UEA recently took delivery of a new DitchWitch AT40 All Terrain Directional Drill, delivered by ELB Equipment. UEA has been running three AT3020s for six years, providing great efficiency in both soft ground and Sydney sandstone. The ability to drill through mixed ground conditions on a daily basis has been crucial to UEA delivering significant electrical and communications projects over the last few years.
UEA was pushing the boundaries of the capability of its current AT3020 fleet and needed a drill rig that could deliver longer HDD installations more efficiently. UEA’s larger rigs are reliant on the use of conventional mud motor to pilot bore works – not necessarily the best option at shallow depths in mixed ground conditions. As a part of UEA’s due diligence, the company investigated other machines with similar qualities. Whilst these other rigs were excellent options, UEA chose the AT40 as the operating systems were very similar to those on the AT3020 rigs. The AT40 All Terrain is designed with an advanced version of the proven Ditch Witch All Terrain drilling systems. The updated, two-pipe system offers boosted power to the bit, with 33% more torque than on other units. The rig has a fully enclosed cab – rated by the industry as one of the best – and is designed specifically with an HDD operator in mind. All of these benefits made the decision to purchase the AT40 a very easy one.
