoming
California
Dominion Resources could have another resource for industry soon. According to the Associated Press, the company applied for permission to start building a new liquefied natural gas plant on the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Md., in 2014.
Gov. Matt Mead signed a 10-cent increase in the state fuel tax into law in mid-February as a means to create a steady revenue stream for highway and road repairs and construction. The state tax will go into effect July 1. Source: Star-Tribune
safety spotlight
Stay Shock-Free T
he asphalt plant can be a dangerous work environment. Accidents happen too often when workers don’t pay attention to details, aren’t taught good safety practices or become complacent over time. As we’ve seen in the past few articles on this topic, most accidents can be traced to the same root cause: production needs supersede common sense safety practices. Now let’s take a look at another common causality. Electrical wiring at a plant or terminal offers another realm of safety measures that personnel may not give full attention to. For instance, a 40-year-old plant operator whom we’ll call Bill was killed when he was electrocuted while unwiring a 10-horsepower motor on a feeder collecting conveyor. The Boeing drummer plant was running two shifts at the time. 8 APRIL/MAY 2013
The night operator whom we’ll call Alex had experienced problems with the belt’s starter. This resulted in one set of starter contacts being burned out and rendered inoperable. No replacement contacts were available at the time, so to get things running Alex simply wired around the bad set of contacts. This left one leg hot at the motor all the time. Around mid-day on the next shift, the motor lost a bearing and began to squeal, requiring its immediate replacement. Bill didn’t know about Alex’s wiring modification and failed to turn off the circuit breaker to the motor and lock it out as required by law. He was standing in two inches of water when he unwired the hot leg. As a result, Bill was electrocuted to death. This accident is due in part to Bill’s negligence. To a greater degree, the
by Cliff Mansfield
company is at fault for failing to provide clear and strict guidelines for use in such a situation. Failure to follow published OSHA Lockout-Tagout regulations was the direct cause of this accident. But look at the indifference with which these men approached potential electrical shock hazards. In this case, Bill didn’t even bother to turn off the circuit breaker as required by the most basic safety concepts. Instead, he pressed the motor’s stop button and opted to rely on the contacts in the starter. While we’ll never know for sure, it’s easy to speculate that his reasoning was probably that as long as no one pressed the start button for the collecting conveyor, the motor wiring would be dormant. Bill was wrong. A contributing factor in this accident was Alex’s failure to inform Bill of the potentially lethal condition he had
Left: Keep motors and gears clean and free of debris not just for smooth operation, but also for easy and safe maintenance and repair. Photo courtesy of Gencor Industries, Orlando. above: This collecting conveyor is in fine repair. If yours has any problem, don’t wait to communicate the issue or to schedule its maintenance with the appropriate personnel. Photo courtesy of Astec, Inc.
created when he bypassed the motor’s starter contacts. Communication is a key safety issue at any asphalt plant or terminal. The simple practice of keeping a daily plant diary could have saved a life in this story. Of course, keeping a diary, talking with incoming operators at shift changes, taking time to lockout and tagout before working on a component, etc., all take time. Make sure the employees in your company understand that time taken for safety is time well spent. A common thread in asphalt plant accidents is a disregard for safety issues in deference to production pressures. Asphalt plant operators often feel tremendous pressure to produce by any means possible. Unfortunately, this shifts the focus off safety and onto money without anyone realizing it’s happened. A clear-cut set of guidelines dealing with the company’s policy on safety issues should be drawn up and
distributed to everyone involved with the plant. Be sure to include the paving superintendent so he or she doesn’t unknowingly exert pressure on the plant operator. Remember: Everyone wants to do a good job that the state inspector or owner/agency will approve. Sometimes employees go to great lengths to get results. To that end, conditions are overlooked that would never be overlooked or forgotten under normal circumstances. When dealing with safety issues, one must keep in mind the fact that you need to be safe all the time; you need only be careless once for tragedy to strike. Cliff Mansfield is an asphalt plant engineer and a freelance writer specializing in asphalt plants. For more information, contact him at (541) 352-7942 or send him your question through the “Ask the Plant Expert” form on the home page at www. TheAsphaltPro.com.
www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 9
equipment maintainence
Calibrate Your Heat Tank
Calibre su tanque de calentamiento
From Heatec, Translated by EZ Street®
From Heatec, Translated by EZ Street®
W
hen calibrating the liquid asphalt cement (AC) metering system at the drum mix plant, you can save time and money if you use a calibration tank instead of a distributor truck. In the financial environment of today, cutting costs is good, but you want to do so safely. Here’s a no-nonsense formula for calibrating a metering system using calibration tanks. For this specific example, the tank used includes built-in load cells and digital readout.
A
Calibrate the Tank
Calibre el tanque:
1. Open the valves to the calibration tank and pump about 1,000 gallons of AC into the calibration tank as indicated by the asphalt metering system. 2. Note the weight shown on the readout of the calibration tank. 3. Adjust the metering system to agree with the weight shown on the readout. Switch the valves. Then pump the AC back into the AC tank. 4. Repeat as many times as necessary.
If you opt to use a distributor truck to calibrate your tank, follow this list of instructions: 1. Acquire an empty asphalt distributor truck. 2. Drive it onto a truck scale and record its weight. 3. Connect the truck to your asphalt tank. 4. Pump 1,000 or 2,000 gallons of AC into the truck as indicated by the metering systems. Disconnect the lines. 5. Drive the truck back onto the truck scale and record its weight again. 6. Subtract the truck’s empty weight from its loaded weight. 7. Adjust your metering system readouts to agree with the calculated weight. 8. Reconnect the truck to the asphalt tank and pump the AC back into the tank. 9. Repeat the process as many times as necessary.
10 APRIL/MAY 2013
l calibrar el sistema de medición de asfalto líquido (AC) en la planta mezcladora, usted puede ahorrar tiempo y dinero si usa un tanque de calibración en vez de un camión distribuidor. En el ambiente financiero de hoy en día, reducir costos es bueno, pero requiere hacerlo correctamente. Aquí hay una fórmula para calibrar el sistema de medición utilizando tanques de calibración. Para este ejemplo especifico, el tanque utilizado incluye celdas de carga.
1. Abra las válvulas del tanque y bombee aproximadamente 1,000 galones de AC hacia dentro del tanque tal como indicado por el sistema de medición de asfalto. 2. Anote el peso mostrado en el lector del tanque de calibración. 3. Ajuste el sistema de medición de acuerdo al peso mostrado en el lector. Intercambie las válvulas. Luego bombee el AC de nuevo al tanque de AC. 4. Repita cuantas veces sea necesario.
Si opta utilizar un camión distribuidor para calibrar su tanque, siga las siguientes instrucciones: 1. Adquiera un camión distribuidor de asfalto vacio. 2. Maneje a la báscula de camiones para registrar su peso. 3. Conecte el camión a su tanque de asfalto. 4. Bombee 1,000 o 2,000 galones de AC hacia dentro del camión como indicado por el sistema de medición. Desconecte las mangueras. 5. Maneje el camión de regreso a la báscula de camiones y registre su peso nuevamente. 6. Reste el peso del camión vacío al peso del camión lleno. 7. Ajuste el lector de su sistema de medición para que concuerde con el peso calculado. 8. Reconecte el camión al tanque de asfalto y bombee el AC de nuevo dentro del camión. 9. Repita el proceso cuantas veces sea necesario.
mix it up
Sludge Acts as Asphalt Binder Oman research shows positive use of tank bottoms for asphalt binder in base courses
A
ccording to the American Petroleum Institute (API) Environmental Guidance Document (API 1989), tank bottoms are generally defined as the liquids and residue that collect at the bottom of the treating vessel or that remain at the bottom of storage tanks after a period of service. These residues include heavy hydrocarbons, solids, sands, emulsions, etcetera. Tank bottoms include combinations of hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon organic compounds as well as trace metals. The API associated waste survey (API 1988) offers a comprehensive examination of the means by which tank bottoms and oil debris are managed in the United States. The survey data indicate that the volume sent to off-site commercial facilities accounted for approximately 55 percent of the total. The rest of the bottoms and debris were used in the applications listed in the sidebar below. Many of the remaining tank bottoms were road spread (21 percent), reclaimed (14 percent) or land spread (7 percent). Here, road spreading refers to the application of road mixes or paving materials formulated with asphaltic tank bottoms and oily debris, and to the application of certain oilfield liquid wastes as in the case of road oiling. In such instances, and when conducted in accordance with permitted regulations, road spreading can be considered a beneficial use of a material that would otherwise require disposal. Various oil field wastes may be applied to roads—if permitted by regulations—as dust suppressants, as surface deicers, to provide a better surface, or simply for disposal. Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) generates approximately 18,000 tons of sludge annually. In addition, there are more than 20,000 tons of sludge accumulated at Mina
12 APRIL/MAY 2013
Al-Fahl Terminal alone. Disposal of tank sludge is a significant cost item of tank maintenance for producers, refiners and transporters of petroleum materials (See Figure 1). Land farming use by PDO to treat the petroleum sludge has not proved very successful due to the harsh climate in Oman. Experimental land strips in Marmul and Fahud have failed to consistently reduce the oil content below 2 to 3 percent. Furthermore, the process is very slow, thus does not represent a feasible method for treating the current stored inventory of sludge or for treating new sludge, which continues to be produced annually. Alternative available proven techniques of sludge remediation need to be investigated.
