Project Overview

In 2016, a 900 metre directional drilling installation was completed at an airport in Cambodia. The route was delivered in two shots of approximately 450 metres each, as a continuous overnight operation within a 24 hour period.

Scope

The installation carried ducts for five services: fuel, electrical, fibre optic communications, water and sewage.
Duct sizes: 3 × 180 mm, 2 × 125 mm and 1 × 63 mm.

Approach

The drilling machine was rated to 485 metres per shot. Splitting the 900 metre route into two equal shots kept each run at around 93% of that capacity, comfortably within the machine’s limit, while completing the full crossing in just two runs.

With five services sharing one route, careful planning of duct allocation, alignment and separation was essential from the outset.

Completing the work within a single 24 hour window kept the programme compact and time on site to a minimum.

Outcome

The full 900 metre installation was completed as planned in two shots, in a single overnight operation. The project shows how matching shot length to equipment capability, alongside careful multi utility coordination, makes a long crossing achievable within a tight working window.