A man's right foot was trapped in the chain mechanism that pulls automobiles through the automated washing system. The victim's screaming could be heard from the street, an indication of the high degree of pain he experienced from the crushing forces being applied to his foot.... The Petrogen torch made quick work of the metal pieces, allowing firefighters to pull them away from the victim's foot, finally releasing him to the arms of colleagues and firefighters, who lifted him onto a waiting guerney.
- Urban Search & Rescue Team, Southern California


       

Why Petrogen is Right for the Military


Petrogen eliminates complicated logistics of fuel supply for cutting steel.  Instead of shipping acetylene into theater, Petrogen tanks can be shipped empty and filled with regular gasoline where the units are used.

Then they can be emptied, cleaned out and shipped to the next deployment.  Petrogen units are built for durability and will remain in service for decades.

Petrogen systems are much more portable and safer to handle than acetylene units. Petrogen's standard 2.5-gallon fuel tank is equivalent to a 250-cubic foot acetylene tank.  That's 30 pounds versus 180 pounds.  And the Petrogen tank is not hazardous to handle.  If dropped, knocked on its side or even caught in a fire, the tank does not become dangerous as does an acetylene tank.

In the Petrogen system, gasoline is kept liquid and inert from the tank to the cutting tip, so no fuel line backflash is possible.  The system is more forgiving for use by novices than cutting systems using compressed gases.  That's one reason why fire/rescue personnel prefer Petrogen for use by non-burners.  Many redundant safety features in our units allow safe use of the fuel and guard against fuel-line leaks or ruptures.

Our Portable Cutting System (PCS) has tactical applications.  It is a completely self-contained back-pack unit, compact and relatively light weight (45 lbs.)  The PCS comes with a 1.5-quart fuel tank, good for 1-1/2 hours of cutting time.  It will cut 1 inch steel for a continuous 15 minutes with the on-board 23-cu. ft. oxygen tank, and 4 inch steel for 5 minutes.  Petrogen's tactical Breach Torch, soon to come on line, will consist of a 9-inch torch and 8 cu. ft. oxygen bottle in a shoulder harness.

Petrogen Standard Package Part 100 is the workhorse of the fleet.  It has a 20-inch torch, 2.5-gallon fuel tank, 20 ft. gasoline hose, 25-ft. oxygen hose, spare parts to last for two years in the field, tool kit, training DVD and other training materials.  Longer hoses and longer torches can be substituted for the standard sizes.

Petrogen has been thoroughly tested by the U.S. Dept. of Energy and is recommended over acetylene for dismantlement of nuclear sites.  All our units are guaranteed for life against defects in materials and workmanship.