November 2017 Vol. 72 No. 11

QuickConnect, LLC introduced a new line of universal pull heads, pull collars and multi-pipe pullers that make life easier and more efficient for trenchless operators. The products are available for both purchase and distribution. The universal pullhead eliminates the need for multiple pullheads an..

Melfred Borzall’s new Black Diamond directional blade cuts through the competition. Not only does it increase drilling efficiency inhard-ground conditions, but it  also addresses everyday production-draining issues such as blade drag, carbide wear and pullback efficiency. This new blade design is t..

McLaughlin introduced two new mid-range vacuum excavators – the ECO75 truck-mounted vacuum excavator and VX75 trailer-mounted version –  now available through the Vermeer global dealer network. A 74-horsepower Deutz Final Tier 4 diesel engine powers a 1,200-CFM vacuum blower and 8.0 gpm water pump ..

McElroy’s Spider 125 Series 2 socket fusion tool introduces an all-new, serrated jaw design that keeps polypropylene pipe perfectly round and improves force distribution to produce leak-free joints for top-performing plumbing and mechanical systems. This upgraded tool features a removable fitting s..

Brand-new to the John Deere compact wheel loader lineup, are the 62-horsepower 204L and 67-horsepower 304L models. Both are equipped with Final Tier 4 engines and fuel-efficient hydrostatic transmissions. An optional ride control produces a smoother ride and reduces material spillage, while a redesi..

Hyundai introduced the Hyundai HX130LCR, its 15th HX series excavator model and third compact-radius model, which gives contractors the added versatility of working in confined spaces. The 13.5-ton machine is powered by a 73.6-horsepower Perkins 854F Tier 4 Final diesel engine. It has a standard op..

HammerHead Trenchless, a Charles Machine Works company, introduced its new 22-ton, radio remote-controlled HydroGuide HG2200 cable winch, designed for maximum efficiency in pipebursting, sliplining and pipeslitting applications. Radio remote-control enhances ease-of-use and productivity. It provide..

Elgin’s The KEMTRON 800HD2 Packaged Fluid Management System features two double-deck Hyper G shakers, with two 12-inch 500 gpm desanders and 10 5-inch, 80 gpm desilters; all on top of a 5,000-gallon tank, split into three compartments. Each compartment includes its own clean-out and includes mud gu..

Ditch Witch, a Charles Machine Works Company, introduced several  “EVOLUT40N” underground construction products and solutions, including the newest HDD in the fleet. The AT40 all-terrain unit features an advanced, two-pipe drilling system that provides 33 percent more torque than competitive units...

American Augers launched the DD-240T Midi Rig, introducing a whole new design concept in horizontal direction drills (HDD). Many features of the 240,000-pound class rig  are industry firsts, driven by direct input from HDD contractors. The Range 2 rig’s 52.6-foot length and width of just 8.2 feet m..

With falls accounting for the greatest number of fatalities in the workplace, and fall protection being the most-violated OSHA standard, Jeremy Haskins, P.E., created Holehat to eliminate this hazard when maintenance, cleaning and inspection work is done via the utility manhole. Placed into open 24..

The Vulcan Universal Pump design is a revolution in vacuum technology. Based on air-flow technology, it converts pressure energy into velocity energy that collects and transports material over long distances through easy-to-handle 3- or 4-inch-diameter hoses and pipes. The vacuum system can easily ..

Undetected pipeline leakage is one of the most environmentally and financially damaging risks to any oil, gas or water pipeline operator.  For this reason, Hawk Measurement developed a state-of-the-art pipeline leak detection system that not only informs about the occurrence of a leak, but gives an ..

TT Technologies offers a pipe rammer and bentonite system for oil and gas pipeline installation projects. The pipeliner package features an 18-inch diameter Grundoram Goliath pneumatic pipe ramming system and Grundomudd 500 bentonite mixing/delivery system. During the ramming process the rammer is ..

Xylem has introduced to the United States market the first of a new series of “smart” dewatering pumps. The Godwin NC150S Dri-Prime pump is the first in the new Godwin “S” Series and features Godwin’s Field Smart Technology. This first-in-industry telemetry and wireless technology provides remote m..

By Jeff Griffin Senior Editor McLaughlin has introduced a new auger boring machine that is steerable in both fractured and solid rock to PSI ratings of 25,000 pounds. “The SRS steerable rock system IS designed to navigate not only solid rock, but also difficult fractured rock formations, allowing ..

Among trenchless rehabilitation techniques, cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) is gaining popularity. In fact,  a new report from Stratview Research, The Global Cured-In-Place Pipe Market: Highlights, projects the global market will reach $2.49 billion in 2022. Major drivers of the growth include the agin..

