JFK: The Turning Point of Horizontal Remediation Wells

By: Kyle J. Carlton, PG, Senior Geologist

In 1993, the environmental industry lacked the ability to cost-efficiently access areas beyond the reach of traditional vertical drilling techniques.  Faced with the urgent need to remediate beneath an active runway at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City, Lou Fournier, Ph.D. of Star Environmental, Inc. contacted Directional Technologies, Inc. to install the first horizontal wells using mid-sized directional drilling rigs.  His innovative approach to this pivotal project helped create the horizontal remediation industry as we know it today.

Background and Approach

Horizontal air sparge / soil vapor extraction (AS/SVE) pilot testing would be the basis to install the over 40,000 feet horizontal remediation well system at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport). It was crucial to the project that the horizontal wells be installed at the correct pitch, depth, and spacing in challenging site conditions.

Dr. Fournier could not rely on a typical utility directional driller who likely did not understand the goal of the pilot test.  He needed a company with exceptional skills and experience to partner with him on this high-profile project.  After an extensive search, he chose Directional Technologies mainly because of their previous oil field experience and engineers on staff.  Dr. Fournier relied on the Directional Technologies engineers to give him added security that the project would be completed successfully.  With his remedial knowledge and vision of what could be accomplished, coupled with Directional Technologies’ engineer’s oil field background and eagerness to try something new; the team came together to do something never done before.

Over a quarter of a century ago, Directional Technologies, Inc. rose to the challenge and installed three 200-ft long horizontal wells at depths of 6-ft, 10-ft, and 14-ft below ground surface. The horizontal AS/SVE wells were accurately installed despite the difficult working logistics created by security access, signal interference, and busy site activities. The pilot testing was a success and the full-scale AS/SVE system operated for approximately three years.

The Stepping Stone:

Based on the success of this project, Directional Technologies shifted company focus to provide horizontal remediation well installation services for the environmental industry. Many remediation projects previously considered unfeasible suddenly became possible with the advantages directional drilling provides to access contaminate plumes beneath buildings, roadways, runways, storage tanks, and other surface obstructions. Additionally, horizontal remediation wells provide efficient remediation by increasing the screen contact with contaminated media over a large area, thus expediting remediation.

After completing countless unfeasible projects like this one, horizontal remediation wells are now widely accepted and accomplishing great things. We have found that once our clients use horizontal remediation wells, they continue to rely on the technology for other sites and projects because of their many benefits.

Since 1993, Directional Technologies has had the privilege of partnering with many creative, brilliant, and successful environmental consultants who were instrumental in pioneering the industry as we know it today.