HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING (HDD)
What is Horizontal directional drilling (HDD)?
50 ton to offer its customers the most up to date method of installing underground pipes. This process is used for installing water lines, telecommunication and power cable conduits. Gas and oil pipelines allowing for installations under waterways, roadways, shore approaches and environmentally sensitive and highly congested areas. Also drilling under sand dunes for Aramco in Saudi Arabia
Justifictaion on choosing HDD Technique
- Minimal disruption to the road and most expedient technique available for the size of pipe.
- Reduced soil disturbance.
- A single location area can be used to install different pipes.
- Reduces the fractures to existing rock formations.
- Reduces the contamination of groundwater pollution.
- Protects the ecosystem and adjacent areas.
- Reduces the excavation.
- It is a safer operation than an open cut.
- Weather will not impact directly the process.
- Limited traffic and landscape disruption. Ideal for sites sensitive to surface disruption such as heavy roadways, airport runways, golf courses, etc.
- Ability to drill beneath surface obstructions or ongoing site operations.
Limitations of using Open cut Method
Open cut, or trenching, is the most common way to install and connect utilities, but it has some limitations. This method can only be used when the ground above the utilities can be disturbed and there are no buildings, roadways or other obstructions in the way. Directional boring can be used in the same situation where open cut excavation is planned, but it can also be used to go under roads, sidewalks, rivers, even houses if there is a need for it. The installation cost for trenching versus directional boring is usually lower, in the range of six to eight times less than horizontal drilling. These two technologies usually complement each other; trenching or plowing being more cost-effective but having limitations and directional boring taking care of everything else but at a higher cost. If we wanted to choose one over the other without cost as a factor, directional boring or horizontal directional drilling would be selected as the best alternative, doing everything trenching and plowing can do and jobs once thought impossible before this great technology.