A sludge content of 6.5 percent can meet the Asphalt Institute criteria (1995) for a light trafficked surface or base material. A research project was initiated to investigate the use of tank bottoms as a binder to construct and upgrade unpaved roads. To achieve this, various sludge samples were initially characterized for chemical composition, heavy metals, flash and fire points, and natural occurring radioactive minerals (NORM). Then, three mixes were prepared using blends of aggregates and tank bottoms. No bitumen was used in the mixes. The mixes include a hot mix where aggregates and sludge were both heated; a heated sludge and cold aggregate blend; and a cold mix where no heating was applied.
by Ramzi Taha
The Marshall mix design (ASTM D1559) was followed in the preparation and testing of the specimens.
Mix Design After establishing an appropriate blend of aggregates, three mixes were prepared. The first mix was prepared by heating both the aggregate and the sludge for a period of two hours at 300oF (150oC). As readers know, with a normal asphalt cement (AC) mix, aggregate and asphalt are heated for no more than one hour in the lab setting. The time was extended for the sludge mix to evaporate moisture before starting any mixing. The second mix was prepared by heating only the sludge and using cold aggregate. The third mix was prepared by mixing both the aggregate and sludge at room temperature.
Agg Gradation Three aggregate sizes in addition to mineral filler were used in the mix design. The sizes were • ¾-inch, • 10 mm and • 0 to ½-inch. A blend of these aggregates was performed to meet the gradation requirements of Oman’s specs for roads for a Class B wearing course (DGR 1994). The blend composition was • 14 percent ¾-inch, • 32 percent 10 mm, • 50 percent 0 to ½-inch and • 4 percent mineral filler.
Mix Performances The Marshall mix design method (ASTM D1559) was followed in the preparation and testing of the specimens. The sludge content was varied from 2.0 to 7.5 percent by total weight of the mix.
mix it up Mix Properties
The specimens containing 2 and 2.5 The results indicated the same percent sludge partially crumbled bepattern of variation for the Marfore the stability and flow testing. The shall properties. Similar to the hot data show that patterns of variation mix, no sludge content was found for the Marshall properties are very to satisfy the Oman’s specs for a similar to a normal HMA cement. The Class B wearing course; however, a stability results indicate a significant sludge content of 6.5 percent can increase in strength with the addition meet the Asphalt Institute criteria of sludge up to 5 percent—a stabil(1995) for a light trafficked surface ity of 15.9 kN was obor base material. tained—followed by a The cold mix was What’s in the bottom strength decrease with prepared by mixing of a tank? any further increase the aggregate in a in sludge content. No dry and cold condisludge content was tion with the “as reSolids found to satisfy the ceived” sludge with5-20% Oman’s specs for a out heating. The Class B wearing course; aggregate and sludge Oil however, a sludge conwere blended and 50-65% tent of 6.5 percent can compacted into MarMoisture meet the Asphalt Instishall specimens. Mar20-35% tute criteria (1995) for a shall properties were light trafficked surface determined. The same or base material. patterns of variation For the hot sludge for the Marshall mix and cold aggregate mix the specidesign data were observed. Moremens were prepared using the Marover, samples containing 2 and 2.5 shall mix design procedure as menpercent partially crumbled before tioned above, with the exception the stability and flow testing. Similar of using the aggregate in a dry and to the previous two mixes, no sludge cold condition. The sludge content content was found to satisfy the was again varied from 2.0 to 7.5 perOman’s specs for a Class B wearing course; however, a sludge content of cent by total weight of the mix. Once 6.5 percent can meet the Asphalt Inmore, the specimens containing 2 to stitute criteria (1995) for a light traf3 percent sludge partially crumbled ficked surface or base material. before the stability and flow testing. 14 APRIL/MAY 2013
The sludge acts as a binder to the aggregate and provides a significant strength. The effect of heating both sludge and aggregate resulted in a significantly higher strength. Heating of either the aggregate or the sludge generally produces a higher strength mix compared to the cold one; however, the difference in strength was not significant at the optimum asphalt content between the second and third mixes. It is recommended to use the hot mix. In case of economic constraints, the cold mix can be used. An optimum sludge content of 6.5 percent, by total weight of the mix, satisfies the requirements for low trafficked surfaces or base layers according to the Asphalt Institute specs. The results of the lab experiments indicate a potential use for the sludge in such applications. No environmental harm should be anticipated from the use of the sludge in the construction of unpaved roads. However, advanced lab performance-based tests and the construction of experimental field sections are needed to better assess the engineering and environmental acceptability for the use of tank bottoms in road construction.
Follow the Sludge Tank bottoms are managed a variety of ways. According to the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) Analysis of Crude Oil Reclaimed Waste, published in 1988, the main categories of tank bottoms reclamation were thus: • Recycle/reuse 14% • Road spreading 21% • Land spreading 7% • Incineration negligible • Pit 1% • Burial 3% • Surface discharge negligible • Off-site commercial facilities 55% • Other less than 1%
producer profile
The Gonsoulin 511 passes Memphis, Tenn., on its maiden voyage with the Heatec ThermEcon速 heaters in place and regulating temperature on its slurry load. 16 APRIL/MAY 2013
LeBeouf Partners with Heat Supplier By Sandy Lender
M
oving liquid asphalt cement (AC) and heavy slurries from the terminal to the tank farm takes careful planning. LeBeouf Bros. Towing, LLC, Houma, La., specializes in the carriage of crude oil, petroleum products and chemicals, and plans for a number of aspects including the best way to keep material at suitable temperatures during inland waterway transport and then pumpable temperatures once they reach port for unloading. Recently, they installed a new heating system on two new barges. Executive Vice President Mark Bourgeois helped make the use of new technology reality for the company. Although the asphalt industry knows Heatec of Chattanooga for its asphalt plant, asphalt terminal, asphalt emulsion plant and roofing plant heating solutions, Heatec’s Executive Vice President Tom Wilkey said Bourgeois stood up and showed LeBeouf how Heatec could offer them a cargo heating solution.
History of Excellence
LeBeouf may have two barges named after its current owner and son, but the company retains the name of its founders. It’s one of the oldest marine towing companies still operating on the inland waterway systems of the United States. Brothers Willard and Irvin LeBeouf started the company back in the early 1940s and supplied oil rigs in Terrebonne Bay via oyster boats. In 1946, Earl Gonsoulin joined and became an equal partner. In 1957, LeBeouf Towing was incorporated under the laws of the State of Louisiana; www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 17
producer profile
On its maiden voyage, the Gonsoulin 511 carried a slurry load from Houma, La., to Lemont, Ill. The barge has a cargo capacity of 30,000 barrels.
by 1968, the Gonsoulin family was able to purchase the LeBeouf family stock and keep the company growing. Now Richard Gonsoulin and his son Jon own the company and its growing fleet of boats and inland double-skin barges. LeBeouf Towing is a member of the American Waterways Operators (AWO) and the Responsible Carrier Program (RCP). The company also actively participates in Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA) to assist with waterways management. Moving liquids in a safe, efficient manner isn’t their only concern. The company has diversified its operations and entered the shipyard business. With a fully functional shipyard, LeBeouf personnel can build both boats and barges, gas free and clean equipment, and perform repairs. This gives LeBeouf a young fleet and the 18 APRIL/MAY 2013
opportunity to work with up-to-date equipment. That’s vital for environmental compliance, which LeBeouf management takes seriously. “The management and the employees of the LeBeouf Bros. Towing LLC are committed to continuously improving the compatibility of our operations with the environment,” according to the company’s Environmental Policy. “In furtherance of this commitment, the management and the employees…pledge to do the following: • Make environmental protection a priority in business planning; • Conduct our business and operate our vessels in a manner that protects the environment and the safety and health of our employees and the general public; • Recognize and be responsive to public concerns about waterborne
transportation and its effects on the environment; • Work in partnership with manufacturers, shippers, and vendors to enhance safe transportation of products and the management of associated cargo residues and cleaning wastes; • Commit to reduce overall emissions and waste generation and comply with all laws and regulations concerning emissions and waste; • Participate with government and the public in creating responsible laws and regulations and standards to safeguard the workplace, community, and environment; and • Establish and maintain, in cooperation with public authorities and others, contingency procedures and plans to mitigate the effects of accidents that may occur.
producer profile
LeBeouf outfitted its newest barges with Heatec ThermEcon® heaters.
