Drilling Support Excavation for a Multi-Week Drilling Program
Location: Bullhead Road, Southwest of Calgary, AB
Project Type: Drilling Support Excavation
Industry: Drilling and Utility Construction
Customer Type: Drilling Contractor
Project Overview
A drilling contractor called on DIGS Hydrovac to support a multi-week drilling program on Bullhead Road. DIGS first dug up a gas line ahead of a drill shot in August, then returned in October for daily drilling support that included locating telecom lines, vacuuming drilling mud, and standing by on site. Between October 5 and October 21, DIGS supported the program on 12 working days, rotating five hydrovac units through the site as volumes demanded.
Scope of Work
DIGS Hydrovac provided:
Gas Line Exposure Ahead of a Drill Shot
Telecom Utility Locates
Drilling Mud Vacuum Removal
Ongoing Drill Support and Standby
Site Conditions
Drilling produces a steady flow of mud that has to be removed to keep the site working, and the volumes on this program were large, often requiring multiple loads per truck in a single day. Existing gas and telecom infrastructure also had to be located and exposed safely before the drill could cross. Support needs changed from day to day, so DIGS had to scale truck counts up and down while keeping disposal moving.
Execution
In August, DIGS dug up the gas line for the drill shot. In early October, crews located telecom lines in two spots before the main drilling support began. From October 6 onward, DIGS vacuumed drilling mud on nearly every working day, typically with two to three trucks on busy days and multiple loads hauled off site per truck. Support continued through October 21, including standby time on site.
Outcome
DIGS Hydrovac removed well over 200 tonnes of drilling mud from the site and kept vacuum support available as volumes changed day to day, demonstrating DIGS’s ability to support drilling operations with flexible, high-volume hydrovac capacity.
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