In the rugged oil fields of southeast Texas, maintaining oil and gas infrastructure requires more than just standard equipment — it demands power, precision, and reliability. For TINCUP Water Solutions LLC, a full-service energy company specializing in water transfer and infrastructure maintenance, finding the right tools is critical to their operation.
Located in Stockdale, Texas, TINCUP Water Solutions operates in an environment where land maintenance is not just a cosmetic concern, but a fundamental operational requirement. As Brian Ivey, the Site Maintenance Supervisor explained, their primary mission involves "transferring water from frack ponds to frack locations for the use of hydraulic fracture" while maintaining extensive oil and gas infrastructure.
The company's maintenance responsibilities can be complex and demanding. Their work involves managing infrastructure around frack ponds, which can range from 2 to 5 acres, and maintaining right of way areas for pipeline installations. These areas are often overgrown, with vegetation ranging from tall grass to dense brush, including mesquite and small oak trees.
"When these guys lay the line down from job to job, if they're trying to minimize the amount of pipe that they're laying down, we will cut [rights of way] for the pipe so that they're able to drive up and down the line while the job's going on to check for leaks or be able to maintain that line during a job," Ivey said.
"When we first started this division, most of the pits were neglected,” he added. “We've encountered pits where the cane was so tall, you couldn't see over the top of the machine. It was as tall as the equipment itself.”
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The traditional approach to managing such terrain would be time consuming and labor intensive. TINCUP needed a solution that could rapidly clear large areas, handle varied vegetation, and operate efficiently on challenging terrain.
Through their equipment partner, Southern Plains Equipment, TINCUP discovered brush cutters manufactured by Blue Diamond Attachments. These specialized attachments offered capabilities beyond conventional land-clearing equipment.
"Out here there's a lot of very flat land, a lot of shrub brush, which in the recent years, particularly through fracking, has become critical terrain for oil exploration,” Aaron Holt from Southern Plains Equipment said.
The Blue Diamond brush cutters proved ideal for these conditions.
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“They [TINCUP] run a lot of the Blue Diamond brush cutters, multiple different models,” Holt added. “Up to 10 cutters on rent from us at some points in the busy season, where they're just maintaining regrowth and keeping these frack ponds mowed down, keeping the pipelines cleared."
The specific model TINCUP utilizes is an 84-inch dual-motor brush cutter, which Ivey praised for its performance.
"It does a great job of covering large areas," he said. "Most cutters are narrower, which takes longer. But this cutter can handle everything from grass to substantial brush — we've seen it cut through 10-inch trees."
The Blue Diamond 84-inch dual-motor brush cutter features a floating deck design, so it can cover uneven ground. The front wheels are also adjustable to meet the desired cut height.
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“The double cutter does a good job of being able to cover a large area," Ivey said.
Blue Diamond brush cutters have become an integral part of TINCUP's land maintenance approach. By using skid steers equipped with these attachments, they can navigate challenging terrains — including steep pit embankments — safely and efficiently.
An unexpected benefit of using Blue Diamond brush cutters has been the ease of training new employees. Despite the complex terrain and sophisticated equipment, Ivey said that new team members can quickly learn to operate the brush cutters effectively.
"We train new guys on them all the time," he said. "It's simple — just clicking a trigger button turns them on and off."
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"It is very easy to use,” Ivey added. “Our employees, they like running them. It is pretty satisfying to go through some tall stuff and just lay it down.”
The relationship between TINCUP, Southern Plains Equipment, and Blue Diamond Attachments is an example of how strategic equipment selection can drive operational excellence. Southern Plains provides not just equipment, but a comprehensive support model. As Holt explained, they offer same-day equipment replacement, extensive inventory, and rapid maintenance.
"We've been with Blue Diamond for many, many years,” Holt said. “Originally working with them when they were a much smaller team, and now they're a very large team and it's always gotten better."
"We're excited when Blue Diamond brings out new products, new ideas to the market,” Holt added. “We've worked with them very much hand-in-hand on design or tweaks to current designs that we think — from being in the field — would be better."
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“We are a company that runs on time and time management,” Ivey said. “When a machine goes down, I don't have to send it off to my own mechanics, or to a mechanic and I'm just out that machine. Instead, I can call Calvin up — he's the guy I deal with — and Aaron's really good about it too. ... Whatever it is that we need, they get it to us. And we haven't had that with any other rental company that we’ve dealt with.”
By selecting equipment that matches their operational demands, TINCUP Water Solutions has transformed land maintenance from a challenging necessity to a streamlined, efficient, and profitable process.