Tips for All
Looking at the list, you see evidence of the planning and care that goes into operations at LeBeouf. The recent plan to upgrade cargo heating efficiency is the example Bourgeois and team members at Heatec shared. Bob Harter is the northeast regional manager for Heatec and explained that the high cost of fuel in recent years has caused many companies to replace older low efficiency heaters with ones of higher thermal efficiencies. They do this to gain significant savings due to the reduced amount of fuel the heaters burn. He shared 20 APRIL/MAY 2013
that a fuel savings of 7 percent on a heater with an output of 8 million BTU/hour can produce a complete payback in as little as one year. LeBeouf purchased and installed two Heatec 5 million BTU/hour heaters on two of their new barges in mid-2012. The Gonsoulin 511 and Gonsoulin 512 have cargo capacities of 30,000 barrels each. The heaters are used to heat liquid asphalt and related products transported by the barges. Harter explained that the new heaters are fully interchangeable with the brand LeBeouf had been using so the company is no longer
limited to a single source. The new heaters, with the brand name ThermEcon®, also are configured to fit the existing footprint and mounting provisions on the barges. Harter explained that they fit in place of previously used types of heaters without significant modifications. LeBeouf’s shipyard builds the fuel tanks that supply the heaters. Rather than downsize the fuel tanks they make, LeBeouf elected to put the existing fuel tank size in place and merely enjoy the reduced usage rate, Harter shared. The heaters use components that are interchangeable with spare parts
LeBeouf normally stocks and carries on its tugboats. The heaters feature helical coils that Heatec builds in its facility to meet ASME code. The switch was planned to make routine—or not-so-routine—repairs easy to handle; LeBeouf doesn’t have to worry about downtime headaches. Of course, with heaters controls in special “doghouse” housing above deck to enclose and protect them, one might wonder what kind of maintenance or repairs are necessary. Heatec’s Wilkey spoke of the unpredictable weather conditions Gulf barges experience. Harter agreed that corrosive water spray could present more frequent exterior issues for equipment, but inland waterway travel still has its challenges for various components. Let’s consider the expansion tanks. LeBeouf chose to purchase stainless steel expansion tanks. When the heater experiences heated hot transfer oil, the overflow—or expanded hot material—flows into the expansion tank. By selecting a stainless steel tank, LeBeouf has made life easier for maintenance personnel. If working with a carbon tank interior, a company will want to monitor condensation build-up and corrosion issues within the tank. Another maintenance point to keep an eye on is the helical coil. That typically depends upon the handling of the hot transfer oil. As Harter reminded readers, if the hot transfer oil isn’t heated correctly or is somehow blocked from proper flow, the coil can be damaged to the point that it needs to be replaced. There are provisions built in to prevent overheating or otherwise damaging a coil, and Heatec team members say these sturdy elements should last upward of 20 years. With 67 years of shipping business behind them, the team at LeBeouf brings a desire for continued growth to ship building and petroleum moving. Adding new technologies that make the job more efficient and more environmentally friendly is icing on the cake.
LeBeouf Bros. Towing LLC is located on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at Mile 49 near Houma, La. The area of operations includes the GIWW from Brownsville, Texas, to St. Marks, Fla. LeBeouf tows also travel northward to St. Paul, Minn., on the Mississippi River system; to Chicago on the Illinois River; to Pittsburg on the Ohio River; to Tuscaloosa, Ala., on the TennTom Waterway; and to the Port of Catoosa, Okla., on the Arkansas River.
www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 21
Double Hull Safety Outweighs Efficiency Needs By Sandy Lender
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aritrans Operating Partners L.P., a subsidiary of Maritrans, Inc., announced it obtained a patent on its proprietary process for rebuilding single hull tank vessels with internal double hulls. Maritrans worked with M. Daniel Jones of Schuller & Allan, which is a naval architecture firm in Houston, to develop the double-hull manufacturing process that rebuilds single-hulled tanks vessels with the double hulls that are required by the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). While the Act, which came about following the Exxon Valdez disaster that readers may remember, led to the requirement to replace single hull petroleum tankers with double hull tank vessels sailing in U.S. waters, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted it; it became a worldwide regulation. Tank vessels around the globe carry thousands of extra tons of steel to meet the double hull requirements. That extra weight means extra fuel. In August 2012, the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) called for a study to find out just how much additional energy was required to propel a vessel with a double hull and what increase in air pollution could be seen as a result of the increased weight. The project title was “Study on the Safety, Economic and Environment Issues of Double Hulls.” They wanted a contractor to provide: 1. an assessment of the history in the evolution of “the double hull rules;” 2. an assessment of any rules The U.S. Congress, IMO or other 24 APRIL/MAY 2013
bodies might be proposing as they relate to additional hulls for environmental reasons; 3. an assessment of safety issues such as corrosion, cargo leakage and vapor build-up, cracking in hulls, etc.; 4. an economic study of the consequences of double hulls; 5. an assessment of the complete consequences of the carbon footprint of designing, maintaining and operating vessels with double hulls; and 6. a report on the study’s results. With no government-furnished information available, regular meetings with MARAD personnel to conduct and a 12-month deadline from the date of the award of the study, no contractor came forward to accept the work. In mid-September MARAD announced a lack of interest and funding had induced them to withdraw the opportunity to bid on the study. A quick look around the shipping industry shows a number of organizations willing to let sleeping dogs lie. The general consensus is that the industry has developed safer ships with the double hulling technology. By attempting to prove the technology makes ships less efficient, contractors would be seeking to pit safety against environmental excellence. At this time, industry professionals such as Bill Box of Intertanko and spokespersons from American Shipper report safety and pollution prevention records have improved since OPA 90. Double hulls are the status quo. Sources: multiple
Select Virgin Binder Based on RAP Region From National Center for Asphalt Technology
At this time, AASHTO M323 recommends changing the binder grade when RAP percentages are greater than 15 percent. This involves using a blending equation to estimate the grade of the blended RAP and virgin binders when RAP contents exceed 25 percent by weight of aggregate. Start with the basics, as Indiana, Florida, Wisconsin and Alabama state departments of transportation did and study the stockpiles. Photo courtesy of T.J. Young, Overland Park, Kan. 26 APRIL/MAY 2013
Editor’s Note: With contractors and agencies gaining confidence in the use of higher recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) percentages in mixes, the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) reports guidance for selecting virgin binders to use with the higher RAP contents. In the Fall 2012 Asphalt Technology E-News, NCAT presented how to select virgin binders for RAP mixes based on your region’s RAP binder properties without using potentially harmful chemicals for RAP binder extraction/recovery. This article appears courtesy of NCAT.
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ield studies, including those that compared long-term performance of overlays with virgin and 30 percent RAP mixes, as well as test sections on the NCAT Pavement Test Track with up to 50 percent RAP, have shown that higher RAP content mixes can perform well if they meet standard mix design and quality assurance criteria. Contractors are learning how to manage RAP to minimize dust content, contamination and variability within their stockpiles. Across the United States, average RAP contents continue to increase. One hurdle that sometimes limits the use of higher RAP contents is the selection of the binder grade for the virgin asphalt. For years, conventional wisdom has been to use a softer grade of virgin binder to blend with the aged RAP binder so that the combined binder would have appropriate properties for the climate and traffic conditions. Currently, AASHTO M323 recommends changing the binder grade at RAP contents greater than 15 percent, as shown in Table 1 on page 28. As seen in Table 1, it’s necessary to use a blending equation to estimate the grade of the blended RAP and virgin binders when RAP contents exceed 25 percent by weight of aggregate. Blending equations require determining the critical temperatures of the recovered RAP binder, which involves binder extraction and recovery, an expensive and time-consuming process. Most contractors do not have the equipment necessary to perform these tests, and some highway agencies are hesitant to specify percentages of RAP that require this extra testing.
Different Approach A new variation of this approach for selecting the virgin binder grade for
high RAP content mixes now being reviewed by FHWA’s Mix Expert Task Group (ETG) is to determine the properties of RAP binders on a regional basis. In this method, an evaluation is performed on numerous RAP stockpiles within a region/state. The draft procedure is summarized as follows. 1. Get RAP samples from stockpiles throughout a geographic area, which should be defined based on similarity of climate and materials. 2. Use solvent extractions to recover the RAP binders. Then performance-grade them on a continuous scale (true grade). 3. Determine the continuous low temperature grade for each virgin binder grade supplied within the region. 4. After testing all of the RAP and virgin binders, determine the average low temperature grade plus two standard deviations for the RAP stockpiles and virgin binders in the region. 5. Finally, calculate the maximum allowable RAP binder rate with the following equation. RBR =
Tcrit(need) – Tcrit(virgin) Tcrit(RAP Binder) – Tcrit(virgin)
Where: RBR = RAP Binder Ratio This is the ratio of the RAP binder divided by the mix’s total binder content. The mix’s total binder content is an unknown prior to mix design, but can be estimated based on historical data for the aggregate types and nominal maximum aggregate sizes. Tcrit(need) = low critical temperature needed for the climate and pavement layer based on LTPP Bind version 3.1 Tcrit(virgin) = average low critical temperature of the virgin asphalt binder plus two standard deviations
Tcrit(RAP Binder) = average low critical temperature of the RAP binders plus two standard deviations This approach is based on the premise that the low temperature properties should control the amount of RAP that can be used with a particular virgin binder.
