Oil & Gas Industry | Page 2 of 2

Industrial warehouse fabric building in the arctic.

Fabric Buildings & Energy Efficiency

You may have your operations housed in an old building, wasting energy and driving up costs due to poor insulation, etc. Before you begin upgrades, it’s important to explore all your options for repairing an old structure or building a new one. Sometimes repairing an old structure can be just as expensive as building a new one, and both take a lot of time. Another option is to use a fabric building to support your operations, as they are fast and easy to setup. In addition, they are typically less costly than upgrades or a building a brick-and-mortar structure. Alaska Structures designs fabric structures with a host of benefits and ways to save and increase energy efficiency.

GBX gable buildings temporarily used for housing in remote camp in Alaska.

Fabric Buildings vs. ISO Containers

ISO shipping containers provide a way for intermodal transport, shipping items from the ship to the rails and then to trucks. This versatility doesn’t translate to housing and camping, however some commercial and governmental operations use them for this purpose. Imagine trying to sleep or work inside a metal crate with no windows or insulation. Those aren’t optimal conditions to live or work in. A better option for a camp system would be a fabric structure, designed to house people and equipment. Factors that make fabric structures a better option are safety, shipping costs, portability, construction costs, versatility, and energy efficiency.

Green Building Practices With Alaska Structures

Nationally and globally there have been efforts to reduce waste and pollution on our planet, including the recent Paris Agreement. With global warming and new legislation, operations must use energy-efficient and eco-friendly buildings to help the planet and avoid lawsuits. Green buildings efficiently use energy, protect occupant health and reduce waste and pollution according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Alaska Structures offers a solution for operations managers that will follow EPA standards while not increasing operation costs a lot. Their fabric structures are equipped with lots of options that cut down energy costs, are reusable, and comfortable for employees to work in.

Cold-Climate and Extreme-Altitude Mining Solutions

Mining operations often take managers and miners to the most remote locations with extremely harsh conditions. They need structures that can protect them as they work, and will last the length of the operation. For instance, the Bema Gold mines are in far east Russia, where weather conditions are extreme. It snows 315 days a year with an average temperature of -67°F and up to 132 mph wind gusts. They have fabric buildings from Alaska Structures that they used for 10 years before replacing them. The Bema Gold mines and other operations facing similar harsh weather need durability and long-lasting quality, which their designs can provide.

fabric buildings covering long pipeline.

Fabric Buildings for Oil & Gas, Mineral Exploration and Mining

Fabric buildings are designed to withstand the harshest elements and are suitable for use in many different types of commercial operations today. They are lightweight and portable, yet strong, durable, and proven to last on the field by third-party engineers. Fabric buildings are also customizable and can address specific need for your business. They can be used for a variety of purposes on site, for office buildings, storage, shops and even housing for workers. Alaska Structures’ fabric buildings have been used for government operations as well as commercial operations including: construction, mining, and mineral exploration.

Tensioned fabric pipeline and conveyor enclosure.

Pipeline Enclosures Used Around the World

Pipeline enclosures are an important investment and necessity in maintaining and protecting a pipeline. Pipelines can be subject to vandalism and protest, in addition to the already harsh climates they sometimes operate under. If you are looking for options to protect your assets, you may want to consider using a fabric structure. Alaska Structures has been designing fabric enclosures for pipelines for over 40 years to protect them from people and the elements. In fact, they created the longest fabric building in the world to enclose a pipeline at the Red Dog Mine in the Arctic.