Haulers serving the oilfields around McCamey need aprons and pavement that hold a loaded truck at the gate and survive the same turn a hundred times a week. We pour truck aprons, tank-farm pads and heavy-haul roads for pipeline, storage and wind-energy users, and concrete trade partners travel to McCamey for that work from the Odessa side of the Basin.
Oil is the main economic base in town, with several large pipelines and storage tank facilities serving the oilfields and ranch country around it. The Texas Legislature has also named McCamey the Wind Energy Capital of Texas, which reflects the wind farms built nearby. Both industries move heavy equipment over rough roads, and both need hardstand at the point where the truck leaves the road and enters the site.
The Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimate puts McCamey at 1,743 people. In a place that size, a contractor who takes the call and shows up is remembered, and we try to work that way. Concrete trade partners pour and finish, while the dirt and utility trades come from partners we schedule ahead of them.
Distance, ready-mix and the pour window
McCamey sits on U.S. Highway 67 in southwestern Upton County, about five miles east of the Pecos River. That puts it well away from the plants on the Odessa side, and the ride eats into a load's working time in summer. We plan around it with retarded mixes, early starts and trucks timed to arrive as forms are ready, not before.
A heavy-haul apron is best poured in one continuous day, so we tell the owner what the supplier can deliver and shape the day to fit. If the volume exceeds a single plant's output for the day, we arrange a second source, or break the work into two placements with a planned joint.
Weather windows matter too. Wind across the open country can turn a calm morning into a gusty afternoon, so we aim to place and finish early and have curing materials staged before the first truck rolls.
What the ground teaches about tanks
In 1928 and 1929, an attempt to build a million-barrel earthen storage tank at McCamey failed because the limestone beneath could not carry the weight of the crude. That story is a useful reminder: a heavy load needs a foundation that has been tested against it. Tank pads and equipment slabs in this part of Upton County should not be poured on a hope.
We ask for a geotechnical report on any pad that will hold significant weight, and we match the thickness, reinforcing and base to what the report recommends. Where a report is not available, we probe, test and recommend one before we price. Pipelines and storage tanks make up much of the local economy, so this advice is rarely wasted.
Wind farms add another kind of work. Substation pads, service building slabs and turbine access aprons all need concrete that handles heavy trucks and cranes, and the sites are remote. We plan the delivery, the testing and the cure with that distance in mind, and we do not start a pour we cannot finish.
Buildings that need an apron
Aprons serve many kinds of buildings here: shop and maintenance buildings for the field, a truck terminal where freight transfers, a municipal building with a service bay and a school campus with bus parking. The McCamey Independent School District completed a high school and an elementary school by 1930, and campuses of that kind need drive lanes, dumpsters pads and walks.
Each building sets the apron's size and slope. A fuel island needs a concrete pad with a curb. A maintenance bay needs a flat approach and a drain.
Industrial buildings also appear, such as a welding shop, a chemical storage shed or a small processing building. Their floors resemble the apron outside: thick, jointed for the traffic and sloped to a drain. We build them together, so the joints line up and the doorway is not the weak point.
Road, wind and live-site safety
Wind turbine sites and pipeline yards have strict rules about who can enter and when. We attend orientations, wear the personal protective equipment the owner requires and follow the lockout and permit procedures on the site. Heavy haul traffic often continues during a job, so we plan truck lanes and keep our work area behind barriers.
On the highway, we use signs and flaggers when trucks enter or leave. Our hot-weather precautions are the same as everywhere in the Basin: shade, water, early starts and a person assigned to watch for heat illness.
Isolation adds risk. A crew far from town needs first aid supplies, a communication plan and a clear route out if someone is hurt or the weather turns. We review these at the start of every McCamey job and give the owner's representative a contact list.
Who calls us in McCamey
Pipeline operators, tank-battery owners and oilfield service shops lead the calls. Oil, gas and midstream clients want aprons at tank gates and slabs at pump stations. Utilities and energy companies that work with the wind farms ask for pads at substations and service buildings.
Ranch and farm clients occasionally ask for a loading pad or a shop slab. We take these too when schedules allow.
Whatever the industry, the first questions are the same: what is the heaviest truck, where does it turn and how soon do you need the pad? Answers to those three questions shape the section more than any other detail.
McCamey and the road to its neighbors
U.S. 67 ties McCamey to Rankin, and US 385 connects the area to Crane and Odessa. Where nearby jobs allow, we share a single trip between them, and our estimates show the travel cost as a single line so owners can see what a shared mobilization saves.
If your site is on a ranch road off the highway, tell us what the road is like. A soft road may need a gravel pad ahead of the trucks, and we will include it in the plan.
Sales calls and pre-bid meetings are held by phone or on site, and we will travel to meet an owner at the lot. We do not keep an office in McCamey, and concrete trade partners arrive ready to work.
Describe the haul route and the gate
Tell us the trucks, the turning path and the address near McCamey. We will review the ground and propose an apron that matches the traffic.
Common Questions
How thick should a tank-gate apron be?
It depends on the trucks, the turn radius and the subgrade. We design for the heaviest loaded truck and the tightest turn, then thicken the slab at the entry. A geotechnical report helps us choose.
Why does the limestone matter for a pad?
Shallow limestone can be strong but uneven, and soft zones can hide beside hard ones. We test the area and set a uniform base so the slab bears evenly. A history of failed heavy structures in this ground is a reason to be careful.
Can you pour near wind turbine or pipeline sites?
Yes, following the owner's access and safety rules. We coordinate gate times, orientations and work permits before the crew arrives.
How do you handle the long haul from the plant?
We order a mix with retarder, begin early and schedule trucks so the first one arrives when the forms are ready. For large pours, we line up a backup supplier.
Do you take small jobs in McCamey?
Yes, when the schedule allows. A pad, a walk or a repair is often combined with a larger job in the area to share the trip.