HDD and Sustainable Remediation Efforts
Interest in using sustainable practices and technologies for environmental cleanup has increased notably within the past few years. The US EPA and many states have published recommended practices to reduce the environmental footprint of cleanup operations, and many consultants and contractors are attempting to “go green” in contaminated site remediation. It makes sense to conserve energy, reduce pollution, and curtail waste – particularly when you’re in the process of cleaning up a site!
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) can be an important component of a sustainable cleanup strategy. A single horizontal well can be considerably more effective than a long string of vertical wells, reducing the energy consumption and pollution associated with well installation and system operation. In many cases, one or two horizontal wells can replace multiple vertical wells, hundreds of feet of conveyance piping, multiple pumps or blowers, the drilling and trenching required for installation, and the energy and maintenance activities to run a more complex system. HDD systems minimize surface disruption, and can be installed beneath sensitive ecosystems without disturbing them. Further, horizontal well systems have frequently reduced the amount of time to meet site minimum cleanup levels, which reduces the energy consumption for system operation even more.
Manifold for vertical air sparge/SVE system
Installing a 900 foot well beneath protected shoreline, with two endangered species
When you’re considering your next cleanup project, give serious thought to incorporating HDD in the design. Horizontal wells are effective for many technical reasons, and sustainable remediation is a beneficial byproduct. For more information about HDD and sustainable remediation, contact Mike Lubrecht, LG, at mike AT horizontaldrill.com.