Horizontal Directional Drilling Harlow

Trenchless technology enabling Horizontal Drilling underground, with the ability to steer to avoid obstacles in the ground.

Trenchless Technology has revolutionised underground installation

EPS Trenchless Installations advocates this revolutionary approach, offering a range of innovative solutions that remove the need for disruptive excavations. By leveraging state-of-the-art techniques such as Moling and Directional Drilling, EPS Trenchless Installations delivers efficient and cost-effective alternatives for laying and repairing underground utilities.

Horizontal Drilling Services in Harlow

Trenchless technology enabling Horizontal Drilling underground, with the ability to steer to avoid obstacles in the ground.

What is Horizontal Directional Drilling?

Directional Drilling is a technique for installing utilities such as Water pipes, Electric Cables and Gas pipes underground along distances up to 250 metres. State of the art Directional Drilling equipment can be steered deeper underground or around obstructions blocking its path.

This removes the need to dig long, unsightly, messy trenches to lay pipes and cables. Directional Drilling creates neat accurate bore holes under the ground, which utilities can be pulled back through.

The whole process is fast, cost effective, and kind to the environment, with minimal surface damage.

Installation sizes and rates

INSTALLATION RATES

Metres/day
1

dependent on the required diameter and the ground conditions

distances

Metre pipe lengths
1

(subject to pipe size and ground conditions)

ACCURACY

+/- mm
1

ground dependent

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About Harlow

Harlow is located in Essex, approximately 20 miles northeast of central London. It is part of the Greater London urban area and lies within the London commuter belt. Harlow has a mix of modern and historical features, and a reputation for being a key player in post-war urban development.  The town’s history dates back to Roman times, with evidence of settlements in the area. However, Harlow developed significantly in the 20th century. It was designated as a new town in 1947 under the New Towns Act, intended to provide relief to the overcrowded areas of London. Harlow’s development was designed to be a modern, spacious town with a focus on green spaces and good infrastructure. Harlow has historically been a centre for industry, particularly in electronics, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. Companies such as Phillips, and GlaxoSmithKline have had a presence in the town, contributing to its growth.

Harlow is well-connected by road being close to the M11 motorway, which links to London and Cambridge, making it easy to travel across the region. The town is also near the M25, providing access to other parts of London and beyond. Harlow railway offers regular services to London Liverpool Street (around 30 minutes) and other destinations in Essex and beyond.

Construction in Harlow has played a significant role in the town’s development, particularly since it was designated as a New Town after World War II. The town has seen various phases of construction and urban development, driven by the need to provide housing, infrastructure, and services for an expanding population.

In recent years, there has been a significant push for the regeneration of Harlow to improve its town centre, residential areas, and economic infrastructure. The Harlow Town Centre regeneration project aims to create a modern town centre with more retail and leisure spaces, improving public spaces and promoting sustainability. Modern construction in Harlow increasingly incorporates sustainability, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly designs. Many new buildings are incorporating green technologies, such as solar panels and high-efficiency insulation.

Ground Conditions in Harlow for Moling and Directional Drilling

The ground conditions play an essential role in determining the feasibility, cost, and success of Directional drilling projects in Harlow. Directional drilling is commonly used for laying underground utilities, such as cables, pipes, or fibre optic cables, while minimising disruption to the surface. The ground conditions in Harlow can vary depending on the specific location within the town and its surrounding areas, but here are some general factors to consider:

Much of the soil in Harlow and the surrounding Essex area consists of clay and clay loam. Clay can be challenging for directional drilling due to its cohesive nature. In some cases, the ground may be very compact and difficult to penetrate, requiring additional equipment or techniques, such as fluid-assisted drilling to help with the cutting process and maintaining the borehole stability. Ground conditions in Harlow vary in terms of soil density, which affects how the directional drill will interact with the soil. In urban areas, soil compaction can be high due to previous construction activity or foot traffic, leading to denser soil layers that can be harder to drill through. The compaction can make drilling operations slower or require additional force and more specialised equipment.

 

Before any directional drilling work begins, it is essential to carry out comprehensive surveys to understand the soil composition, groundwater conditions, and other potential challenges in the area. These surveys help in determining the most effective drilling methods and equipment to be used. Given the high density of existing utilities and infrastructure in urban areas like Harlow, accurate utility mapping is crucial for avoiding conflicts during directional drilling.

Our Complete Horizontal Directional Drilling Process

1. SURVEYING

We start with conducting a detailed survey, a site visit, and the use of online technology to check geological information

2. PLANNING

From conception to completion, EPS will work in partnership with you, planning and advising you on the best way to complete your project

3. DRILLING

The directional drilling process is handled professionally and meticulously by our fully qualified engineers from start to finish

4. COMPLETION

We leave your site clean and clear of all materials and debris, providing an end-to-end service and complete reinstatement and site clearance.

About EPS Trenchless Installations

EPS provide underground utility installation that is fast, efficient and environmentally friendly.