Indiana tested 33 RAP stockpiles across the state and found the average RAP binder to be PG90-11. A few states are using statewide RAP binder evaluations to revise RAP specs. Indiana tested 33 RAP stockpiles across the state and found the average RAP binder to be PG9011. Virgin binders, both PG 64-22 and PG58-28, were also tested. Using the critical low temperatures and the blending equation found in section X1.4 of AASHTO M323, maximum allowable RAP percentages were calculated to be approximately 23 percent for -22 virgin binders and 38 percent for -28 binders. Based on these calculations, the recommended new spec is no change in binder grade (PG64-22) for less than 25 percent RAP, and one grade lower (PG58-28) for 25 to 40 percent RAP. A similar study in Florida involved testing a total of 21 RAP stockpiles throughout the state’s seven districts. The results of the study were used to validate Florida’s proposed limits, which include no change in binder grade (PG67-22) for less than 15 percent RAP, PG58-22 for 16 to 30 percent RAP, and PG52-28 for more than 30 percent RAP. An analysis of 36 RAP stockpiles across Alabama indicates that a maximum 35 percent RAP could be used www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 27
In Wisconsin, samples from six RAP stockpiles and six fractionated RAP (FRAP) stockpiles were characterized. This image gives an example of processing RAP. Photo courtesy of Tim Murphy, Chicago.
Most contractors do not have the equipment necessary to perform these tests, and some highway agencies are hesitant to specify percentages of RAP that require this extra testing. with PG67-22 binder and 33 percent RAP with PG76-22, based on critical low temperatures. This represents 96 percent reliability that a target climate grade of -16oC will be met. Current Alabama specs allow a maximum of 20 percent RAP for surface mixes and 25 percent for underlying layers. 28 APRIL/MAY 2013
Recommended Virgin Asphalt Binder Grade
RAP Percentage
no change in binder selection select virgin binder 1 grade softer than normal (e.g. select PG58-28 if PG64-22 is normally used) use a blending equation
< 15 15 to 25
ALDOT also considers contractor-proposed mix designs with up to 35 percent recycled content for binder and base layers using PG67-22; such mixes require additional testing, including binder extraction and recovery. In Wisconsin, samples from six RAP stockpiles and six fractionated RAP (FRAP) stockpiles were characterized. The stockpiles were evenly divided between northern and southern areas of the state. The continuous binder grading properties were similar for all of the RAP stockpiles tested,
> 25
with an average RAP binder grade of PG82.8-21.8. A reliability analysis was conducted to evaluate Wisconsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current binder replacement criteria, and revisions were recommended to improve the reliability of meeting design low-temperature grades. As a result, a decrease in the percentage of allowable RAP binder was suggested for surface course (from 25 to 20 percent), while an increase was recommended for underlying layers (from 40 to 45 percent RAP binder replacement).
GTR Processes Prove Compatibility Manufacturing asphalt rubber particles can go either way
By AsphaltPro Staff
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n November, the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) announced something that will resonate with readers very well this month. The results of an asphalt mix performance study using ground tire rubber (GTR) powder indicated that the asphalt manufacturing process doesn’t impact the performance of the rubber material. Richard Willis, NCAT’s assistant research professor, stated, “We are optimistic that the study findings will accelerate the use of sustainable material in highway construction.” AsphaltPro, the Rubber Pavements Association (RPA) and the newly formed Rubber Asphalt Foundation (RAF) have shared much information lately about the potential of GTR mixes to build long-lasting road
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surfaces, reduce road maintenance, provide cost-effective surfaces, lower road noise, provide safer surfaces, etc. While an increasing number of states are assessing the use of GTR mixes, entities such as NCAT seek to characterize the influence of GTR’s particle size, grinding technique and blending methods. NCAT conducted a study. The results led researchers to recommend the following: • GTR can be considered an appropriate asphalt binder modifier to achieve critical high temperature performance in mixes; • Because ambient and cryogenic GTR performed equally in terms of binder modification and separation, specs don’t have to distinguish between the two types of
materials when the GTR is 30 mesh or smaller; and • 10 percent rubber is an appropriate level of loading for asphalt binders. Grinding methods the researchers discussed included the crackermill process, the granulator process, the micromill process and the cryogenic process. NCAT researchers J. Willis, Clayton Plemons, Pamela Turner, Carolina Rodezno and Tyler Mitchell included a breakdown of each of those processes. The one most germaine to this discussion is the last one in which liquid nitrogen is used to increase the brittleness of the crumb rubber. Once the rubber is frozen, cryogenic hammers grind it to the desired size. GTR ground so
LEFT: Of the rubber blending plants that D&H Equipment offers, the American Blender has one hopper and 45 ton per hour production rate. The ground tire rubber (GTR) enters a 600-cubic-foot crumb rubber hopper. Scales on the hopper weigh the product as it flows to either a vertical or optional horizontal mixing chamber, which can be set up for continuous flow when in semi-automated or automated mode. At the same time, a Bearcat 600 asphalt pump with Coriolis meter send virgin asphalt cement (AC) to the mixing chamber to meet up with the GTR. Paddles blend the materials there. If you’re using a polymer, the blended material goes to a mill next for additional shearing; this adds about a minute to the process, according to the manufacturer. A Bearcat AR450 discharge pump then sends the blended material to one of two 15,000-gallon reaction tanks on an adjacent trailer for the physical reaction of the rubber softening and dilution. A 0.5M BTU hot oil heater keeps each reaction tank hot and a Bearcat 960 pump sends the ready material to the asphalt plant for mix production.
ABOVE: An asphalt rubber blending plant will feature two main components—the mixing chamber and the reaction tank. To create a successful AR mix the producer first feeds ground tire rubber (GTR) into the crumb rubber hopper at regular intervals during production. The secret to success is consistent production at a set rate that matches your hot mix asphalt (HMA) plant production rate. With the CEI plant pictured here, an air canon in the crumb rubber hopper is designed to keep material flowing freely to a screw conveyor, which controls the volume going to the mixing chamber. Load cells measure the material by weight. At the same time, an asphalt cement (AC) pump with a variable frequency drive (VFD) sends virgin AC to the mixing chamber. That’s where the GTR and AC meet up. A high shear mixer running at a speed of 3,400 revolutions per minute homogenizes the crumb rubber particles with the liquid asphalt. As the materials are mixed, a pump sends the blending materials to a reaction tank. During the mixing process, fresh GTR and virgin AC continue to flow into the chamber. The compartmentalized reaction tank moves the blended mix across agitating augers mounted horizontally so that the crumb rubber remains in suspension and the new mix enters the tank at one end and the aged mix exits the tank at the other. Vent condensers handle external cooling and Smog Hogs control final blue smoke fumes. A mass flow meter measures supply from the reaction tank to the plant for delivery of GTR-modified AC. Photo courtesy of CEI Enterprises, Albuquerque, N.M. 32 APRIL/MAY 2013
that a majority is -140 mesh is called micronized rubber powder (MRP). Rubber particulate modification of binders has been performing in the market for more than 30 years in various parts of the country, and this research will support the understanding of how to use tire rubber to make performance graded asphalt. The study’s findings, along with phase-two work with asphalt mixes and slight modifications to PG specs, will allow states the means to capture high performance characteristics of tire rubber in asphalt systems. Sources include: NCAT, Lehigh Technologies, RAF
www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 33
Bring Your Rep to the Plant Staker Parson shares grass roots site visit with Matheson
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By Sandy Lender
s members of the asphalt industry, we have a responsiHighway funding education doesn’t end when one Act is bility and the privilege to educate our elected officials passed. The House and Senate passed the Moving Ahead so they understand the necessity behind federal highway for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act in 2012, but funding. While at the World of Asphalt and AGG1 events government funding extensions have needed help to “rein San Antonio in March, Jay Hansen, the executive vice president of government affairs for the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) shared the organization’s desire to grow grass roots involvement in educating representatives at all levels of government. He said NAPA is ramping up the emphasis it places on facility tours. When an elected official visits an asphalt plant, that official meets constituents face to face and sees exactly what his or her infrastructure-related vote impacts. Hansen specifically mentioned the work Utah Asphalt Pavement Association President Reed Ryan has been doing and the recent visit Congressman Jim Matheson (D-Utah) made to the Staker Parson Companies’ Draper, Utah, asphalt plant. Matheson represents the fourth district of Utah and has made a couple of visits to other Oldcastle facilities in the past, according to John Hay, Oldcastle Materials’ government relations director in Atlanta. The timing of Matheson’s visit in early March was coincidental. Matheson is a co-chair of the Congressional Cement Caucus, which had held a briefing on the Hill the week prior to his visit. It was fortuitous that Parson made the invitation to Matheson so that he and his colleagues could share the good and positive news of asphalt production and asphalt’s needs on the top: During the March 8 site visit, the group discussed the state of the U.S. econoheels of a concrete discussion. As Hay said, my and the outlook for federal transportation funding. Photo courtesy of Scott Par“The concept is really quite simple to educate son. BOTTOM: On March 8, 2013, U.S. Representative Jim Matheson toured Stakone of our elected officials on what we do.” er Parson Companies (an Oldcastle company) Draper, Utah, hot mix asphalt plant. Of course NAPA officials are excited when Pictured at the entrance to the site are Scott Parson, president; Rep. Jim Matheson; the conversation includes the industry’s needs Mike Kurz, region president; Craig Fabrizio, liquid asphalt manager; and Brandon overall. “It would not be unusual for us to disLeFevre, general manager. Photo courtesy of Scott Parson. cuss highway funding,” Hay said. To host a plant tour of your own, you can get tips from NAPA at the Government Affairs tab on www. member” its allotments. Also consider the short authoriasphaltpavement.org. It’s such an important topic that the zation period of MAP-21. It expires Sept. 30, 2014. While various tools are available to the general public; you don’t H.R. 933 is already in motion to replace what will expire, have to be a member of NAPA to view them and put them representatives need to learn about new legislation and into practice. Check out the: the need for that legislation. • Sample Plant Tour Toolkit Bringing your elected officials to your site for a tour, for • How to Effectively Give a Facility Tour lunch, for a fundraiser, for a boardroom discussion, etc., • The 2013 Congressional Calendar gives you the opportunity to share real asphalt messages. • A NAPA Article on Hosting a Successful Plant Tour Members of the asphalt industry get to be the teachers.
