Trenchless technology enabling Horizontal Drilling underground, with the ability to steer to avoid obstacles in the ground.
EPS provide underground utility installation that is fast, efficient and environmentally friendly. 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.
Select your installation type and pinpoint your exact start and end locations on our interactive map to get started!
Trenchless technology enabling Horizontal Drilling underground, with the ability to steer to avoid obstacles in the ground.
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.
dependent on the required diameter and the ground conditions
(subject to pipe size and ground conditions)
ground dependent
Herne Bay is a charming seaside town located in the county of Kent, in the southeast England, along of the Kentish coastline. It’s situated about 5 miles west of Whitstable and about 9 miles northeast of Canterbury. Herne Bay is known for its traditional coastal appeal, beautiful beaches, and relaxed atmosphere, making it a popular destination for tourists and residents.
Herne Bay is connected by road and rail, making it easy to access from nearby towns and cities. A299 road links Herne Bay to the M2 motorway, which provides direct access to London (about 65 miles away) and other parts of Kent. The A291 connects Herne Bay to the neighbouring towns of Whitstable and Canterbury. The town also has a train station with services to London via the Highspeed 1 rail link, with a journey time of just over an hour, making it a good commuter location. Whitstable nearby is known for its oyster heritage and vibrant arts scene. Canterbury to the southwest is a historic city famous for its cathedral and medieval architecture. Another coastal town is Ramsgate with a mix of tourism and residential areas. Herne Bay has a population of approximately 40,000 people. The town is predominantly residential, with a mix of families, retirees, and commuters. It is considered one of the more peaceful and relaxed towns on the Kent coast, appealing to those seeking a quieter lifestyle. Herne Bay’s seafront is a central feature of the town. The Herne Bay beach is a mix of shingle and sand, making it ideal for relaxing, family visits, and water-based activities. The Herne Bay Pier is an iconic structure that has been a feature of the town since the 19th century.
Herne Bay has seen an increase in residential development in recent years, including new housing estates and conversions of older buildings into flats and apartments. Due to its proximity to Canterbury and London, the town is becoming increasingly popular with commuters, retirees, and families looking for a more affordable coastal alternative.
The economy of Herne Bay is primarily driven by the town’s seaside appeal. The local economy benefits from retail, hospitality, and service industries catering to tourists. Herne Bay has a thriving local high street with independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. The town’s economy is supported by these small businesses, as well as larger supermarkets and retail outlets. Herne Bay has benefited from ongoing regeneration projects that aim to revitalise key areas and improve public amenities. The seafront and town centre have seen improvements to public spaces, infrastructure, and facilities to attract more visitors and residents. New housing developments and infrastructure projects are also helping to support the town’s growth.
Herne Bay benefits from strong transport links, including a station on the London St Pancras to Margate High-Speed rail line, allowing for easy access to London. As a popular coastal town, it faces issues related to coastal erosion, particularly along the more exposed sections of its shoreline. The town must carefully manage development, especially near the coast, to ensure it is resilient to changes in the environment and rising sea levels.
The ground conditions in Herne Bay can vary, but there are a few general factors that can influence Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) in the area. Coastal towns like Herne Bay can have significant clay deposits, particularly in areas near the coastline. Clay is cohesive and tends to stick to drilling tools, which can cause challenges in HDD if not managed properly.
Areas near the beach or along the coastline may contain sand and gravel. These soils are generally easier to drill through but can pose a challenge in terms of stability during drilling, as loose sands and gravels can collapse into the borehole. Herne Bay lies within a region of Thanet Sand Formation, which includes soft sandstone and sand deposits. These layers may be relatively shallow in certain areas, which could make HDD more difficult if drilling through hard or compacted rock layers is necessary. Sandstone layers can increase friction and resistance during drilling, making the process slower and requiring careful control of drilling parameters.
Coastal proximity means that Herne Bay likely has a high-water table, especially in areas near the beach or areas with marshy or wetland characteristics. Groundwater can affect HDD by potentially causing infiltration into the borehole during drilling, particularly in sandy or gravelly areas. This would require the use of specialized drilling fluids to manage water ingress and maintain borehole stability. The area near Herne Bay’s seafront may be subject to coastal erosion, which can lead to shifting sand and soil, making directional drilling more challenging. These conditions can result in unexpected collapses or changes in ground conditions as you drill through areas that are regularly affected by the tides and winds. Areas near the coast may have sandy and gravelly soils, which may pose challenges for drill stability but are still relatively easy to bore through. More inland areas with clay soils can provide more stability but require good management to avoid issues with friction and material buildup. Water table levels and coastal erosion must be carefully managed, especially in sensitive areas.
For HDD projects in Herne Bay, it is crucial to conduct a detailed geotechnical survey, as this will provide the necessary information on soil conditions, water table levels, and other subsurface factors. Planning and preparing for these ground conditions ensures efficient and safe directional drilling operations while minimizing environmental and operational risks.
We start with conducting a detailed survey, a site visit, and the use of online technology to check geological information
From conception to completion, EPS will work in partnership with you, planning and advising you on the best way to complete your project
The directional drilling process is handled professionally and meticulously by our fully qualified engineers from start to finish
We leave your site clean and clear of all materials and debris, providing an end-to-end service and complete reinstatement and site clearance.
Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is used in Herne Bay for a variety of underground utility installations and infrastructure projects. Given Herne Bay’s coastal and urban characteristics, HDD is especially useful in certain areas. As Herne Bay continues to grow, there is an ongoing need for new water mains to connect residential and commercial areas to the water supply network. HDD is ideal for installing water pipelines underground without disturbing roads or public spaces. As part of infrastructure upgrades or new developments, HDD is used to install gas pipelines underground, ensuring energy supply to the town without the need for digging up large portions of land or roads.
With the increasing demand for high-speed internet and improved telecommunications, fibre optic cables are being laid beneath Herne Bay using HDD. This method allows for the installation of fibre networks without disturbing roads, especially in areas where digging could cause significant disruption to traffic or existing businesses.
As part of an effort to improve the aesthetic of Herne Bay and protect the landscape from overhead power lines, HDD is used to install underground electricity cables. This helps prevent the disruption of the local environment, especially near coastal areas or residential neighbourhoods. Due to Herne Bay’s proximity to the coast, HDD is sometimes used for installing subsea cables that cross under the beach or shallow marine areas. These cables could be for telecoms, energy (such as offshore wind energy projects), or other utilities that require a direct route under the sea.
Herne Bay is a popular tourist destination with scenic seafronts, historic areas, and natural beauty, so maintaining the town’s visual appeal is important. HDD provides a way to install essential infrastructure without disrupting the natural landscape or affecting the aesthetic quality of public spaces, such as the Herne Bay Pier and seafront areas.
The drilling process is carefully planned and carried out by our qualified engineers who ensure accuracy and efficiency throughout. All our clients can expect the following benefits from our Horizontal Directional Drilling services:
Small carbon footprint, environmentally friendly methods
No need for inconvenient and unnecessary road closures
No need for restricted working hours or premium rates
No disruption to infrastructure, services or the surface
HDD can also be used for gravity gradient installations
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.
Select your installation type and pinpoint your exact start and end locations on our interactive map to get started!
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