Horizontal Remediation Wells installed directly into source contamination significantly reduces overall clean-up duration.

By: Kyle Carlton, PG, Senior Geologist

Hard to reach areas of source contamination commonly prevents closure of many remediation projects. Installation of Horizontal Remediation Wells (HRWs) with Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a proven method for attacking source contamination zones. Properly designed HRWs can be installed directly into the contaminate source.

Soil and groundwater contamination beneath active contaminate sources including fuel terminals, underground storage tanks, operating industrial facilities, and other difficult to access areas can be challenging to remediate using traditional vertical wells. Vertical remediation systems typically treat source contamination beneath these types of facilities by relying on the radius of influence (ROI) of the vertical well to contact the source area. Many times this strategy is effective; however in some cases, gaps in the ROI of vertical remediation systems can leave untreated hot spots resulting in longer than expected remediation duration.

Not every remediation technology is perfect for every site. For scenarios where a vertical system cannot access the source area, HRWs can enhance a remediation system’s ability to influence and properly treat the source contamination. Installation of HRWs directly into the source results in cost savings for your client by reducing the overall clean-up time.

Additional advantages of HRWs for source remediation:

  • Contact: HRWs maximize screen contact with contaminated media.
  • Cost Effective: One HRW typically takes the place of multiple vertical wells, lowering costs for large source area remediation.
  • Influence: HRWs minimize gaps in zones of influence.
  • Applications: Numerous remedial methods can be implemented through HRWs.
  • Non-intrusive: The drill rig is set up away from the vehicular and pedestrian traffic, resulting in minimal disruption to site activities.
  • Safety: HRWs eliminates the risks associated with attempting to vertically drill adjacent to active storage tanks.

So for your next remediation project, don’t skirt around the problem; attack the source with HRWs! Directional Technologies, Inc. has 25 years of HRW installation experience domestically and internationally. Partner with us on your next remediation project and put our expertise to work for you. Contact us at 877-788-4479 or drilling@directionaltech.com today to discuss your current project needs and put our learned lessons and expertise to work for you.