Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/328701
FIRST CLASS l 11 terminal, where they're held in bulk storage tanks. From there, driv- ers will fill smaller tanks for transport into the field. Such solutions may be anti-corrosion chemicals, which pre- serve equipment integrity and improve flow in gas-line piping, or a chemical that neutralizes hydrogen sulfide, a gas which compro- mises the usability of produced natural gas. Sometimes, desalting solutions are necessary to clear salt blockages in pipes. On occa- sion, a simple flush with water is all that's necessary to maximize well production. But in most cases, the solution must be delivered at high pres- sure, and that often dictates which Peterbilt takes it into the field. If pressure up to 10,000 psi is necessary, Frierson-based drivers will take it to the field in a Model 367 equipped with a 500-horsepower Cummins engine and an auxiliary transmission. Using a power- takeoff system, the frame-mounted pump is powered by the run- ning engine at the well site. Lighter loads — and those that can be delivered at a lower pres- sure — are trucked to the well site in a Model 348, or to maximize efficiency, one of the facility's Peterbilt medium-duty models. "That's one fine little truck," says McGuffee of a 6-year-old Peterbilt medium-duty on site. Adds Parham, "I had to drive a Peterbilt medium-duty from here to our Bakersfield (Calif.) location. It rides better than my pickup." Suspension is key Parham and McGuffee both note that the maneuverability and the suspensions on their Peterbilts define their performance in this environment. Peterbilt Air Tracs are the preferred suspensions, and Parham, who specs much of their equipment in collaboration with dealership personnel, generally specs them heavy. "Durability, wear and tear, that's our main concern," says Parham. "We're off-road 80 percent of the time, so our dealership helps us spec these Peterbilts for extreme use and severe duty. And they stand up to it. "And if we do have a problem, our dealership has really helped us resolve it." According to Parham, it's all in the name of safety and customer service. "We're focused on giving our drivers the tools they need to work as safely and as efficiently as possible," he says. "That's why they're in these Peterbilts. We can't take short cuts — whether it's with our equipment or our procedures. Oil companies won't work with you if you don't have an exemplary safety record." "To get in there and do what we get paid to do, that's some severe duty for these Peterbilts." Three different Peterbilt models are custom speced to deliver solutions and drive pumping equipment for Champion Technologies. Model 337 Model 367 Model 348