Project HammerHead: On Location
HDD Assist in Jefferson City, Missouri

There is something about ramming 80 feet of 48 inch casing beneath a railroad spur under a fiber installation and over a 30 inch sewer, in close proximity to the state capitol building that makes the job seem just a little high profile.

Tom Allen, owner of Tom Allen Construction, needed to drill 2,440 feet under the Missouri river and pull back a 30 inch steel casing. For starters he had to stabilize a railroad spur and protect the surrounding utilities. To do this a 48 inch washover casing was installed using a 23" HammerHead Mole Pipe Ramming Tool and 48 inch ram collars.

Known in the industry as rat holing the primary purpose of a washover casing is to eliminate the accumulation of mud caused by using drill fluid, allow the for the recovery and reuse of the drill fluids used and to keep the surface from caving in.

The end result was the successful installation of the new pipe with limited surface disruption and no effect on the rail line or the existing utilities.

For a printable PDF version of this job story click here.

The rail support system in place and ready to recieve the pipe.

The 23” HammerHead Mole Ramming a 48” washover casing in front of the capitol building.

Placing the 23” tool into the collets.