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Mechanic Garners Patriotic Employer Award By AsphaltPro Staff
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echanic Wade Peterson is a sergeant in the DET 1 147th FSC National Guard unit and a fairly recent employee—hired in mid-2012—of Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc. (KPI-JCI), Yankton, S.D. He appreciates his maintenance supervisor Randy Blunck at the company for his commitment to him so much that he nominated Blunck for the “Patriotic Employer” award. The South Dakota Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR) organization honored the company, along with Blunck, for its contributions to America’s national security and protection of liberty and freedom. Peterson said he nominated Blunck because he appreciates the support given to him by the company when he’s required to be away from his civilian job. “It’s a good job, and he’s a good boss,” Peterson said. “It means a lot to me to have the support of my employer and be able to pay the bills and have a good job.” This is the third time the South Dakota ESGR has recognized KPI-JCI as a Patriotic Employer. The company earned the honor last year when Matthew Schmidt, an equipment operator, nominated Traffic Manager Todd Rothenberger. At this time, KPI-JIC employs 63 men and women who have served or are currently serving in the military. The ESGR is a Department of Defense organization that was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve component members and their civilian employers. Blunck said KPI-JCI has an exemplary past employment history with members of the National Guard in South Dakota and surrounding states. In addition to being thankful for their service to the nation, Blunck also said he values the skills they bring from their military experience that benefit the company. “I was honored when I learned that I was going to receive the Patriotic Employer Award,” Blunck said. “I feel that it is our duty to do everything we can for Wade while he is serving our country. Wade has the mechanical skills we were looking for to do the job. After we got to know Wade, we found he is very professional and has a lot more skills than we had anticipated.” To learn more about the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve organization, visit http://www.esgr.org. www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 37
Wrap Up Asphalt Knowledge A
By Sandy Lender
ttending a trade show as expanBall prepared a toolbox talk for received AsphaltPro t-shirts, scale sive as World of Asphalt with visitors to the AsphaltPro booth. Atmodels of pavers and rollers from AGG1 often leads to exhaustion. tendees picked up a canvas toolbox Bomag and Caterpillar, additional The event that took place March 19 and a card stock map to guide them quality tools for their toolboxes, and through 21 in San Antonio included around the trade show floor to colmore cash. Winners who weren’t on 123,600 square feet of vendor space lect tools from participating vendors hand for the drawing, which included where 385 exhibitors highlighted for their toolbox. AsphaltPro gives folks who entered the contest online their latest innovations and technola shout-out to Asphalt Drum Mixers through the www.TheAsphaltPro. ogies for the asphalt and aggregate (ADM), KPI-JCI, Libra Systems, Relicom website, received their goodies industry. For a couple of in the mail after the show. weeks after the show, most The folks at KPI-JCI not phone calls from people in only handed out fantastic the extended asphalt indusconveying calculators, they try begin with, “Have you gave away passes to attend recovered from World of their reception off-site with Asphalt?” That means evDozer Dave of Discovery eryone you met at the comChannel’s Gold Rush. Maxbined shows and conferam Equipment showcased ences returned to an office a blast from the past with a with the same level of brain collection of restored cars— overload as you. of course you had to walk “Everyone” included past screens detailing their more than 6,000 people silo topping technology to from 54 nations, accordcheck out those cars! Transing to the National Asphalt Tech raised blood sugar levPavement Association’s els again this year by handcount. All 50 U.S. states ing out boxes of Girl Scout and eight Canadian provcookies. The gentlemen inces saw people attendfrom Asphalt Drum Mixers ing the shows and buy(ADM) and D&H Equipment ing 8,300+ tickets for the made believers out of any People, Plants and Paving newbie by placing a full portraining sessions and the table plant and a full crumb Editor Sandy Lender gave a presentation on how to use online marketing and social media platforms to increase your company’s AGG1 Academy. That’s a rubber blending plant (represence and get more asphalt business. A great audience had exlot of people moving in difspectively) in their booths’ cellent questions to keep everyone learning how to promote asferent directions during the footprints. There were more phalt together. week, thus what you do afinnovations packed into the ter WOA and AGG1 deterHenry B. Gonzalez convenmines how successful your networkable Asphalt Products and TransTech tion center than we could cover in ing turns out to be. for participating with us. one magazine, but we’ll give some All the walking around, pressing As racers finished collecting tools, of the new items a mention in this flesh, schmoozing and smiling loses they had a great prize item to take month’s Equipment Gallery. its efficacy if you don’t follow up with home and use on their next paving You see, the tradeshow is phone calls, e-mails and a bit of sojobs. They also could bring the comabout more than getting caught up cial networking. One of the opportupleted card stock map back to the in neat gimmicks and giveaways. nities for networking taking place on AsphaltPro booth for a chance to Yes, meeting celebrities or getting the trade show floor began in booth win extra prizes. Magazine Publisher a real-and-useful toolbox or seeing #216 where Top Quality Paving ProSally Shoemaker pulled cards from whole plants is awesome. Everyone prietor John Ball assisted the Asone of the bags, handing out $100 to needs that kind of break from the phaltPro Magazine staff with the anSantiago Pio Fernandez on the spot. regular routine. But the exhibitors nual AsphaltPro Amazing Road Race. Other winners around the booth bringing fun or unique experiences 38 APRIL/MAY 2013
AsphaltPro’s Amazing Road Race Prize Winners Tony Bodway Jeni Engler Santiago Pio Fernandez Tim Fox Howard Green Jason Guerra Marcus Guerra Mark Hite Keith Ibbotson Charlie Lewis Will Petska David Ploense Doug Stern Taylor Teel Congratulations to you all for your extra winnings and thank you for playing!
to attendees were attracting you to their booths to show you what new or updated equipment and technology they could offer to improve your asphalt and aggregate business. This month’s Equipment Gallery department is expanded so we can focus on the new products showcased at World of Asphalt/AGG1—check that out starting on page 42. Then watch for the next opportunity to network with your peers in real life (IRL) or as a follow-up to such a show with your social media platforms. You can connect with AsphaltPro online anytime at our facebook page, on Twitter, on Google+, on LinkedIn or anywhere asphalt professionals congregate.
WOA/AGG1 in NE Winter
TOP: This snapshot of the Volvo booth before the WOA/AGG1 tradeshow opened gives an idea of the excitement exhibitors built for attendees. The company unveiled the P7100 paver and the DD110B compactor. MIDDLE: Kenco Engineering and Stansteel Hotmix Parts had great set-ups to show different flights that are available for different veiling patterns within drums. This kind of display shows attendees exactly what flighting technology can be used in the different sections of the drum and what drying issues can be resolved with different flights. Great visuals! BOTTOM: John Ball shared top quality paving tips with visitors to the AsphaltPro booth during the show and shared some fun with Dennis Deibel after show hours. 40 APRIL/MAY 2013
The next World of Asphalt and AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo will be held in 2015. CONEXPO-CON/AGG takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center March 4 through 8, 2014, so WOA/AGG1 will skip a year. Make plans for concentrated asphalt industry information at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Md., March 17 through 19, 2015.
equipment gallery
Monitor Compaction Continuously
By AsphaltPro Staff
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hen using a tandem roller to achieve density of the asphalt mat, the machine operator should follow a set rolling pattern. Despite the set pattern, operators often repeat passes in an effort to get a bit more compaction. Repeating passes just to be on the safe side isn’t always safe. Not only does the operator waste time and fuel by making excessive passes, he could be breaking aggregate and damaging density results. The team at BOMAG Americas, Kewanee, Ill., developed the Economizer measuring technology to make quality control easier. While the Economizer made its world premiere at Intermat 2012, Bomag’s BW 138 AD-5 with the Economizer system made its North American debut at the World of Asphalt/AGG1 trade show in San Antonio March 19 through 21, 2013. The Economizer offers the roller operator real time data for constant monitoring and control of the compaction process through a display that continuously shows an increasing number of yellow LEDs on a dial. It comprises an acceleration sensor that sends data to a computing unit. As the operator rolls across the mat, a special algorithm converts the incoming signals to a measured value; the value increases as the mat stiffness increases. The LEDs on the viewable display light up around the dial to signify to the operator the increasing compaction levels during the compaction process. The operator knows he’s achieved maximum compaction when the number of LEDs doesn’t increase with subsequent roller passes. If the number of lit LEDs suddenly drops, the operator knows he’s passing a weak area of the material. The area needs to be analyzed and fixed.
