14-05-2025

Full-electric HDD in the heart of horticulture

Regulations are tightening, emission-free work is becoming the standard, and the machines in the field are getting smarter and cleaner. At the same time, the importance of strong, fixed teams and smart planning is growing fast. So what does that mean in practice? This story gives you a real-world snapshot, straight from the Dutch Westland. Welvreugd is drilling two parallel jobs for a new greenhouse project using fully electric equipment, experienced crews and a smart site setup. A field visit that shows where HDD is heading, and why that matters for the whole chain.

In the Westland drilling starts with horticulture

Tucked between rows of greenhouses and massive water tanks, Welvreugd is laying casing pipes to supply power to a brand-new greenhouse. There’s no doubt, we’re in the Westland, the home base of this Dutch drilling company. Even though the company now operates far beyond horticulture, its roots in the sector remain strong. The job is for Opti-flor, one of the leading orchid growers in the Netherlands. Opti-flor is actively transitioning to more sustainable cultivation methods, aiming to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. They utilize geothermal energy to heat their greenhouses, extracting heat from deep underground layers. Their new greenhouse project reflects the sector’s push for innovation and sustainable energy use; a perfect match for modern, electric HDD work.

How do you prep a 440 metre HDD with precision and electric power?

At the first site, we meet supervisor Vincent. His crew is preparing for a 440-metre bore using 7×110 mm casing. Today is all about prep-placing equipment according to the plan, but also relying heavily on field know-how. “It’s definitely going to be a job for the barrel reamer,” says Vincent. “We need to make sure the hole is clean and all leftover cuttings are pushed out.”

This is where good equipment planning comes in. Our big orange rental R2000E recycling unit is still waiting to be positioned, while the pump and mixing unit are already in place. The fully electric P1500E was custom-built at the request of the equipment manager: it has an extra platform with twistlocks to to accommodate a future container-sized battery pack. With electric drilling comes a lot of cabling. Luckily, many of those cables are stored in a dedicated compartment in the pump unit. That’s a real help for the crew, just getting started on the cable puzzle. Next to it is the M2000E, which we delivered last November – also fully electric.

Big rigs need big units; working with a 80-ton Streicher

And then there it is: a massive 80-ton Streicher. Fully electric, with a thrust and pullback force of up to 80 tons, and a boost mode reaching 100 tons. Its electric drive powers all key functions, including spindle, carriage, mud pump and crawler tracks, significantly reducing both noise and CO₂ emissions. The Streicher’s intuitive controls, energy recovery system and remote setup options make it ideal for complex projects. Even in sensitive environments.

“I used to work offshore,” the driller says proudly. “A few months ago, I made the switch to HDD, and I’m glad I did. Especially because I now work at Welvreugd. Here, you get to work with the best machines, and the crews work like clockwork.” He’s looking forward to the arrival of the new RD1500E unit with Derrick shakers that SiteTec is building for Welvreugd. “Big rigs need big tools,” he says with a grin.

From welder to supervisor; how one man grew with the machines

A few hundred metres away, we meet Jan Koster. His crew is drilling 515 metres for 4x 110 mm casing pipes. The bore makes a wide curve and eventually connects with Vincent’s drilling route. Jan leads the crew as site manager.
He joined the company 19 years ago, starting as a part-time welder on a crane, just three days a week. That quickly changed: he became a driller, eventually supervisor, and has seen a lot of rigs come and go. “We used to head out with one truck and two guys. Hard to imagine now,” he laughs.

Jan’s team is mid-pilot, using gyro measurement tools from Brownline to track the bore. “Tomorrow we finish the pilot, next day pullback, and Friday we pump,” says Jan. The PE pipes arrive on reels. With a bore depth of 28 metres, buoyancy is a serious factor. They’re drilling with a 54-ton rig, supported by a first-generation R1500E and an MP1000E. “But I’m waiting for that MP1500E with the 250-kW motor right, Corné?” he jokes as we wrap up.

When the whole chain works together

Fully electric rigs, experienced crews and custom-built support units. This is real progress, right in the middle of Dutch greenhouse country. In the Westland, where agriculture and infrastructure come together, the sector is shifting gear. With Welvreugd pulling the load.