Horizontal Directional Bore Telecommunications Works

Telstra has engaged UEA to construct a new underground access chamber/manhole and bore a new underground telecommunications conduit (the works) under Floreat Beach for approximately 800 metres West/Northwest to the seabed. The works are scheduled to commence in April 2018 and conclude by approximately the end of June 2018. The new conduit will be used to connect the underwater cable to land in mid-2018. Telstra has obtained approval by the Western Australian Planning Commission for this cable landing infrastructure development. The work will be carried out in accordance with an approved Environmental Management Plan. In order to undertake this work, UEA is required to conduct the following activities:

• establish a site compound and drill site;
• install security fencing around the site compound;
• construct an underground steel reinforced concrete access chamber/manhole; and
• restore the site in accordance with Town of Cambridge standards.

During the drilling operation, the drilling fluid will be constantly monitored to ensure that no spills occur, and either xanthan gum or freshwater will be used near the drill exit point to protect marine life. Once the drilling is complete, UEA will engage divers to recover the drill head from the sea bed. The divers will pull a rope through the drill rods and install a subsurface buoy. The drill rods will be left as the conduit for the optic fibre cable. UEA will construct a concrete access chamber and undertake restoration of the site. Further information regarding the Indigo West Cable project can be found here. For more details on this project, or on UEA’s other horizontal directional drilling projects, contact the Trenchless team or call us on 02 9672 4456 .