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TOP LEFT: The BW 138 AD from Bomag features the Economizer technology. TOP RIGHT: Bomag spokespersons Dave Dennison and Chris Connolly explained during the WOA show that the Economizer is on any time the vibration is on. It’s not intelligent compaction; it’s a continuous monitoring of compactive effort. BOTTOM: In this picture, you can see the Economizer dial at left. As the roller operator drives over the mat, the dial continually gives a readout showing the level of compaction he has achieved.
If the single red LED lights up, the operator knows he’s about to overcompact an area. This helps prevent fractured aggregate, excessive passes, and wasted time and fuel. The Economizer measuring technology is designed to monitor compaction efforts in a more timeefficient manner than coring or other methods that require testing and feedback. The dial has an ultra
clear display even in strong sunlight, according to the manufacturer, and is situated in direct view of the operator. For more information, contact Chris Connolly or Dave Dennison at (309) 853-3571 or visit www.bomag. com/us. Watch the YouTube video at http://tinyurl.com/BOMAGEconomizer. Let them know you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.
Log Data in the Lab As computer hardware and our personal computing devices have advanced, the use of floppy drives and CDs has gone by the wayside. Getting information from one machine in your testing lab to the QC inspectors at the state lab might not be as simple as sending data to “the cloud,” so Pine Instrument Company, Grove City, Pa., made a device to simplify your life. The company displayed a number of products at WOA/AGG1, including its new data logger. Ed Kaltenbaugh is a senior software engineer for Pine and he designed the new data logger that allows you to upgrade your current gyratory compactor to log data onto a flash drive. The data logger mounts and connects to any Pine gyratory compactor (and some competitors’ models as well) via a serial port. It receives serial data during or after compaction of specimens. It saves data to an included standard USB flash drive. It time-stamps the files with an onboard, real-time clock for date and time. The saved files can then be imported into Excel workbooks or sent to a printer.
TOP: The AFDL1 is the retrofit—the data logger—that affixes to the gyratory compactor console to collect data and download it to a flash drive. MIDDLE: Ed Kaltenbaugh, a senior software engineer for Pine Instrument Company, Grove City, Pa., shows the data logger he designed. BOTTOM: The AFDL1 affixes to the side of the console.
For more information, contact Ed at edkbaugh@pineinst.com or (724) 458-6393. Let them know you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine. www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 43
equipment gallery size with excellent maneuverability and visibility and operator comfort; check out the images included with this write-up. “As always, operator comfort remains a top priority for Case…Operators also have superior visibility to the drum edge on both sides of the machine with a lateral sliding seat as standard equipment, even on the smallest machine.” The DV series features a tapered offset drum and high curb clearance to make them useful on parking lot and tennis court jobs. For more information, visit www. casece.com or call Marc Pomerantz at (262) 636-5547. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.
Astec Signals Diagnosis
Astec, Inc., Chattanooga, introduced “The Source” diagnostic tool during WOA/AGG1. It’s a hand-held tool that simulates most of the electrical signals coming into an asphalt plant control system. It’s designed to simplify plant setup and troubleshooting by providing the user with the ability to simulate components without the need to waste material. It uses 0 to 30 milli-volts to simulate a weigh bridge signal; 0 to 10 DC volt signal to emulate an MBU and control the speed of a variable-speed drive. The 24-volt, 0 to 4,100-hertz pulses simulate the inputs from a tachometer or encoders. It provides a tach connector that will simulate an AC pump or a feeder. The 4 to 20-milli-amps output signals are handy for any current output field device. It provides control signals that simulate heat controllers, current transformers, action packs and any other current sources. It also alerts the user if the current circuit is open, simplifying 4 to 20-milli-amp control problems. The Source is available for sale through the Astec Parts department. The Astec Source tool comes enclosed in a rugged, waterproof case. A magnetic hold facilitates handsfree operation. For more information, contact Astec at (423) 867-4210 or visit astecinc.com. Let them know you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine. 44 APRIL/MAY 2013
ABOVE TOP: Astec representatives also highlighted the popular DASH controls technology that the company launched at last year’s WOA/AGG1 show. ABOVE: The Source tool from Astec is designed to simulate electrical signals so plant operators can find and fix problems during plant setup or startup.
New Safety Tools
The Office of Mine Safety & Health Research (OMSHR) shared information from its booth at WOA/AGG1 pertaining to new safety and health features at a new website. Check out www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining to see better search tools for safety and health information. The organization offers safety and health research videos as well as tips for preventing illnesses, injuries and fatalities.
Case Small Compactors
Case Construction Equipment, Racine, Wis., launched its updated line of small double drum asphalt rollers, which features the DV23, DV26, DV36 and DV45. The company purports the rollers combine a compact
TOP: The DV23-V2 from Case offers a drum width of 39 inches and operating weight of 4,960 pounds. bottom: The DV45-V1 from Case offers a drum width of 54 inches and operating weight of 10,295 pounds.
equipment gallery
Roadtec Brings the Power
During the company’s press conference, Roadtec’s Jeff Richmond explained that machines featuring the lowercase “e” at the end of their names have engines that are in Tier IV interim compliance. For instance, the RX-100e utility milling machine has an engine that’s already in compliance with Tier IV requirements. As a side note, the machine on display at WOA/AGG1 was the first off the line. It’s a mill with a base cutting width of 20 inches and the ability to cut 8 46 APRIL/MAY 2013
TOP: Roadtec introduced the new Tier4i version of the SP-200e with improved visibility, fingertip controls, adjustable seats, an automated spray system, gravity feed hopper and 11.8inch wide steel tracks. TOP LEFT: The RX-100e utility milling machine is the latest in Roadtec’s line of milling machines. ABOVE: The RP-2505 is designed to achieve high densities in stiffer mixes with its tamper bar screeds.
inches deep. The company suggests it for milling around obstructions such as manholes or narrow spaces. Roadtec also introduced the steel track RP-2505 paver. It’s an 8-foot paver built to operate with high density tamper bar screeds, which will allow it to achieve high densities with stiffer mixes. The screeds are electrically heated and vibratory. As reported in AsphaltPro in the past, the tamper bars allow the screed to compact the material to extremely high densities. One of the big machines in the Roadtec booth was the SP-200e. It’s the new Tier4i version of the spray paver. The gravity feed hopper design helps decrease material segregation and machine maintenance while maintaining high production. A 14inch thick Ni-hard, hydraulically raisable auger system with tilt capabilities allows the operator to maintain a parallel position of the auger with the screed bottom. Matching sets of switches on the operator’s console control five nozzles on the left and five nozzles on the right of the spray bar individually. Richmond also discussed enhancements to the Shuttle Buggy material transfer vehicle. Its thicker slat conveyors and new auger system of 29inch augers instead of 22-inch are examples of the improved wear parts on the machine. The increased life of the wear parts offer lower operating costs for the machine. That ties into the Guardian telematics Roadtec offers on its pavers and millers now. For more information, contact Roadtec at (423) 265-0600 or visit www.roadtec.com. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.
a narrower screed to accomplish the 30-degree standard wedge. Systems are offered in standard or vibratory units. For more information, contact Jared at (717) 919-9828 or eoawillow@ aol.com. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro magazine.
Willow Vibrates its Slope
With the safety edge AsphaltPro has reported on becoming a part of state specs more and more often, companies such as Willow Designs are answering cotractors’ needs for a sloped pavement edge maker. Willow showcased its Safety Edge System at WOA/AGG1, stating it offers www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 47
that's a good idea
Spray Every Truck Before Milling By John Ball
W
e’ve discussed the importance of coating truck beds with a release agent before they receive millings on a job. Here’s another way to get the product in place. This crew took an old metal stairway from the plant, mounted it on a trailer and brought it to the job. Notice the tank of release agent is situated beneath the platform where a worker can stand. He has a wand that he operates manually when trucks drive up after dumping their loads into the paver. After he sprays them with a quick coat of release agent, they’re ready to get in line at the front of the milling portion of the job. It makes easier work of quality control in the field.
TOP: The ladder is a stairway with guardrail already in place. The release agent tub fits nicely under the platform. MIDDLE THREE: The worker stands on top of the platform with his hard hat and other personal protective equipment on. Notice this crew also uses orange flags attached to the trailer’s wheel guard to help the truck drivers find their way without getting too close to the stairs. When a truck pulls up, the worker sprays the release agent. 48 APRIL/MAY 2013
2
here's how it works
Step 3 Turn on the unit at the control panel above ground.
Step 1 Lower the tubes through the manway into the underground tank.
Step 4 The low watt density, dry well design heating element inside the tube heats the material inside the tank.
Step 2 Connect the flexible thermostat sensor and power lead to the control panel.