Using Moling and Directional Drilling technology, our streamlined process requires minimal space which avoids unnecessary disruption and inconvenience.

There is no need for extensive surface cutting or digging long trenches. ‘No-dig’ techniques are very adaptable to various soil conditions and protected locations.

This technique provides accurate utility installation, which also protects wildlife and any ecologically sensitive locations. It is an incredibly cost-effective method of replacing old utility systems or installing new utilities.

Environmentally Friendly Solution for Underground Installation Projects

Minimising the ecological footprint and damage to the environment is an essential when installing utilities and services underground. We integrate environmentally friendly practices into every aspect of our directional drilling process. From careful planning to efficient execution, we endeavour to minimise disturbance to natural habitats and reduce emissions.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI):

Protected areas contain unique ecosystems, rare species and geological formations or habitats and are often protected by law.

The use of trenchless technology is a non-invasive approach which ensures the protection of areas of special conservation interest.

ROOT PROTECTION ZONES (RPZ):

Cutting or damaging tree roots threatens the health and stability of trees, potentially resulting in decline or even death. HDD drilling provides a non-invasive approach that is carefully planned to define a precise path that avoids tree roots. This significantly reduces the risk of root damage in these specialised zones.

ANCIENT WOODLANDS:

This type of conservation area provides a specialist approach, and directional drilling provides the ability to accurately determine subterranean trajectories, allowing successful installation without affecting the ground cover, damaging tree roots, or disturbing habitats.

CARBON FOOTPRINT:

Reducing our carbon footprint is at the forefront of our operations. Traditional excavation often involves extensive earth removal and high fuel usage due to heavy equipment and machinery. However, our No-Dig techniques use far less machinery and provide minimal disruption to the environment. This in turn reduce our environmental impact.

DIRECTIONAL DRILLING FAQs

Horizontal directional drilling, often referred to as HDD or trenchless technology, is an innovative technique for laying underground utilities such as pipes, cables, ducts, and conduits without resorting to conventional trenching. Instead of creating open trenches, this method starts with a pilot hole that is drilled diagonally from the surface toward a desired endpoint. After the initial hole is made, advanced drilling equipment enlarges and steers the hole in the desired direction while underground. This seamless process provides minimal damage to the surface ground and is not as invasive as conventional methods, saving our clients money and the hassle of restoring the area after large excavation work.

Our procedure starts by drilling a pilot borehole that follows a predetermined route. We then expand the hole along the trajectory established by the pilot bore, a process referred to as back reaming. Finally, the product pipe is pulled through the enlarged passage.

The machine we will choose for your project is dependent on your site and location. For our smaller and more fragile ecological sites, we will select our smaller HDD machine to ensure that we minimise disruption to the environment and protect delicate ecosystems. This smaller HDD machine is designed to navigate tight spaces and sensitive terrain with precision and care, allowing us to complete the job while minimising impact on the surrounding area. 

For larger sites that require greater power and capacity, we have larger HDD machines equipped to handle more demanding projects, whilst still maintaining little impact at your location. These machines are capable of tackling larger bore diameters and longer distances, providing the necessary strength and efficiency to complete the job effectively. 

No matter the size or complexity of your project, we have the expertise and equipment to ensure successful horizontal directional drilling while prioritising environmental conservation and minimising disruption to sensitive areas.

Directional drilling is utilised for laying utility lines and conduits, providing a more economical and minimally invasive option compared to conventional vertical drilling methods. 

This approach provides many advantages over conventional drilling as it is possible to lay or repair utility pipes, ducts, or cables, without excavations of large amounts of ground and provides options for laying pipes in sensitive or protected areas.

There are many advantages to employing horizontal and directional drilling. These are, minimal disturbances to surfaces, reduced environmental impact, cost savings, enhanced safety, and provides minimal disruption to utilities.

This is entirely dependent on the machine used for your location and ground conditions and/or obstructions. We will conduct a site visit and discuss the plan of action. Pipes from 25mm to 355mm diameters can be installed over distances of up to 200 metres in a single shot. Ducting, cables, and pipework can also be installed in either straight or curved lines.

No, it won’t. Our methods and trenchless technology will minimise disturbance in your location. Our approach ensures that we can carry out our work efficiently and effectively while keeping the impact on your surroundings to an absolute minimum. We will conduct a site visit before work takes place, talk through your requirements and we will evaluate the area to identify any obstacles or obstructions that may be present.

If you require work in protected or specialist areas, we can provide minimal disruption to the natural environment, ensure compliance with any relevant regulations or restrictions, and respect the integrity of the site.

We provide many trenchless solutions such as guided auger boring, moling, pipe bursting, pipe ramming, small footprint drilling, s50works, and fire hydrant testing.

We provide our expert trenchless solutions across a span of industries in the UK. Our industries include environmental remediation, water management, utility services, civil engineering and construction, and more.