Precenter: Bryce Morrow & Glenn Duyvestyn, PhD., PE, PEng (Michels Corporation)

Registreren: ISTT

OVERVIEW

Michels, an internationally operating contractor in trenchless construction, was asked in 2023 to complete the installation of a critical, extremely complex HDD for the Snowy 2.0 Pumped Hydro Project in New South Wales, Australia.

The Marica Road West HDD was necessary for the installation of power, water, and communication cables required to build and operate Snowy 2.0, the largest committed renewable energy project in Australia. Stretching from Lobs Hole to Marica, the Marica Road HDD is 2,248 meters long,an impressive, yet not exceptional, length for a trenchless project.

However, the HDD borehole included an elevation difference of 600 meters from low side to high side, a configuration never achieved by HDD. This installation method was deemed to be the best option for the successful installation of a 219-mm (8 5/8-inch) diameter fiberglass reinforced polymer (FRP) carrier pipeline and its critical cables in an environmentally significant area.

This presentation explores the technical challenges, innovative solutions, and lessons learned from the project, which was completed between April and July 2023.