PHCo’s Drop-In Retrofit Heater Fix W
hile fewer producers install underground tanks today than 25 years or so ago, there are hundreds of these structures in operation in California alone. In addition to underground tank owners, owners of distributor trucks and above-ground tanks have found a need for a dropin heater kit to solve heating issues. Process Heating Company, Seattle, came up with a kit that resolves issues without the need to dig up structures or cut into tank walls and insulation. Here’s how it works. Let’s say you have an underground tank with a failed heating system and half a tank of material that’s now hard as a brick.
50 APRIL/MAY 2013
First, lower the drop-in retrofit heater kit through the manway so that it lies on top of the solid material as a single tube or in multiple tubes of heating elements. Second, the unit’s high temperature power lead “feeds” up the flexible hose that has a steel braid to connect to the control panel above ground. Once the operator turns the unit on, the tubes, which house Process Heating’s patented low watt density, dry well design, begin to melt their way down through the hardened material. Once the material is in a liquid state again, you can pump the “old” material out for proper disposal. This process not only saves you the
expense in time and labor of digging up or cleaning the tank, it could save you the cost of a new tank. Finally, dispose of the failed heating system and the drop-in retrofit heater kit becomes the long-term solution. The drop-in retrofit heater kit can be lowered through the manway of a distributor truck to provide a heating solution there or into an aboveground tank if the owner wishes to add or change out the heating system without cutting holes through the side of the tank and insulation. The flexible leads are supplied in different lengths to accommodate different applications and manway locations or lengths.
Help educate future generations about the value of asphalt roads while providing a positive community message about your asphalt facility!!!!! Asphalt Pro magazine is proud to announce the launch of Asphalt Lane: A children’s activity book designed to deliver a positive educational message to your local school children. Told through the eyes of Chuck the Truck and his sidekick Chuck Jr. the story of Asphalt Lane is a perfect opportunity for you to use as a public relations tool.
Use Asphalt Lane for: • Curriculum ideas for your local school district or your child’s elementary class • A career day activity at your facility • Company Events- picnics, open houses, plant tours • Tradeshow giveaways • Giveaways to local favorite restaurant, church, synagogue.
Call Sally Shoemaker to order yours today!
573-499-1830 ext 1008
Order yours today, shipped direct to your facility on
www.theasphaltpro.com or www.asphaltlane.com Only $1.00 per copy + shipping. Special pricing available on quantities over 5,000, call for pricing
resource directory Almix................................. 19 Tel: 260-672-3004 sales@almix.com www.almix.com
CEI....................................... 4 Tel: 800-545-4034 info@ceienterprises.com www.ceienterprises.com
Asphalt Drum Mixers.....................34-35, 43 Contact: Steve Shawd or Jeff Dunne Tel: 260-637-5729 sales@admasphaltplants.com www.admasphaltplants.com
C.M. Consulting................ 52 Contact: Cliff Mansfield Tel: 541-354-6188 Cmconsulting@aol.com www.hotplantconsulting.com
Argo Industries.................. 13 Contact: Paul Vandermolen Tel: 1-800-244-2746 or 262781-3995 Cell: 262-442-9895 sales@argoind.com Web: www.argoind.com Astec, Inc..........22-23, 31, 37 Contact: Tom Baugh Tel: 423-867-4210 tbaugh@astecinc.com www.astecinc.com
Dillman Equipment........... 41 Tel: 608-326-4820 www.dillmanequipment.com E.D. Etnyre........................ 24 Contact: sales@etnyre.com Tel: 800-995-2116 www.etnyre.com Ergon Inc........................... 11 Savemyroad.com EZ Street........................... 33 Tel: 800-734-1476 Info@ezstreet-miami.com www.ezstreetasphalt.com
Fast-Measure..................... 33 Tel: 888-876-6050 www.Fast-measure.com
Reliable Asphalt Products.............. Back Cover Contact: Charles Grote Tel: 502-647-1782 cgrote@reliableasphalt.com www.reliableasphalt.com
Heatec, Inc............ Inside Front Cover Contact: Sharlene Burney Tel: 800-235-5200 sburney@heatec.com www.heatec.com
Roadtec........................... 7, 9 Contact: Sales Tel: 423-265-0600 Sales@roadtec.com www.roadtec.com
ILTA.................................... 45 Info@ilta.org 703-875-2011 www.ilta.org
Rotochopper, Inc..............Inside Back Cover Tel: 320-548-3586 Info@rotochopper.com www.rotochopper.com
NAPA Mid-Year Meeting............................. 48 www.asphaltpavements.org
Stansteel AsphaltPlant Products....... 39 Contact: Dave Payne Tel: 800-826-0223 dpayne@stansteel.com www.stansteel.com
Process Heating................ 47 Contact: Rick or Ron Jay Tel: 866-682-1582 Ron@processheating.com Rick@processheating.com www.processheating.com
Stansteel............................ 25 Contact: Dawn Kochert Tel: 800-826-0223 dkochert@hotmixparts.com www.hotmixparts.com
Systems Equipment.......... 15 Contact: Dave Enyart, Sr. Tel: 563-568-6387 Dlenyart@ systemsequipment.com www.systemsequipment.com Tarmac International, Inc...................................... 29 Contact: Ron Heap Tel 816-220-0700 info@tarmacinc.com www.tarmacinc.com Top Quality Paving.........â&#x20AC;Ś52 Contact: John Ball Tel 603-624-8300 Tqpaving@yahoo.com www.tqpaving WRT.................................. .33 Contact: Dean Taylor Tel 800-667-2025 or 306-244-0423 dtaylor@wrtequipment.com www.wrtequipment.com
AsphaltProâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resource Directory is designed for you to have quick access to the manufacturers that can get you the information you need to run your business efficiently. Please support the advertisers that support this magazine and tell them you saw them in AsphaltPro magazine.
52 APRIL/MAY 2013
the last cut
China Goes After More U.S. Interests
By AsphaltPro Staff
B
drilling cost. Foreign investors in joint ventures pay uploomberg.com reported at the end of January that front cash and commit to cover the cost of drilling exbig Chinese chemical product supplier Sinochem tra wells within an agreed-upon time frame, usually beGroup of Beijing entered into a joint venture with Pitween 2 and 10 years. oneer Natural Resources Co. (PXD) of Dallas, to purchase a 40 percent stake in the Wolfcamp Shale play in “Both U.S. and foreign companies benefit from these West Texas earlier this year. The cost? US$500 million. deals. U.S. operators get financial support, while foreign Sinochem will pay another $1.2 billion if the U.S. govcompanies gain experience in horizontal drilling and hyernment approves the deal. Pioneer Natural released a draulic fracturing that may be transferable to other restatement in late January saying that additional mongions. Plus, foreign companies can operate in a stable ey would cover its share of future drilling costs, but market with a sound legal system and low political risk. it would continue to operate 207,000 net acres in the In addition, exploration and development opportunities Wolfcamp. The statement says this allows the compaare decreasing in much of the rest of the world. While nies to drill 86 horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp in 2013 foreign companies may pay sizable initial costs through and increase the number of wells by another 34 in 2014 joint ventures, these deals can be considered a cost of and by another 45 in 2015 for a total of 165. entry to the development of hydrocarbons through the As far as AsphaltPro could determine, this is the first latest technology.” oil buy Sinochem has made Foreign interests are getfrom a company in the Unitting more than hydrocarbons “Most of the foreign investment for an end product. EIA reed States, but other Chinese—and other foreign— ports, “Most of the recent in these joint ventures companies have their eyes joint venture deals with forinvolved buying a percentage on U.S. shale plays. Bloomeign companies shifted from berg reports that China Petthe dry natural gas plays to of the host company’s shale rochemical Corp. and Devmore liquids-rich areas such play acreages through an on Energy Corp. “agreed to as the Eagle Ford, Utica and a deal valued at as much as Wolfcamp—a trend similar upfront cash payment with a $2.5 billion” in 2012. Bloomto domestic operations. All commitment to cover a portion shale plays contain some liqberg’s resources determined that in 2012, “Chinese comuids, but those with a higher of the drilling cost.” panies…announced acquisiliquid-to-gas ratio are more tions valued at $17.9 billion attractive because of the for North American oil and gas companies.” The news higher value of hydrocarbons that have crude oil and pesource stated, “Chinese interest in shale, a dense rock troleum liquids in addition to natural gas.” formation that holds oil and gas, comes as the nation To get an idea of the international dollars coming in to seeks the technology to unlock its own reserves.” take part in the U.S. shale marketplace, EIA prepared a According to the Energy Information Administration map and graph of what’s been going on in the past five (EIA), investment in shale plays in the United States toyears. For instance, the popular Marcellus shale in the taled $133.7 billion between 2008 and 2012 as part of northeast received more than $4 billion in 2009 and about 73 deals with 20 percent of those investments being $3.5 billion in 2010. joint ventures by foreign companies. The next largest foreign influenced play is the Eagle EIA described what goes into the ventures: Ford shale, which took in more than $6 billion during 2010, 2011 and 2012. The Woodford play received nearly “Most of the foreign investment in these joint ven$2 billion in 2008. tures involved buying a percentage of the host comThe Barnett play, which Bloomberg states Pioneer Natpany’s shale play acreages through an upfront cash ural is sitting on for the time being due to the low bids the payment with a commitment to cover a portion of the www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 53
the last cut
“Chinese interest in shale…comes as the nation seeks the technology to unlock its own reserves.”
