Directional Drilling

Underground plumbing projects come with a lot of challenges, especially if you are operating in a busy or environmentally sensitive area. For these types of projects, you want a solution that is fast, effective, and minimally impactful to the surrounding area. That’s where directional drilling can come in handy. This tactic is a trenchless excavation technique that allows you to install underground utilities or make repairs very quickly and with little disturbance to the area.

What Are the Benefits of Directional Drilling?

Directional drilling offers businesses a number of advantages compared to other excavation methods. It’s a great method for accessing utilities in heavily trafficked areas, near waterways, and along environmentally sensitive areas. Here are just a few of the benefits that this excavation method offer:

Minimal environmental disruption.
Causes fewer traffic disruptions.
Does not require an access pit.
Has a shorter completion time.
Allows deeper or longer installation.

How Does Directional Drilling Work?

Directional drilling is a fast and minimally invasive excavation method. For one of these projects, a skilled excavation crew will begin by digging small potholes and exposing any existing utilities. Once they have determined the utility depths, they will use a rotating drill rod to create a small tunnel along the entire length of the utility path.

Once the tunnel is drilled and the path is laid out, the crew will gradually expand the tunnel using a larger drill bit. They will enlarge the tunnel until it is big enough to pull the utilities through, which is the final step. Any dirt and debris is removed throughout the process. Since this is a trenchless method, it is generally a quick process that doesn’t impact the surrounding area as much as a traditional excavation technique.