Going under: New trenchless technology means pipelines are installed without construction activity in the watercourse.
Ever wondered how a pipeline goes under a river? In recent years, the development of new technologies mean pipelines can be safely installed, well below the river bed, leaving the environment above intact and undisturbed.
How do we do this?
One of the technologies we use is called horizontal directional drilling or HDD. It allows us to drill beneath the river bed and install the pipeline without disrupting the river flow, surrounding environment, the fish habitat or the riverbank.
This technology also allows us to bury the pipe deeper on both sides of the river bank, offering protection from floods or high river levels.
Several layers of safety
Our teams have been planning the proposed Energy East Pipeline route by taking into consideration a number of factors:
- Avoiding protected areas and known areas of cultural importance to Indigenous groups
- Field studies findings including fisheries, vegetation, traditional land use
- Width and depth of water bodies at the proposed crossing location
- Bed and river bank composition analyses
We’ll also use additional safety measures during construction such as the depth of burial, thicker pipe walls, strategically located shut-off valves and special pipe coatings to avoid corrosion.
For more on our water crossing methods, read our Fact Sheet!
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Energy East hires Indigenous specialists for field studies
Building a pipeline
Field studies
You can also read this blog in French
