The oil and gas industry in the United States is booming right now. As it grows, the demand for more facilities for the two is needed, but there are a lot of safety requirements because of how dangerous extracting, storing and transporting oil and gas is. One of the best ways to meet these safety requirements is by using steel buildings. In this article, we will look at why steel buildings are the safest and most affordable option for the gas and oil industry.
Steel is not Combustible
One of the biggest dangers when working with oil and gas is that they are both highly combustible. Steel is not a flammable material, which means that you will be creating a fire-resistant work environment for everyone working in the facility. Even if a fire does break out in your building, it should be contained inside and should not spread to any other nearby buildings or machinery. This safety goes both ways. If a building near yours catches fire, you do not have to worry about the fire spreading inside, which would just make the fire worse once it touches that oil or gas.
Lower Insurance Costs
One thing steel building owners can all enjoy is that insurance
rates are usually lower than they would be in another building type. This is
because insurance premiums are calculated based on how damage-resistant a
building is. Steel is not flammable, mold cannot grow on it, rodents and bugs
cannot damage it, and it will not warp from wet weather.
Steel is also resistant to extreme weather. Steel buildings
have been known to withstand earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, heavy snow
loads, and other adverse weather events. This means you will not have to worry
quite as much about the elements hurting your building during a weather event,
which is good since oil and gas are so combustible.
All of this means that you can enjoy a lower insurance premium on your steel building.
Save on Construction Costs
Construction can be expensive, especially when you have to take into account all of the safety requirements that come with an oil or gas facility. Steel buildings cost up to 50 percent less to construct, and they can be built about 50 percent faster than buildings made out of other construction materials. This means you can get your new building up and running sooner and for less money.
Energy and Maintenance Savings
Steel buildings are well known for being energy efficient.
Not only can you save on your HVAC costs, but your electricity costs should
decrease. You can even design your steel building to accommodate solar panels,
further lowering your energy costs.
Steel is also a low-maintenance building material. You will not need to replace roof shingles or damaged wood, and the paint on a steel building usually has a 40- or 50-year warranty on it, ensuring it will not fade like the paint on a wooden building would.
Steel Expands Easily
Another great thing about steel buildings is how easy they are to expand later. As your oil or gas business grows, you might find yourself needing a bigger building. If your building is made out of more traditional construction materials, you may need to shut down an entire section of the facility for a while to get the expansion built. However, if you have a steel building, you can easily add onto the building, and it will be just as affordable as getting the original building constructed was.
Steel is Well Ventilated
To keep your employees safe, you need to ensure that your building has proper ventilation. When you design a steel building, you can keep your ventilation needs in mind, choosing types of vents that will optimize your airflow.
Customizable Floor Plan
You want to ensure that the floor plan of your oil or natural gas building is perfect for your business. This means making sure you have the space for cranes and a large open floor plan that is not broken up by support columns. Steel buildings do not require support columns, so you will not have to worry about losing valuable space to them. You can also design your building to be big enough to fit a large crane overhead, as well as give you any other design features you need. Steel is a highly versatile building material to work with, so there is a lot you can do with your building.
Final Thoughts
If you are planning on running an oil or natural gas
business, you want to ensure that your building is going to be able to handle
the industry. The best way to do that is by designing a custom steel building
to ensure you have the safest working environment available. You will save
money and have the peace of mind that you have a building that is resistant to
fire and other types of damage.
About the Author
Auz Burger is a freelance writer and an expert in steel buildings. She has a BA from Washington
State University and has been writing and editing professionally for over a
decade.
