Along the roads that leave Odessa toward Kermit, Wink and Monahans, the most useful slab is often a small one: a containment pad under a tank, a skid pad for a pump, a wash rack for trucks coming off the lease. We build those process and containment pads beside the highway, where an operator needs a hard, bermed surface that holds a spill and drains rain to a sump.
State Highway 302 runs 83.2 miles from US 285 in Reeves County through Kermit, Notrees and West Odessa to Loop 338 and I-20 at Odessa. US 385 meets Loop 338, SH 191 (42nd Street), SH 158 toward Goldsmith, and I-20 at Pool Road toward Monahans and Midland. Between them, they carry the trucks that supply and service the field, which explains why so many pads sit within a short drive of the pavement.
We mobilize crews along these routes from Odessa. Sites are often a long way from a ready-mix plant, so we plan batching, truck count and finishing around the distance, the grading and underground lines that come before our concrete belong to the trade partners we schedule.
Operators and contractors along the highway
The largest group of buyers is oil, gas and midstream companies that need pads for tanks, pumps, compressors and chemical storage, along with truck loading areas. Utilities and energy companies are the second group, and they ask for transformer pads, equipment foundations and access aprons for electrical and water facilities.
A third group is the service and trucking firms that operate from yards beside the highway. They need heavy-haul pavement for trailers and a wash area with proper drainage. Public agencies appear less often, but they do hire concrete crews for culvert headwalls and drainage structures along the right of way. Each group has different paperwork, and we adjust the submittals and testing records to match.
Highway shoulders and hazardous areas
Containment work often happens next to live fluid handling. Before we dig or pour, we get the operator's site rules, lockout or hot-work permits, and a list of lines that run under the pad. Crews wear the PPE the operator requires, attend orientation and keep tools clear of equipment that might start up.
The highway itself is the other hazard. Trucks enter and exit at speed, and a work zone near a shoulder needs signs and a flagger. Heat, wind and dust add to the load, so we provide water and shade, adjust pour times and wet down the work area. Cutting and coring use water to control silica. Trenches next to roads are sloped or shored, and we mark them clearly.
How a containment pad gets built
We begin with the list of fluids and the volume the berm must hold, because those determine the curb height, sump size and joint sealant. The base comes next, compacted and graded to drain to the low point. Reinforcement goes in on chairs, with extra steel where the curb meets the slab, and we form the curb and slab so they act as one continuous element.
After the pour, we cure the surface and cut or tool joints, then seal them with a material compatible with the stored product. Finally we test the pad by filling the containment with water and watching for seepage. The same steps apply to containment pads and secondary containment of any size, where an owner may not have drawings and needs us to propose a layout.
Concrete, earthwork and utility responsibilities
We manage the concrete package from start to finish: curb and sump forms, steel, pour and cure. That includes equipment pads with embedded bolts, trench drains and ramps for vehicle access. Because we manage the concrete scope, we can coordinate field changes, such as moving a sump or adding a pipe sleeve, without a round of change orders.
We do not perform the site grading, excavation or utility installation. Those belong to trade partners we coordinate. Those partners bring the pad to subgrade and lay any buried drain or pipe, and their visits are lined up so the base is ready when the forms arrive. The result is one schedule and a clear line of responsibility.
Pads, buildings and yards
Along these roads, the structures vary. Metal shops on thickened-edge slabs serve field crews. Pump houses and control buildings sit on small pads with conduit sleeves. Metal buildings go up on piers or slabs, and we set the anchor bolts to the erector's drawings. Truck terminals and storage yards need extensive pavement.
The shape of the pad matters. Rectangles with a perimeter curb are common, but some operators want a pad with a central sump or a sloped surface to a trench. We build whichever suits the equipment and the fluid, and we note where a future expansion could tie in.
Related concrete and site services
Containment pads often come with a package of related work. Trench drains collect washdown water, and culverts and headwalls carry runoff under access roads. Bollards protect valves and meters. Concrete aprons at the road keep trucks from rutting the shoulder, and a hardened entry reduces tracking of sand and mud onto the highway.
For owners with a tank farm or fueling area, we can coordinate the full sequence, including grading, pad, curb, drains and piping, using partners for the underground and dirt portions. A single schedule across these trades shortens the project and reduces conflicts.
Distance, deliveries and growing traffic
TxDOT's Permian Promise project would widen about 59 miles of SH 302, from US 285 west of Mentone to FM 2019 east of Notrees, into a divided four-lane highway. Heavy vehicles make up about 22 percent of current SH 302 traffic, and traffic between US 285 and SH 115 roughly doubled from 2015 to 2019. Earlier work in Winkler County included an overpass at SH 115 and Super 2 passing-lane widening, with one segment of about 24.3 miles from CR 313 to FM 181.
For a pad owner, that means more trucks, probable access changes and a possible shift in right of way near the road. We advise confirming driveway permits before design and leaving space for a deceleration lane if the volume justifies it. Distance from the plant also matters: we may add retarder to the mix, use extra trucks and place in smaller sections to keep each batch fresh on arrival.
Describe the fluids and the footprint
Send the equipment list, the product being stored and the nearest highway access. We will walk the site, plan the berm and sump, and send a scope with the containment test priced in.
Common Questions
How big should a containment berm be?
The size depends on the volume of the largest tank plus a safety margin set by the engineer or the operator's standard. We build to those numbers, then fill the pad with water to check the walls and joints before it is put into service.
Can you build pads far from a ready-mix plant?
Yes. We plan truck counts and mix temperature for the haul, use set-control admixtures when needed, and place in sections so each load goes in while it is fresh. On remote jobs, we also confirm that the concrete partner has finishing tools and curing supplies available.
What joint sealant is used in a containment pad?
The sealant must resist the stored chemical. We select a product compatible with the fluid and confirm it with the operator or engineer. Joints are cleaned, backed and sealed to a set depth so the seal can move without tearing.
Do you pour truck wash racks?
We do. A wash rack needs slope to a trap or sump, a surface with texture for traction and often a curb that keeps water from leaving the pad. We coordinate the plumbing with trade partners.
What happens if the highway widening changes my access?
We recommend confirming your driveway permit and right of way before design. If access changes later, we can modify the apron or add a new entry, and we price that as a separate item.