Telecom/Electric
Major NC Fiber System Goes Totally Underground
RST Global Communications, LLC (RST), based in Shelby, N.C., has completed the first phase of its Real Fiber Network, an underground, 100 percent fiber-optic network that includes backbone, middle and last mile installation.
Editor's Log: Growing Up Fiber
It wasn’t that long ago that those involved in the fiber communications realm were considered dreamers. Shortly after the fiber back-bone build-out bust of 2000-2001, fiber trunk lines were everywhere but rarely utilized. The U.S. was awash in dark fiber systems, waiting for not just business, but individuals as well, to embrace fiber to the premises – at a high cost. Most consider that cost to connect fiber to homes and business as just too high and the return too low to make a working business model. It would take decades for fiber to become in vogue enough to justify lighting up the dark fiber, justify build-out costs and truly provide fiber to the premise.
14th Annual Horizontal Directional Drilling Survey: Telecom, Energy Drive Market, But Is It Sustainable?
Depending upon where you are located and what niche drives your business, the horizontal directional drilling market for 2012 is a mix of strong, mediocre and stagnant. But where business is good, it is very, very good.
Laney Directional Drilling Record Crossing
Laney Directional Drilling Co., a leading provider of horizontal directional drilling services to the energy, telecommunications and infrastructure sectors, announced that it has successfully completed the horizontal directional drill (HDD) installation of nearly 11,000 feet of 6-inch steel gas pipeline in one pull under Lake Houston.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Equipment Spotlight
Downhole tools from Ballantine, Vermeer, American Augers, Armadrillco, Melfred Borzall, INROCK, Railhead Underground Products, Sharewell, HammerHead Trenchless Equipment, Ditch Witch and Drillhead Directional.
Contractor Finds Success Embracing Island’s Pristine Environment
It’s among the most historic, unspoiled and coveted vacation spots anywhere in North America. Located off the southern tip of Cape Cod, MA, Martha’s Vineyard is the largest true island along the East Coast of the United States.
13th Annual Directional Drilling Survey: Mixed Market Recovery For HDD
While the overall market recovery for horizontal directional drilling appears to be improving at the mid-year point of 2011, many contractors are still struggling with sluggish economic conditions.
Tight Urban Directional Drilling
CenterPoint Energy Inc., Houston, TX, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. It serves more than five million metered electric and natural gas customers in six states: Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi and Oklahoma.
Equipment Spotlight: Downhole Directional Drilling Tools
Downhole directional tools from Railhead, Sharewell, INROCK, Melfred Borzall, American Augers, Horizontal Technology, HammerHead, Vermeer, Ballantine and Ditch Witch.
Vermeer Introduces Microtrencher For Fiber Installation
Vermeer is launching a system for cutting narrow trench in paved rights-of-way, primarily for installing duct for fiber optic cable. “The target market is the last-mile, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) installations,” said Jon Kuyers, product manager of the Vermeer utility segment. “The system is the complete package for installing micro duct for fiber.”
2010 Large Directional Drilling Rig Census
When horizontal directional drilling (HDD) professionals discuss the size of an HDD rig, they usually refer to the maximum pullback force the unit can develop. The most common industry standard for a large directional drilling unit is defined as having a minimum of 100,000 pounds of pullback force. In addition to pullback, the most common specifications used to categorize HDD equipment are rotary torque of drill stem, rotation speed and the size of drill pipe.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Ballantine
Ballantine offers a complete line of backreamers for nearly all ground conditions.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: HammerHead
The TriHawk II drill bit performs best when drilling in dry compressed soil conditions and is a good choice when drilling in hardpan, dry clay and any other compacted soils.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Ditch Witch
The Aggressive Talon Rock Bit is a multi-use bit manufactured for HDD applications in a variety of soil conditions, including sandstone, shale and chunk rock.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Horizontal Technology
The RockReamer is a versatile, cost effective hole opener for HDD – cutting downtime as easily as it cuts rock.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Vermeer
Utilizing a patented tri-cone roller bit and specialized drill head housing, the RS8 rock drilling system allows simple setup, low fluid usage, use of standard locator transmitters and excellent steering efficiency.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Melfred Borzall
The Ogre stacked plate reamer performs in hard soil conditions including shale, sandstone, caliches and cobbles.
The Private Fiber Option
For home internet users with broadband connections, "high speed" service usually is considered a necessity. Yet there are many regions in America that do not have broadband access, and an increasing number of small communities recognize attracting new business is unlikely to succeed without access to broadband.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Railhead Underground Products
Go Green with the Direct Bore featuring a box end housing with a new stronger door, designed to take the abuse of those tough condition bores.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: American Augers
The Fly Cutter is ideal for use during directional drilling operations in clay and sand soil conditions.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: INROCK
INROCK's XTR platform utilizes an interchangeable block segment cutter (MT/TCI).
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Sharewell
Sharewell’s heavy-duty LTX series of Lo-Torque Hole Opener is ideal for pipeline projects.
2009 Large Directional Drilling Rig Census
When horizontal directional drilling (HDD) professionals discuss the size of an HDD rig, they usually refer to the maximum pullback force the unit can develop.
Telecom Waits, Hopes For Boost From Stimulus Funds
Various federal economic "stimulus" programs are under way to help bring America out of the crippling recession that has been affecting almost every segment of the economy.
Underground Tools Inc. directional drilling pipe
Underground Tools Inc. offers a selection of premium quality directional drilling pipe for nearly every make and model of drill rig on the market.
Frozen Sand Provides Directional Drilling Challenge
What acts like solid rock, but really isn’t rock and is located in the heart of the Midwest? That’s a good question, and Tim Huttmann with TH Construction Company, based in Omaha, NE, knows the answer.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Ditch Witch HDD Systems
The Ditch Witch directional drilling product line is the only brand on the market that covers all major systems.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Sharewell LTX Series
Sharewell’s heavy-duty LTX series of Lo-Torque Hole Opener is ideal for pipeline projects.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Ballantine Backreamers
Ballantine offers a complete line of backreamers for nearly all ground conditions.
Downhole Directional Drilling Tools: Horizontal Technology RockReamer
The RockReamer is a versatile, cost effective hole opener for HDD – cutting downtime as easily as it cuts rock.
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Lynchburg, Va., breaks ground on largest-ever Blackwater CSO tunnel project
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- The EPA announces $6.2 billion in funding for Iowa and Kansas water infrastructure