Five Ways Trenchless Drilling Helps to Protect Rivers

If you need to put in a pipeline for water, gas or any other substance and there is a river in your way, it may be time to consider trenchless drilling. This special type of drilling helps to protect rivers in numerous ways. If you want to create minimum impact to the environment, check out how trenchless drilling protects rivers:

1. The work happens far from the riverbank.

When you decide to use trenchless drilling to get your pipeline past a river, the crew sets up its work site relatively far from the riverbank. This protects the riverbanks from erosion related to heavy machinery or lots of foot traffic. In this area, the first workers create a launch pit into which the pipe will be inserted. Then, they prepare a reception pit on the other side, also located a safe distance from the riverbank.

2. Trenchless drilling uses advanced tools to go safely under the river.

Once the pits are ready, the crew starts the trenchless drilling process by inserting a small drill into the ground. Connected to complex trenchless drilling equipment, the drill works its way under the river. It doesn't go into the bed of the river, and it doesn't destabilise any of the river's structure. Rather, it goes through the ground deep under the river, protecting the integrity of the river.

3. Trenchless drilling goes slowly and in stages.

The first drill that makes its way from the launch pad, under the river, to the reception pad, is relatively small. Once this drill has made a path, a reaming head is attached to the drill, and it progresses into the hole, making it even larger. By slowly increasing the size of the tunnel, the crew is able to carefully monitor whether or not they are disrupting the land, and they can adjust their path as necessary to protect the river.

4. Immediate pipe placement prevents the tunnel from collapsing.

As the reaming head progresses through the tunnel, it actually pulls the pipe with it. This helps to protect the river, because it ensures that there is never an empty tunnel beneath the river. Instead, the pipe is placed in immediately, and the ensures that the land under the river always offers the same amount of support without air pockets.

5. Two connections are made for easy changes.

Let the trenchless drilling crew know whether you want one connection or two. However, in many cases, they put in two connections. This makes it easy to switch between the two connections if something happens to one, and it prevents the machinery from having to come to the area around the river more than once.