Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a trenchless method suited to a wide range of underground utility installations, including telecommunications conduits. With its growing popularity in recent years, HDD has gained its reputation of being a reliable and economical method of laying underground pipelines for water, oil and gas and installing underground utilities such as electrical cables and telecommunications conduits for broadband networks.
HDD powers SA’s NBN
In 2012, the National Broadband Network (NBN Co) continued to gather pace in SA with a map released detailing the location of work to rollout the fibre optic network. The following year NBN Co awarded SA Power Networks a contract to complete the network’s construction.
The initial contract would see SA Power Networks design and construct the local and distribution network that runs fibre from a local communications exchange through each street in a coverage area.
It was the second NBN construction contract to be awarded in the state after NBN granted Syntheo – a consortium comprising Lease and Service Stream – a two-year contract for the rollout of fibre in SA in 2011.
By 2013, SA Power Networks became the prime NBN contractor in SA after NBN Co and the Syntheo joint venture mutually agreed the contract would not be extended. Then in 2016, SA Power Networks engaged Trenchless Pipelaying Contractors to work on the installation the new SA NBN.
Trenchless Pipelaying Contractors’ scope of works for the project included locating existing services, HDD of communications conduits, pit repairs and the installation and hauling of optic fibre cables.
At the time of publication, Trenchless Pipelaying Contractors’ works for the project were ongoing in various sites throughout SA.
HDD and telecommunications history
As society’s demand for telecommunications services continues to grow, the need for the installations of corresponding conduits and cables has increased – resulting in further prospects for the HDD industry.
Although still a relevantly new method, HDD for telecommunications installation has already demonstrated evidence of its success across the globe and prominently in Australia with the nation-wide roll out of the NBN and international connections.
Examples of this over the past few years include:
- LRM Civil Services using HDD to drill through challenging rock presence in Melbourne’s northwest corridor to make way for the NBN installation
- Maxibor using HDD to install a fibre link for NBN under a river and coastal wetlands
- Coe Drilling using HDD for shore crossing and beach manhole installations to accommodate an international submarine telecommunications cable.
Internationally, HDI Lucas employed HDD to complete the Tuas South Cable Landing Project in Singapore for ongoing telecommunications works and an Indian power utility installed a 3,500 km fibreoptic network under Bangalore to replace its overhead powerlines.
With the method ensuring less environmental impact to sensitive areas, along with its ability to drill through challenging geography prior to cable installations and the mitigated effect on the public, HDD is a forerunning option for telecommunications installations.
If you have project news you would like featured in Trenchless Australasia contact Journalist Sophie Venz at svenz@gs-press.com.au