Mud skid

Abstract

Described herein is a skid for transporting and storing pallets. The pallets may be loaded with any cargo but in one example are loaded with drilling mud or its components. The skid comprises a base, and a container on the base defining a plurality of compartments each sized to hold a loaded pallet. The container comprises a floor, interior side walls, and exterior side walls, which together define the compartments. The exterior side walls are situated at the periphery of the skid, and each of the exterior side walls is removable to permit a compartment to be accessed, and a pallet to be easily loaded or unloaded from the periphery of the skid. Pallets may be individually accessed from the outside of the skid, and may be removed from the skid by workers using available equipment, with no need to climb, mount, or enter the skid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A skid for transporting or storing a plurality of pallets, the skid comprising:
 a base; and   a container connected to the base,   the container defining a plurality of compartments each sized to hold a loaded pallet, each compartment being openable from a periphery of the skid to permit the pallet to be loaded or unloaded from a periphery of the skid.   
     
     
         2 . The skid according to  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises:
 a floor;   interior side walls; and   exterior side walls; together defining the compartments,   wherein the exterior side walls are situated at the periphery of the skid, and each of the exterior side walls is moveable from a closed position to an open position to permit the pallet to be loaded or unloaded from the periphery of the skid.   
     
     
         3 . The skid according to  claim 2 , wherein the container further comprises support beams extending substantially vertically for retaining the walls of the compartments. 
     
     
         4 . The skid according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the exterior side walls is slidably mounted between two of the support beams. 
     
     
         5 . The skid according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the exterior side walls is removable to allow access to the compartment. 
     
     
         6 . The skid according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the exterior side walls is made of plywood or metal. 
     
     
         7 . The skid according to  claim 3 , wherein at least some of the support beams comprise stacking means to facilitate stacking of the skid with a second skid. 
     
     
         8 . The skid according to  claim 1 , further comprising a removable cover. 
     
     
         9 . A use of the skid according to  claim 1  for transporting or storing loaded pallets. 
     
     
         10 . The use of  claim 9 , wherein the pallets are pallets of drilling mud or components thereof.