Pit Launch Drilling

We are specialists in pit launch drilling and other types of trenchless pipeline installation — get in touch to discuss your proposed works and project needs.

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PIT LAUNCH DRILLING SOLUTIONS

The installation of sewer laterals, and deep water or gas lines, can pose challenges for traditional surface-launched drilling due to space limitations. The necessary setback for reaching the desired depth may not be available, particularly when working under roadways.
However, a solution exists in the form of pit launch drills. Pit launch drilling is a trenchless method for installing service lines in confined spaces and congested working locations using a specialised horizontal directional drilling (HDD) rig. These scaled-down HDD rigs are deployed from a pit, and can drill from point to point without requiring the usual setback space.

Features and applications

Pit launch drilling has a range of useful applications, including installations for power, water, gas, and telecommunications. An HDD pit launch drill can be lowered into appropriately sized pits, provided that proper shoring equipment is used to stabilise the excavated working area.

While typically used for installing 4-inch pipes (100mm), pit launch drills are capable of handling larger diameter products, even when space is limited and a larger drill cannot be accommodated.

Process and performance

Similar to surface-mounted HDD rigs, pit launch drills utilise standard locator-transmitter beacons and horizontal directional drill heads. However, the pit launch drilling installation process can be slower due to the necessary preparation, including pit excavation.

The performance of pit launch drills is also limited to a maximum practical distance of around 200 feet (60 metres) due to shorter drill rod lengths — and slurry management requires a trash pump or vac system, as the pit drill operates from the same hole where the slurry returns.

Flexibility and Versatility

The key feature of pit launch drilling is undoubtedly its versatility. This type of drilling can often be powered by hydraulic sources, where the power source can be chosen based on the job’s requirements. Hydraulic lines are then run down into the pit to power the HDD pit launch drill. Additionally, there’s flexibility in the placement of the mud system when opting for trenchless pipeline installation using a HDD pit launch. This is because most pit launch drills don’t have a pressure pump, to keep them compact, so the mud system has its own pump instead.

Types of installation