Company says bust a time to build
Fortress Environmental Services opens facility for saltwater disposal from hydraulic fracturing process
DESPITE low crude and oil field service prices, now is a good time to build a footprint and customer base in preparation for the inevitable rebound, said Tim Burroughs, cofounder and executive vice president of Fortress Environmental Services.
Fortress recently opened its first “one-stop shop,” a $12 million facility for saltwater disposal from hydraulic fracturing, off Interstate 10 between Houston and San Antonio.
The business also offers truck washing, water recycling and fracturing tank cleaning services — along with hot meals and wireless Internet — and will soon add a “mud farm” facility to receive and process mud used in drilling wells.
Burroughs said Fortress, formed in December 2013, is likely to break ground in October on a similar facility southwest of San Antonio in the Dimmit County portion of the Eagle Ford Shale.
“I’ve been through a lot of these busts, and it always comes back, and it always comes back stronger,” Burroughs said. “It’s a great time to expand and be ready for when it comes back.”
Top shale exploration and production companies are continuing to drill wells and are just waiting to complete them when the oil price rebounds, he said. Wells also are being drilled closer together than before and, as such, require more saltwater disposal and replenishing.
“They’re still pushing forward. There’s a huge backlog of wells to complete,” he said. “Is there going to be more demand for our services in the next 10 to 15 years? Absolutely.”
He laughed when asked if Fortress aims to become the Buc-ee’s of fracturing roadside services, though he added that he offers the Cadillac of services for energy companies and truck drivers.
Burroughs previously sold his stake in the Frontier Oilfield Services company he founded, and he teamed up with Fortress CEO Tim Koziol and private California investors from the Venture Alliance firm and more to form the new company.
The new facility is off I-10 at Texas 97 in Waelder in Gonzales County.