You may come across the term “trenchless drilling”—which is sometimes used to define drilling that is a sub-set of an industry that has been termed “Trenchless Technology.”

The International Society for Trenchless Technology defines trenchless technology as “any techniques, processes or procedures, including the equipment, machines and materials involved, which minimizes or eliminates the need for surface excavation or reduces environmental damage or reduces the associated costs for underground work.”

Trenchless Drilling – Advantages

Although we regard “trenchless drilling” as somewhat of a misnomer—because drilling is by nature “trenchless”—directional drilling doesincorporate the advantages practiced by this branch of technology. Horizontal drilling is a perfect technology when you have the need to locate a well:

• under active sites where surface operations precluded disruption or drilling equipment (Airports and major highways are good examples)
• beneath a building, road or other surface obstruction
• to place leak detection sensors beneath solid or hazardous waste landfills
• to install gas collection systems at landfills or similar waste dumps

More on Trenchless Drilling

Please read through our Primer for a more thorough description of the techniques used in directional drilling and continue with theAdvantages and Situations to learn more about how “trenchless drilling” has the greatest benefits over traditional vertical drilling.