City of Sackets Harbor, NY

1200’ of 20” HDPE – Outfall into Lake Ontario

Aerial view of Sackets Harbor, NY, showcasing the marina with boats, waterfront, and surrounding green landscape, relevant to ECI Contracting's project for installing HDPE pipe into Lake Ontario.

Project Details

  • 1,200 LF
  • 20-inch HDPE
  • $1.1 MM

As a leader in Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), ECI Contracting was subcontracted to provide specialized services as part of a larger project to install 1,200 linear feet of 20-in diameter HDPE pipe waterward from the shoreline of Lake Ontario at the Village of Sackets Harbor, New York Water Treatment Plant. The completion of this project hinged on the successful completion of horizontal directional drilling to meet underwater pipe that would be installed via the float and sink method from the lake surface using barges.

ECI Scope

While ECI Contracting is no stranger to horizontal directional drilling, this particular project presented some unique challenges, including:

  • Shallow drilling depth (15 to 20 feet) in Limestone rock
  • Complex operations in active waterway
  • Offshore work utilizing barges on the lake surface that required creative
  • solutioning and specialized equipment

Technical Solution

After careful consideration and on-the-ground assessment, our team of experts created and implemented a sophisticated drilling and installation approach based on customer tolerances and specifications:

  • Deployed a Prime 250 Maxi Directional Drill Rig
  • Utilized conventional wireline steering system with offset coil configuration
  • Implemented specialized drilling mud management for rock penetration
  • Coordinated a multi-phase installation process:
  • Drilling a shore-based pilot hole
  • Offshore reaming operations
  • Pipe flotation and pull-back procedures

Project Execution

Working in collaboration with the general contractor, the successful completion of this project required precise coordination between multiple operations, including:

  • Shore-based drilling operations
  • Offshore barge-supported excavation
  • Pipe fusion and assembly
  • Underwater pull-back operations
  • Integration with existing infrastructure
Drilling equipment with a directional drill head positioned at the water's edge, overlooking Lake Ontario, illustrating the installation process for HDPE pipe in Sackets Harbor, NY.
Excavator on barge conducting underwater installation operations for HDPE pipe in Lake Ontario, Sackets Harbor project.

Results

Over the course of four weeks, our team successfully managed the installation of 1,200 LF of 20-inch HDPE from the shoreline into Lake Ontario. The installation was completed at a maximum depth of 40 feet, utilizing excavators on offshore barges to support post-pilot operations. All together successfully installing the new water intake pipe for the city of Sackets Harbor, NY.

Highlights

  • Collaboration with the general contractor and municipal authorities ensured delivery of the upgrade on schedule and within budget
  • Through careful observation and experience, our team adapted to the challenges presented and executed creative and technical solutions to achieve success
  • Maintained drilling accuracy in spite of challenging conditions to achieve seamless integration with the existing infrastructure
  • Completed the installation with minimal environmental impact, reducing disruption to the natural surroundings

Relevancy

Offshore drilling operations can always be a challenge. Working before the project starts, pre-construction planning is critical to have success in the field. Creating a project plan with an experienced team takes the pressure off, and ECI has the team to do it. With multiple Superintendents and drillers with offshore experience, we know how to handle the small details.