Finding a Fit for Horizontal Wells

Choosing the right in situ remediation technology will have a tremendous influence on the success of your project. Remediation systems incorporating horizontal wells are responsible for successfully cleaning up some of the most challenging sites in the industry. However, horizontal remediation wells are specialized technology that is tailored toward a specific type of site. Whether you are new to this technology, have had success with horizontal remediation in the past, or are just waiting for the right site to come along, we want you to identify which sites will be a fit for horizontal remediation. Below is a brief criteria checklist to help determine if your project site can significantly benefit from horizontal wells. The more criteria your projects meet, the more benefit your client will receive from horizontal remediation.

Would the project require more than 5 vertical remediation wells?

• Some sites present no challenges accessing contaminant plumes but have such a broad area to remediate that increasing remediation system efficiency becomes an important consideration. The more vertical wells that would be required, the more likely a horizontal solution could be a fit. A single horizontal well can exceed the performance of multiple vertical wells. For example, at a typical former industrial site, Directional Technologies replaced an initial design consisting of 55 vertical SVE wells with merely 11 horizontal SVE wells.

Have previous remedial efforts been unsuccessful in achieving remediation goals?

• Many successful horizontal remediation projects had previously been part of a remedial action plan that was reliant on vertical wells but came up short. The advantages offered by horizontal wells have often been the final step in achieving site closure. An example is a Department of Defense facility with a large jet fuel release. Remediation using vertical wells had been in progress for over 12 years until they were replaced with horizontal biosparge wells, which then achieved site closure within just a year and a half after installation.

Is the contaminant plume partially inaccessible due to site constraints?

• Commercial/industrial/residential infrastructure and activity, subsurface utilities, sensitive environments, caps/liners, high-security areas, and a myriad of other site constraints can place significant limitations on the placement of traditional vertical wells. In contrast, horizontal wells can be installed in hard-to-access areas that may be critical to successfully treating contamination. What’s more, horizontal wells allow remediation systems to be engineered for maximum screen contact with contaminated areas and maximum efficiency regardless of site constraints.

Is the time to achieve site closure an important factor?

• Human health, regulatory requirements, property transactions, litigation, annual remediation system operating costs, and other factors can make remediation system performance a key concern. Horizontal wells have a demonstrated ability to achieve cleanup goals in less time than traditional vertical wells. Faster cleanups and fewer total wells can also lead to lower O&M costs over the lifespan of a project.

Would disruption to site operations or site infrastructure be an issue for your client or adjacent property owners?

• Disruptions to site activities are not only undesirable for property users but can result in tangible financial losses due to interruptions caused during well installations, and subsequent O&M. Horizontal wells can eliminate these disruptions by staging equipment out of the way of important areas during remedial construction while still having unparalleled access to the contaminant plume.

Do you have project sites that may be a good fit for horizontal remediation wells? Contact Mike Sequino, Principal Engineer, or Tomas Will, Sr. Technical Environmental Scientist, our horizontal well experts, at 877-788-4479 or drilling@directionaltech.com to discuss your current project needs.