Sauereisen introduced the addition of the 210XHB product to its family of SewerGard epoxy lining systems. A moisture-tolerant, fast-setting, 100-percent solids epoxy polymer formulated specifically for municipal wastewater environments, SewerGard 210XHB provides a chemical-resistant barrier for conc..

Vortex Infrastructure has changed its name to Vortex Companies, reflecting growth in the company’s expanding portfolio of brands, products and services for the renewal of civil infrastructure. “A lot of our growth has been market driven,” said Mike Vellano, CEO of the Vortex Companies. “As a turnke..

Growing up in Shippensburg, PA, I was lucky enough to have parents who fostered in me a love for culture and the arts. When I entered college, there was no question about my course of studies. I poured my fascination with dance, music, theatre, travel, language and food into the French for Internati..

By Larry Kiest, Jr. A major challenge faced by nearly every utility is how to address its aging underground infrastructure. Sewer pipes are failing from coast to coast as America finds itself on a fast track to replace or renew sewer collection systems. A major driving force is the mandate set fort..

Tulsa Rig Iron (TRI) celebrated its 30th anniversary by hosting a luncheon on Sept. 20 at its facility in Kiefer, OK. Terry Flynn, vice president of sales and marketing, said that “with so many acquisitions and mergers in our industry, it is a great benchmark that a company checks the 30 year box.” ..

Organized by the Midwest Energy Association and sponsored by CASE Construction Equipment, the 2017 National Gas Rodeo was held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Denver, CO on Sept, 25. The event drew more than 320 spectators and 54 participating teams from utility companies across the United S..

Vermeer Corporation expanded its South America dealer network with the addition of Medellín, Colombia, Ve Group, offering Vermeer underground construction equipment, as well as after-market parts and service support. Ve Group has an established track record and experience in the pipeline installati..

The RELINE UV group, based in Rohrbach, Germany, has formed a subsidiary company in the United States to offer ultra violet (UV) cured-in-place pipe liner products, curing and support equipment in both the U.S. and Canada. RELINE UV includes the companies RELINEEUROPE, RELINECHINA and RELINEJAPAN. A..

A new company has emerged to service the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) industry with an emphasis on downhole consumables. “Right Turn Supply was created to find and deliver the best products in the market, giving our customers the greatest chance at success,” said Patrick Robinson, co-owner..

To provide assistance in navigating the EPA’s Tier 4 mandates, the Independent Equipment Dealers Association (IEDA) has released a free, downloadable white paper, “Advice from the Experts: Getting the Best Pricing on Used Equipment in the Era of Tier 4.” Mandates are driving up the demand for non-T..

Teleconferences the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers started in September are devoted to concerns that stormwater, wastewater management and drinking water agencies have about what is called the “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule established by the Obama Administration. A s..

Vacuworx lifting technology made its way to the White House as part of the National Park Service’s historic renovation of the building’s South Portico steps. The $1 million project, which included dismantling Truman-era staircases and installing carefully selected cuts of Missouri limestone, was com..

While it’s history, as far as national news is concerned, the August/September 2017 hurricane season and impacts are current issues in the areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The needs are still there; recovery will take months and even years. Revered organizations are playing majo..

The North Texas Chapter of the Underground Construction Technology Association (UCTA) eld its annual sporting clay event at the Elm Fork Shooting Sports Complex in Dallas. The chapter raised more than $11,000 dollars from the contest, exceeding its goal of $10,000. The money will support the schola..

Researchers at Villanova University completed a study that found the performance of corrugated, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe containing recycled HDPE resin in commuter rail installations, is indistinguishable from pipe made from virgin material. The three-year field and laboratory evaluatio..

Click here for the 2017 Large Directional Drilling Rig Census ..

Thousands, if not millions, of barrels of water are needed every day for shale oil and gas extraction. Securing and delivering such mass quantities of water to frack sites efficiently is always a challenge, and that challenge isn’t going away any time soon. The U.S. Geological Survey has identified..

The Trenchless Technology Center at Louisiana Tech University has been very busy in 2017 conducting and planning new research on the performance of many trenchless technology materials. These tests include long-term tensile and bending creep tests conducted inside various environmental chambers und..

By Jeff Awalt Executive Editor Despite ongoing challenges, there is growing confidence among analysts that 2017 marks a turning point in several key areas that drive long-term demand for natural gas development and pipeline construction. A Barclays survey projected global exploration and productio..

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), under new Chairman Neil Chatterjee, wasted no time making clear that it would use the exemption authority given to it recently by a U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia in order to approve pipeline construction where states balk at issuin..

By Robert Carpenter, Editor-in-Chief For the energy pipeline construction industry, 2015 and 2016 were, to say the least, disappointing in many ways for both contractors and energy companies. Obviously, with the price of oil and natural gas remaining largely depressed in recent years, many pipelin..