Installing a wastewater pipeline along a horizontal curve
In September 2025, Brownline USA surveyed the pilot bore for a horizontal directional drilling project in La Porte, Texas. For this trenchless project, a wastewater pipeline was installed along a large horizontal curve and with the exit point below water.
Project background
A nearby chemical production facility is undergoing a modernization project that will help increase production capacity. As part of this project, a new wastewater pipeline needed to be constructed. A bore design with a length of more than 900 m / 3000 ft was made, which would start near a pipeline corridor and punch out into the Houston Ship Channel. HDD contractor Drilltech Inc. carried out the directional drilling to install this pipeline.
The pilot bore was guided by Brownline USA using the Drillguide Gyro Steering Tool. By employing the most advanced and accurate steering system in the world, the client was assured that the pilot bore would follow the challenging curved design with the highest precision.
Crossing wetlands
Most of the horizontal curve was located under a wetlands area, where it was not possible to use any kind of surface tracking system. Brownline USA was able to use GPS track for surface tracking as a secondary verification of the gyro measurements, before the drill would pass under the wetlands. The additional measurements by GPS track helped to confirm the measured data and eliminate any possible deviations ahead of the horizontal curve.
Following the 68° horizontal curve, the drill punched out in the Houston Ship Channel, where the bottom hole assembly was received on a jack-up barge. The accuracy of the Drillguide GST minimized any deviations from the planned line and allowed for a smooth drill path along the curves. This helped to ensure efficient reaming and pullback operations after the pilot phase was concluded.