Liquid Asphalt Cement Prices—average per ton Company, State
Dec. ’12
Jan.’13
Feb.’13
Mar.’13
Apr '13
ConocoPhillips, Tenn.
$565.00
$565.00
$550.00
$550.00
$550.00
company had been receiving, received a relatively insignificant amount in 2009. The Haynesville play received about $1.2 billion in 2010. EIA’s graph shows the Niobrara play received about half a billion in 2010 and 2011 combined, but Bloomberg reports Cnooc Ltd. out of China “agreed to pay as much as $1.3 billion including drilling costs for an interest in Chesapeake Energy Corp.’s Niobrara shale project in 2011.” The Utica play received $2 billion in 2012. Remaining plays, except the Sinochem play that hadn’t been approved by the U.S. government as of the graph’s publication April 8, received $2 billion combined in 2012. Sources: Energy Information Administration, Bloomberg.com, Pioneer Natural
NuStar Energy, Ga.
555.00
550.00
545.00
550.00
550.00
NuStar Energy, N.C.
550.00
550.00
545.00
550.00
550.00
NuStar Energy, Va.
565.00
545.00
545.00
555.00
555.00
Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, N.C.
550.00
550.00
547.50
560.00
560.00
Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, S.C.
565.00
565.00
565.00
565.00
565.00
Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, Va.
560.00
560.00
540.00
550.00
540.00
Marathon Petroleum, Tenn.
565.00
550.00
550.00
550.00
550.00
Marathon Petroleum, N.C.
545.00
545.00
545.00
545.00
520.00
Valero Petroleum, N.C.
545.00
545.00
545.00
560.00
560.00
California Average
573.20
598.40
613.50
577.10
607.90
State of California Statewide Crude Oil Price Index
Delaware Average
563.33
550.00
538.33
535.00
546.67
Kentucky Average
563.13
558.13
546.25
546.25
546.25
Massachusetts Average
592.50
620.00
620.00
620.00
N/A
Missouri Average
523.75
528.75
528.75
528.75
N/A
2010
2011
2012
2013
Month
C.O.P.*
Month
C.O.P.
Month
C.O.P.
Month
C.O.P.
Jan
$385.10
Jan
$474.30
Jan
$589.90
Jan
$566.40
Feb
408.00
Feb
483.40
Feb
595.00
Feb
600.10
Mar
400.80
Mar
504.90
Mar
636.60
Mar
603.30
Apr
426.00
Apr
616.10
Apr
664.10
Apr
589.50
Data for Southeast region, Source: ncdot.org; Data for California, Source: dot.ca.gov; Data for Delaware, Source: deldot.gov; Data for Kentucky, Source: transportation.ky.gov; Data for Massachusetts, Source: mass. gov; Data for Missouri, Source: modot.mo.gov
Crude Oil Activity (U.S. Crude) futures spot data
May
437.00
May
656.60
May
649.70
Jun
384.00
Jun
606.00
Jun
Jul
393.30
Jul
579.00
Aug
402.90
Aug
Sep
404.20
Oct
stocks
Diesel Fuel Retail Price (dollars per gallon)
Jan 4
$93.09
361.3 m bbl
Jan 7
3.911
590.70
Jan 11
$93.56
360.3 m bbl
Jan 14
3.894
Jul
524.40
Jan 18
$95.56
363.1 m bbl
Jan 21
3.902
588.40
Aug
549.70
Jan 25
$95.88
369.1 m bbl
Jan 28
3.927
Sep
536.80
Sep
585.40
Feb 1
$97.77
371.7 m bbl
Feb 4
4.022
399.50
Oct
585.90
Oct
598.40
Feb 8
$95.72
372.2 m bbl
Feb 11
4.104
Feb 22
$93.13
377.5 m bbl
Feb 25
4.159
Nov
438.90
Nov
592.50
Nov
569.80
Mar 1
$90.68
381.4 m bbl
Mar 4
4.130
Dec
447.80
Dec
650.00
Dec
555.60
Mar 8
$91.95
384.0 m bbl
Mar 11
4.088
Mar 15
$93.45
382.7 m bbl
Mar 18
4.047
Mar 22
$93.71
385.9 m bbl
Mar 25
4.006
Mar 29
$97.23
388.6 m bbl
Apr 1
3.993
*C.O.P. = Crude Oil Price This information is compiled courtesy of the State of California DOT Division of Construction’s website. You can see the overall upward trend in crude oil price continues in the early part of 2013, even with the almost $14 dip in April. I call this an “overall upward trend” even though the snapshot taken of 2010 to 2013 shows prices hovering around a sort of plateau of prices. If you look back a few years—perhaps remembering the extenuating circumstances of the summer of 2008—you’ll see that examining 2010 to 2013 alone plays into the concept of shifting baselines. If we allow ourselves to accept a $385.10 price for crude oil in January 2010 as a low price, and a $384 price in June of that year as even lower, then we accept that range as a new baseline for pricing. The trend in crude oil prices is still rising, making the last cut from the barrel rise as well. The June/July combination issue of AsphaltPro will address great ways to reuse binder material to make virgin prices a little easier to stomach.
54 APRIL/MAY 2013
Sources: Energy Information Administration
RAP13633 – Astec 350 TPH Double Barrel Plant
8’ x 40’ Double Barrel Drum Astec Baghouse (Nominal 58k CFM) w/ Horizontal Cyclone (6) 9’x14’ Cold Feed Bin System w/ 5’x12’ Screen and Scale Conveyor (3) 300 Ton Storage Silos, 400 TPH Drag, Transfer Slats, and Scale AC Storage System w/ 20k Gal Horizontal Tank, Hot Oil Heater, Cal. Tank Nominal 500 BBL Dust Silo Split Level Control Structure w/ Controls, Office, and Bathroom RAP-13444 2000 GENCOR DRUM PLANT
• Portable UDP 400 Ultradrum Drum Mixer • Portable 182 Rotoair Baghouse • (2) Skid-Mounted 30,000 GAL AC Tanks
• 5 Bin Portable Cold Feed System • 10x15.5 Skid-Mounted Rap Bin w/ 36 in Feeder
RAP-13779 GENCOR STATIONARY BAGHOUSE
• 1995 Model • Nominal 70,000 CFM • Size 132
PLANTS RAP-13633 RAP-13637 RAP-13687 RAP-13424 RAP-13580 RAP-13444 RAP-13341 RAP-13610 RAP-13658 RAP-12969
Astec 350 TPH Double Barrel Astec 200 TPH Double Barrel Almix 150 TPH Duo Drum CMI Portable PTD-300 CMI Portable PTD-400 Gencor Portable UDP 400 Astec Portable Six Pack Turbo 375 TPH Cedarapids 250 TPH PF Almix 120 TPH 6626 Cedarapids Portable 8835 PF
SILO SYSTEMS RAP-13704 (3) Bituma 100 ton RAP-13697 (3) 200 ton Standard Havens RAP-13689 200 Ton Bituma w/elevator RAP-13680 (2) 200 ton Stansteel RAP-13679 (2) 200 ton Cedarapids RAP-13536 (3) 200 ton Gencor RAP-13616 (2) 200 ton Astec w/ Weigh Batchers RAP-13335 (3) 300 ton Bituma w/elevator
✓ Qualified listings ✓ Complete retrofit capability ✓ All types of component reconditioning
BAGHOUSES RAP-13706 RAP-12674 RAP-12864 RAP-13548 RAP-13692 RAP-13779
Dillman 64k CFM Standard Havens Magnum 50k CFM Standard Havens 60k CFM Astec 51k CFM CR Portable 57 k Gencor 70k CFM
COLD FEED/RAP RAP-12444 (6) 10 X 14 Cold Feed RAP-12496 (4) 9 X 12 Cold Feed RAP-12531 (4) 10 X 14 Cedarapids RAP-13011 9 X 14 Barber Greene RAP Bin RAP-13224 10 X 15 Gencor RAP Bin DRYERS/DRUMS RAP-13055 Cedarapids E500 CF Drum RAP-13203 Cedarapids Portable 8835 PF RAP-13250 Cedarapids 400 TPH CF RAP-13404 Gencor Ultradrum 300 RAP-12703 H & B 8830 Dryer RAP-13472 Barber Greene 9 X 30 DC70
RAP-13055 CEDARAPIDS E500 COUNTERFLOW DRUM MIXER
• 114” x 52’ • Slinger Inlet • Recycle Collar
• Trunnion Drive w/ 60hp Motors • 126 mbtu Burner (M/N CR20N)
RAP-13430 PORTABLE 8.5X13 SHINGLE BIN
• Nominal 8.5x13 Opening • Single Axle Design • Air Cannon
✓ Custom engineering ✓ Experience with all types of plants ✓ Complete plants and stand alone components VIST US ON THE WEB OR CALL TOLL FREE
Inc.
PO Box 519, Shelbyville KY 40066 • Fax 502.647.1786
www.ReliableAsphalt.com 866.647.1782