Prompted by a request from a national contractor, VersaTube® designed and produced a custom shelter for use at metering facilities placed at interconnect locations along a natural gas pipeline.  Sun shields provide the necessary shade at each location to allow accurate gas readings where the pipeline is above ground and exposed to the weather.

The configuration flexibility of the VersaTube® framing system easily addresses the variety of shelter sizes required.  The sun shield units ranged in size from 12-foot wide by 32-foot long up to the largest at 25-foot wide by 140-foot long – all with 7.5-foot rafter heights.  Some were also enclosed on each side with additional sheet metal panels.  All units were configured to exceed coastal wind load requirements and were shipped with stamped engineering plans.  Each cover was customized to include mounting plates for lighting fixtures and designed to allow rapid disassembly in the event of a facility emergency or the required replacement of exposed pipeline components.

VersaTube® Building Systems, with plants at corporate headquarters in Collierville, Tenn., and in Guadalupe, Ariz., near Tempe, offers complete engineering and design services on shelter products ranging from sun shields and pump covers to compressor sheds and fully-enclosed meter houses to custom applications for the oil, gas and liquid pipeline industry.  Worldwide shipping available.

VersaTube® designs, manufactures, distributes and markets pre-engineered steel framing components and systems for residential, agricultural, commercial, and light industrial building and shelter applications.  The heart of the VersaTube® Building System is a patented “Slip-Fit” connection that simplifies assembly of structural steel frames, thereby reducing construction time.  This also allows for the system to be designed with frame components that are manageable in size for easy handling and compact packaging.

Additional company and product information is available from the VersaTube® Building Systems’ website at www.VersaTube.com.  Dealer inquiries welcome.  For more information, contact Gregg Rezabek, VersaTube® Building Systems, (800) 900-7222, extension 314 or grezabek@versatube.com.